Have you ever thought about why you buy a certain egg size?
So many people automatically reach for a box of large, but British farmers are campaigning for more shoppers to eat a range of egg sizes.
Tell me moreDownload a free education pack designed for use by primary school teachers.
Includes curriculum-relevant activities relating to maths, science, English language and more.
Download mineThe Food Standards Agency has changed its advice on eggs, confirming that eggs with the British Lion logo – or equivalent standard – on them are safe to be eaten runny, and raw.
This means vulnerable groups including pregnant women, babies and elderly people can have 100% confidence in British free range eggs, however they like them cooked.
Learn moreFind out how your eggs are produced to some the of highest standards in the world
Free range eggs are a modern superfood
Hand-picked recipes
For the apples, peel, core and chop the cooking apple into 1cm cubes. Place the apple, sugar and water in a small saucepan and cook on the hob on a medium heat for 5 minutes or until soft. Turn off the heat and put to one side.
For the sponge, lightly grease the pudding bowl or basin with a little butter or margarine. Place the sugar and butter or margarine into a large mixing bowl and beat until light and fluffy.
Add the eggs one at a time, beating well to combine before adding the next. Gently fold in the flour. Carefully stir the cooked apple and blackberries into the sponge mixture. Transfer the mixture to the pudding bowl and spread evenly with the spatula. Cover loosely with a lid or cling film, making sure that it is not touching the sponge mixture. Place the pudding in the microwave on a high setting for approximately 6 minutes (this may vary slightly depending on the power of your microwave). The sponge should rise and be firm to the touch. Leave to stand for 4–5 minutes before turning out onto a serving plate. Serve on its own, with custard or yoghurt.
Roll out the puff pastry into a rectangle around 3mm thick.
Brush with water and roll up like a Swiss roll.
Cut into four, stand upright and press down into a disc.
Chill for 10 minutes.
Roll out the pastry into circles to line four 10cm loose-bottomed tins.
Prick the bases of the pastry cases with a fork and chill again.
Blind bake at 160°C for 10-12 mins, remove the baking beans and cook for another 5 mins until the pastry is just golden.
To make the filling, mix the egg yolks and double cream, whisk in the mustard and then season.
Finely dice the onion and leek and sweat off in some olive oil, allow to cool and then add to the egg mix.
Stir in the cheese and chives.
Retain 12 asparagus tips and chop the stalks and any remaining spears.
Add the chopped asparagus to the custard mix.
Fill the tarts with the custard and lay 3 asparagus tips onto the top of each tart.
Bake at 160°C for 12-15 mins until golden and just set.
Serve warm with a green salad as a starter.
Place the water and vinegar a saucepan and bring to the boil.
Reduce the heat to a gentle simmer and swirl the water with a spoon to create a whirlpool effect.
Carefully add the egg into the centre of the whirlpool and poach for three minutes, or until cooked to your liking.
To make the hollandaise, place the vinegar, peppercorns, shallot and bay leaf in a small non-reactive saucepan over a high heat.
Boil rapidly reducing the volume of liquid to about a tablespoon, then remove from the heat and allow to cool for one minute.
Place the egg yolk into a large glass bowl and whisk in the cooled vinegar reduction through a sieve.
Gradually add the melted butter, whisking vigorously and continuously.
Season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
To serve, place the avocado in the centre of a plate. Place the poached egg onto the avocado and pour over the hollandaise.
Gently fry the onions in a little oil until soft but not coloured then add the sage and cook for about 2 minutes.
Remove from the heat and add to the sausage meat.
old the black pudding through the sausage mix, trying not to break it up.
Season with salt and pepper.
Divide the mix into four balls and allow to rest in the fridge.
Place the eggs in boiling water for approximately 4 minutes, cool in iced water and peel.
Wrap each ball of mix around an egg and form into neat spheres.
Coat each ball with flour, egg wash and breadcrumbs.
Deep fry at 180C, until they start to float. This means they are cooked through.
Preheat the oven to 200ºC/fan 180ºC/gas mark 6. Beat the butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well between each addition. Fold in the flour and cocoa powder. If the mixture is very stiff, stir in a tablespoon of milk (or rum!). Pour into a greased and lined 20cm (8in) diameter, 2cm (¾in) deep cake tin and bake for 35–40 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean and the cake is puffed up and golden. Turn the cake out on to a wire rack and leave to cool.
Meanwhile, make the candied lime rind. Place the caster sugar and water into a small saucepan and stir until the sugar dissolves. Add the lime rind and cook over a medium heat for 10 minutes or until the sugar syrup has reduced and the lime rind is soft and looks a little like marmalade. Sprinkle the lime rind over a baking sheet lined with nonstick baking paper and leave to cool and harden.
To make the icing, beat the butter and icing sugar together, using an electric mixer or by hand (start off gently or the icing sugar will fly everywhere), until pale and light, but don’t let it get too fluffy – you want a fairly solid buttercream for this cake. Add the lime juice and rind and beat again. Chill in the refrigerator until the buttercream is firm but still spreadable.
Spread the buttercream over the top of the cake using a palette knife. Decorate with the candied lime rind and dark chocolate.
Cut the peeled potatoes in half lengthwise. Then, with the flat side on the cutting surface, slice the potato in pieces approximately 1/8″ thick. If you slice them a bit thick, don’t worry – it will simply take a bit longer for them to cook.
Peel and chop the onion into small pieces. Put potatoes and onions into a bowl and mix them together. Salt the mixture.
In a large, heavy, non-stick frying pan, heat the olive oil on medium high heat. Carefully place the potato and onion mixture into the frying pan, spreading them evenly over the surface. The oil should almost cover the potatoes. You may need to turn down the heat slightly, so the potatoes do not burn.
Leave in pan until the potatoes are cooked. If you can poke a piece of potato with a spatula and it easily breaks in two, your potatoes are done. Remove from the pan with a slotted spoon or spatula and allow oil to drain.
Crack the free range eggs into a large mixing bowl and beat by hand with a whisk or fork. Pour in the potato onion mixture. Mix together with a large spoon.
Pour 1-2 Tbsp of olive oil into a small, non-stick frying pan (aprox. 9-10”) and heat on medium heat. Be careful not to get the pan too hot because the oil will burn – or the tortilla will! When hot, stir the potato onion mixture once more and “pour” into the pan and spread out evenly. Allow the egg to cook around the edges. Then you can carefully lift up one side of the omelet to check if the egg has slightly “browned.” The inside of the mixture should not be completely cooked and the egg will still be runny.
When the mixture has browned on the bottom, you are ready to turn it over to cook the other side. Take the frying pan to a sink. Place a large dinner plate (12”) upside down over the frying pan. With one hand on the frying pan handle and the other on top of the plate to hold it steady, quickly turn the frying pan over and the omelet will “fall” onto the plate. Place the frying pan back on the range and put just enough oil to cover the bottom and sides of the pan. Let the pan warm for 30 seconds or so. Now slide the omelet into the frying pan. Use the spatula to shape the sides of the omelet. Let the omelet cook for 3-4 minutes. Turn the heat off and let the tortilla sit in the pan for 2 minutes.
Slide the omelet onto a plate to serve. If eating as a main course, cut the omelet into 6-8 pieces like a pie.
To make the batter, fill the jug up to the half pint or 300ml mark with flour
Sift the flour into a large bowl and add salt and freshly ground black pepper
Break free range eggs into the jug up to the half-pint or 300ml mark (you’ll need about six, depending on their size)
Make a well in the centre of the flour, add the eggs, and gradually beat them into the flour using a wooden spoon
Measure out half a pint or 300ml of milk and slowly beat into the mixture until the batter is the consistency of double cream
Strain through a sieve, pushing through any remaining lumps
Cover and leave to stand for 30 minutes
Heat a large non-stick pan and cook the sausage over a medium heat until golden brown all over. If you don’t have a non stick pan, add a little oil. Set aside
Place the dripping or vegetable fat into an ovenproof dish and pop the dish into the oven for 5 minutes or until the dripping is hot and hazy
Add the sausages to the hot dish and pour in the batter
Immediately return the dish to the oven and cook for 35-40 minutes, until well risen and golden
Serve the toad-in-the-hole with baked beans, onion gravy, mushy peas… or whatever takes your fancy!
First make the pasta dough as described on page 245, steps 5–10, remembering to add the extra egg yolks, plus the olive oil a bit at a time. You want an eggy, elastic dough, not something greasy.
To make the filling, strain the porcini, reserving the soaking liquid, rinse them well and drain again. Chop the porcini and the fresh mushrooms. Heat the oil in a sauté pan, add all the mushrooms, the strained soaking liquid and thyme and simmer for a few minutes, until tender. Season well with salt and pepper. Transfer to a bowl and leave to cool, then mix in the ricotta and egg yolk.
Divide the pasta dough into 4 pieces. Either roll them out by machine (see pages 245–246, steps 11–14) or by hand (see page 246, tip 2). Keep the dough you aren’t working on covered with cling film to prevent it from drying out. Make the ravioli as described on page 256. If not cooking them straight away, leave them in the fridge uncovered.
To make the sauce, put the stock and cream into a small saucepan and simmer until reduced by half. Add the Gruyère cheese and half the Parmesan and sage, then leave to infuse while you cook the ravioli.
Bring large pan of salted water to the boil, add the ravioli and cook for 3 minutes. Drain well, then toss with the sauce. Serve garnished with the remaining Parmesan and sage.
Set oven at gas mark 3, 170°C.
Grease a baking dish with a little butter. butter bread, cut into triangles and layer in dish. beat eggs and caster sugar together until quite smooth.
Warm milk and stir gradually into the mixture.
Strain mix over bread and leave to soak for half an hour.
Sprinkle with dried fruit and demerara sugar and bake for 45 minutes.
