When the water begins to boil, turn the burner to low heat. Ideally, you want the water to be at “almost boiling” point. It’s imperative that the eggs be very fresh and cold! If not, the egg white will not surround the yolk in the proper shape. Select the first egg, crack it and slide gently into a small custard dish. Slide the egg into pan carefully.

Leave the egg(s) in the water for 2-3 minutes, always keeping the water at just a simmer: 167 degrees F or 75C. The egg white will begin to harden at 147 F or 65C.

At this point, take the eggs out of the water and submerge them in a bowl of warm salted water. This will quickly halt the cooking process. The eggs should be round and smooth.