Discover how to cook eggs to the perfect consistency –

(Ernani Mesquita/)

How do you prefer the consistency of the boiled egg: soft, firmer or hard? It all depends on the cooking time. So no taking a walk while he’s on fire. Keep an eye on the time! Another tip: dip the egg in a pot of still cold water and then bring it to a boil. Once the water bubbles, start timing and remove the egg from the water at just the right time for the texture you like.

In 3 minutes: soft-boiled egg (with soft whites and yolks), perfect for eating with a spoon (crack the shell at the top and add a pinch of salt).

4 to 5 minutes: the whites are a little more consistent and the yolk is still soft.

6 to 7 minutes: firmer yolk.

8 to 10 minutes: hard yolk and white (remove from the hot water and set to cool in a bowl of cold water. The white becomes softer and the yolk more yellow and creamy).

When you leave (or forget) the egg in the fire for a longer time, the yolk becomes dry, with a tendency to crumble. There is also a risk of the yellow part taking on a greenish tone and the contour darkening. This is because one of the proteins in the yolk, which contains sulfur, reacts with another, which contains iron. Prolonged heat also alters the structure of egg white proteins, which causes them to stick together. Result: a hard, rubbery egg. Check here for more details on how to prepare soft eggs.