You could crack one egg, fry it up and pop it on top of a bowl of Cantonese noodles and we swear celestial music will start playing from somewhere above.
Or, you could crack many eggs and create so many dishes that defy our earthly realm that music won't even be necessary.
Firstly, watch our resident columnist and Bakeclub extraordinaire, Anneka Manning as she shares some eggy truths and how to get the most out of our eggs when baking.
Then dive into these recipes and keep on cracking.
When you think egg yolks, you think custard! And when you think custard, you really ought to think pomegranate because the two are just made for each other in a creamy-soft-meets-sharply-tangy kind of way. Music to our mouths!
A good crème caramel is a worthy recipe to master, but especially good with added coconut milk. This is a Vietnamese take on a French classic that results in a crazy dessert combo that was just meant to be.
If it's egg whites you're drowning in (see 'custard above'), then these little meringue kisses will bring you back to life. Each is filled with a caramel ganache so rich it could stand on its own in Louboutin heels.
Of course, you might prefer a bit of tang in your meringue, in which case you'll be making these angel food cakes. Light as air chiffon cake is topped with Italian meringue and mouth-puckeringly good lemon curd. You'll need 15 egg whites for this recipe plus a couple of additional eggs... so plan on making plenty of Hollandaise to tame all those extra yolks.
Louise cake is very clever because the yolks are used in the shortbread biscuit base and the egg whites in coconut meringue on top. Trust those Kiwis to be so wonderfully thrifty.
Pavlova is an egg white's friend - make that a gang of egg whites' friend. However you make it (and there are as many versions as there are Kiwis claiming the pav as their own), you'll want to get your whisking arm ready.
You can be sure dough is going to be a melt-in-your-soul affair when it's made with this many eggs. Cozonac can be compared to a dense sponge or a brioche loaf. Whatever you compare it to, cozonac wins.
Ahem, did someone mention brioche?
Most pound cakes require at least two eggs, but this buttermilk version goes a step further by adding lemon curd. That bumps the eggy goodness up to five and the satisfaction rating of this cake to an easy 11.
Latin America's dearly loved three milks cake could also be called five eggs cake... the decadent sponge-base uses that many. This 'soggy' cake encapsulates all the reasons why we love dunking things in milk.
If it's a sponge you love, then your passion lies here. Four eggs whisk a lightness to this passionfruit sponge that defies gravity (just don't over-whisk once the flour is in!).
Since we're talking eggs, we'd better mention the soufflé. The light-as-eggshells French classic has been stuffed with thousands of different combinations of ingredients, and still, it rises.
Of course, Austria's version of a soufflé is particularly picturesque. Salzburger Nockerln is baked to represent Salzburg's snow-capped mountains and one mouthful lifts you there.
Then there's quiche Lorraine, which honestly is just about the best thing you can do with an egg except make an omelette (see below).
It's a little known fact that if you put a soufflé together with an omelette, you end up with something superior to both. The soufflé omelette is completely indulgent, utterly memorable and surprisingly easy to pull off.
Another breakfast classic, French toast should really be called eggy bread (and often is). There are sweet versions, but this oven-baked savoury special with garlic mushrooms is our favourite.
Cracking an egg into a deeply fragrant, spicy tomato mixture feels like just the right way to get the day started. Shakshuka your cares away!
Which brings us to carbonara. Many people think you need cream, cheese or other accoutrements, but you really just need garlic, pancetta and plenty of eggs. If the pantry is empty and the belly hungry, you could honestly get away with only eggs swirled through your pasta. Thank you, eggs. Thank you, hens. For everything
SBS Food is a 24/7 foodie channel for all Australians, with a focus on simple, authentic and everyday food inspiration from cultures everywhere. NSW stream only. Read more about SBS Food
Have a story or comment? Contact Us
