This boiled eggs with soldiers recipe will change the way you eat breakfast forever.
Not only yourself but the kids love them and will be requesting them quite often, breakfast, brunch or even at dinner time.
This recipe includes ideas for fancy eggs and soldiers including various soldier toppings and alternatives along with dairy free and gluten free suggestions.
Where did eggs and soldiers come from?
Soft boiled eggs with soldiers, also known as “dipping eggs and soldiers” is a British classic breakfast for children and adults alike. Eggs and soldiers is a name given to soft-boiled eggs, served in an egg cup, with strips of buttered toast for dunking in the yolk.
A soldier is a thin strip of toast, the strips that a slice is cut into are reminiscent of soldiers on parade.
The toast is sliced in this manner so that it can be dipped into a soft boiled egg that has had the top of its shell removed.
Dipping Eggs and Soldiers
Yield: Yield: 1 Serve
Prep Time: 2 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Additional Time: 2 minutes
Total Time: 9 minutes
How To Make Dippy Eggs and Soldiers This is the dipping eggs and soldiers recipe that gives perfect runny yolk to dip your toast soldiers into.
These soft boiled eggs and soldiers are a perfect classic light meal for everyone and is ready to serve in a few minutes.
Ingredients
1 70 gram egg
2 slices bread
Instructions
Take a saucepan and half fill it with cold water from the tap. Gently lower the eggs into the saucepan one at a time.
Place the pan over medium heat. When the water reaches a simmer, start the timer so you can precisely time the cooking process. If you gently stir the eggs in a clockwise direction, the movement of the water will help centre the yolks.
Simmer the eggs for 4 minutes for runny yolks that have started to thicken.
Remove the saucepan from the heat and use a large spoon to remove the eggs from the water. Cool the eggs by running them under cold tap water for 30-60 seconds or placing them in a bowl of iced water.
Place the egg in an egg cup.
Cut the top of the egg off with a knife.
Toast bread, butter then cut into 2cm strips.
Serve.
Notes
Eggs For Soldiers
Although dippy eggs for soldiers are most commonly boiled, they can be shallow poached or shallow fried and still get a perfect dipping egg.
When cooking your eggs for soldiers, you want the whites of the eggs to be firm, but the yolk stays runny, creamy, and in a liquid gold condition.
The cooking time for soft boiled eggs really depends on the size of the egg. The best soft boil egg time for a 70g egg for dipping eggs and soldiers, you need to remove them from the simmering water after around 4 minutes.
Eggs For Soldiers Tips
Use a large spoon to remove the eggs from the water.
Cooling the eggs straight away will stop the cooking process.
Don't boil the water too hard, a light simmer is all that you need.
If cooking more than two eggs, make sure your eggs fit in the saucepan in a single layer.
Don’t just glance at the clock, set a timer to get consistent soft boiled eggs every time.
Best bread for Soldiers
In my opinion, the choice of bread for your soldiers is key to success! It should be bread that toasts up perfectly golden while still being soft on the inside.
It has to be hot enough for butter to melt into the cracks. A good sourdough or calabrese loaf is perfect. Personally, I like to use dark rye because I love the flavour alongside the egg yolk.
You don’t want toast that’s hard as a rock so keep that in mind when choosing your bread and deciding whether or not to butter it. It needs to have some flex in it to scoop out the yolk! Buttering your toast will help too.
But really your soldiers can be made from whatever your favourite bread is. Toast slice is best
How to Eat Eggs and Soldiers
Traditionally eggs with soldiers are served immediately in an egg cup with buttered fingers of toast, known as soldiers. Eat your eggs and soldiers by dipping the toasted soldiers into the soft yolk and enjoy. You can use a small spoon to eat the remaining egg that your soldiers can’t scoop out.
Fancy Eggs and Soldiers
Buttered toast fingers are traditional “soldiers” but mixing it up can add variety and some extra vegie goodness.
Kids often don’t like their toast seasoned but I'm sure they will like some of these ideas, go for it. Here are some of my favourite topping ideas:
Boiled Egg and Vegemite or Marmite Soldiers
Many people also enjoy "marmite soldiers" in the UK or "vegemite soldiers" in Australia which follow the same principle and are spread with Marmite or Vegemite respectively.
Dipping Eggs with Fried bread Soldiers
Fry thick-cut soldiers of white bread in butter until golden.
Soft Boiled Egg and Avocado Soldiers
Spread toast with butter and mashed Avocado then cut soldiers.
Dippy Eggs and Dijon Soldiers
Spread toast with butter and thinly spread dijon mustard then cut soldiers.
Dairy Free
Make It dairy free by skipping the butter completely, or use a dairy-free spread.
Gluten-Free
Make it gluten-free by Using gluten-free bread such as 90 second microwave bread, or one of the soldier alternatives below.
Alternative soldier Ideas
When it comes to dipping eggs and soldiers, there are plenty of tasty treats you can dunk. Why not try;
Grilled breakfast sausages cut lengthways or fish fingers. I know it sounds odd, but it really works! Other ideas would have to include;
