Coddled Eggs In Crispy Prosciutto Cups

Silky, rich coddled eggs baked in a salty, prosciutto ‘cup’ makefor an elegant brunch dish that will satisfy you well beyond lunch.

Wooden board with 2 coddled eggs in crispy prosciutto cups.

This is one of my favorite dishes to serve for a Sunday brunch.  I like to serve it with Fresh Peach Bellinis, Decadent Southern-Style Grits, Strawberry Romanoff, and Lemon Vanilla Bean Scones for a beautiful, feminine, and delicious menu that is perfect for brunch with the girls, or a bridal or baby shower.

What Are Coddled Eggs?

A coddled egg is an English dish dating back to the late 1800s.  It is an egg that is cooked in a glass or porcelain cup or dish that is then placed into a water bath to essentially steam the egg.  You can add flavoring to the coddled egg by using cheese, herbs, or cream.

The egg is considered perfectly coddled when the white is opaque, yet very soft and the yolk is mostly runny and intact.  Buttery toast strips are sublime to dip in the runny yolks.

This recipe uses prosciutto to make the ‘cup’ in a muffin tin and the egg is flavored with cheese and herbs.  How could it not be amazing?

What Is An Egg Coddler?

Egg Coddlers are lovely little porcelain cups with a screw-on lid.  They were made popular in England during the 1880s and produced by a company called Royal Worcester.  You can still find them on eBay, but they can be pricey. Here is one of my favorite egg coddlers that I bought on eBay several years ago:

Photo of a porcelain English egg coddler.

A more economical, albeit not as pretty, is to butter a 4-ounce mason jar, crack an egg into the jar, flavor as desired, screw the lid on and proceed with the water bath.

Difference Between A Coddled Egg And A Poached Egg

Both coddled eggs and poached eggs are soft-cooked eggs, a poached egg is cooked directly into a liquid, usually water.  The coddled egg is steamed inside of a vessel that’s placed in hot water.

Close-up of coddled eggs in crispy prosciutto cups.

Ingredients Needed

  • Prosciutto – I used a Cotto-prosciutto that looks like very thinly sliced ham.  Don’t use a Crudo-prosciutto, which is a salt-cured, dried ham.  It won’t line the muffin tin very well and the flavor is too strong and salty for the delicate eggs.
  • Provolone cheese – I used non-smoked provolone, but smoked works as well.  If possible, grate your own for the creamiest texture.
  • Eggs – Buy the freshest eggs possible for this recipe.
  • Heavy cream – This adds a gorgeous richness to the eggs, but you could use half and half or whole milk.
  • Chives – not only add flavor but also makes a lovely garnish,
  • Salt and pepper

Steps To Make This Recipe

  1.  Spray a muffin pan with cooking spray.
  2. Line the muffin pan cups with prosciutto to make a ‘basket’ to hold the eggs.
  3. Sprinkle the prosciutto with cheese.
  4. Crack an egg into each cup.
  5. Top each egg with heavy cream, chives, salt, and pepper.
  6. Place the muffin tin in a large roasting pan.
  7. Fill the roasting pan with water.
  8. Bake the eggs until the whites are opaque.
  9. Serve hot with toast points.

wooden board with 2 coddled eggs in crispy prosciutto cups.

If you like this egg brunch dish, here are a few more to try:

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Coddled Eggs In Crispy Prosciutto Cups

Silky, rich coddled eggs baked in a salty, prosciutto ‘cup’ make for an elegant brunch dish that will satisfy you well beyond lunch.

  • Author: Millie Brinkley
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 15 minutes
  • Total Time: 25 minutes
  • Yield: Serves 6
  • Category: Breakfast
  • Method: Bake
  • Cuisine: British

Ingredients

Scale

12 slices prosciutto (about ½ pound)

1 cup grated provolone cheese (about 3 ounces)

12 large eggs

¾ cup heavy cream

1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives

¼ teaspoon Kosher salt

¼ teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  Spray a 12-cup muffin pan with cooking spray.

Place a large roasting pan, with deep sides, in the oven. 

Line each cup with one slice of prosciutto.  Fully cover the bottom and sides with the prosciutto.

Place 1 tablespoon of grated cheese in the bottom of each cup.

Crack 1 egg into each cup and drizzle 1 tablespoon of cream over each egg.

Top each egg with a pinch of chives, salt, and pepper.

Place the muffin tin in the roaster that is in the oven.

Gently pour enough water to come up to the lip of the muffin tin.

Bake in the preheated oven until the whites are just turning opaque and set – about 10-15 minutes.

Remove the pan from the oven and place it on a wire rack to cool for 5 minutes.

Run a knife around the edges of each cup and use a spoon to gently scoop the prosciutto cup out of the pan.

Serve immediately.

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