Coddled Eggs In Crispy Prosciutto Cups

Name: Coddled Eggs In Crispy Prosciutto Cups
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 25 min
Cuisine: British
Ingredients: 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

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

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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:

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.

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