In some recipes you will need to use whole eggs, in others you may need to use just the yolk or the white, or to add them separately. In either case you’ll need to crack your raw egg first. There are several methods you can use to separate them, but we like this way as taught to us by Bibi.
Cracking an egg
To crack your egg tap it firmly on the side of a jug or bowl. Make sure whatever you use has a nice sharp edge. One really hard tap to the centre of the egg’s side should crack it enough for you to then be able to pull it apart into two halves.
If you are using your egg whole, just tip the contents of both half shells into the jug or bowl. However, if you are moving on to separate the yolk from the white, you will need to hold the contents in each half shell carefully, and have a second bowl handy (see post below).
Whole eggs often need to be whipped or whisked before using. You can use a small whisk but we find a fork works best. Whip the eggs briskly until the yolk and white are well combined – it’s ready when it looks smooth and slightly pale, as below.
Separating the yolk from the white
Separating the yolk from the white is tricky, and there are several methods you can use. We show our preferred method, which was how Bibi did it. But once you’ve practiced it a few times you’ll get the hang of it and it is very satisfying!
Have ready two bowls or jugs. Crack the egg as in the step above on the edge of the bowl you want to hold the white. When you separate the egg, the yolk will naturally slip into one half (be careful not to break it). Tip any white from the half without the yolk into the bowl. This is where the fun begins! Carefully transfer the yolk into the now empty half shell of the egg, doing this over the bowl. Some white will likely drop into the bowl – this is what you want. Encourage more white to drop into the bowl by swapping the yolk between each half shell a few times, still taking care not to break it. When the yolk is clean (or very nearly clean) of white, drop it into the second bowl. The pictures below should help you understand the method.
Your egg is now separated!
Jake sticks his nose in
If you are going to use the whites, especially if you are going to whisk them, it is very important not to get any drips of yolk into the white
If you find this method too hard, you can try two others. One is to crack the egg onto a saucer (the yolk will gravitate towards the little hollow in the centre). Take an egg cup, hold it upside down and press it over the yolk, so the yolk fits inside without breaking. Run the white off into a bowl.
Alternatively crack the egg on a bowl as in step one above, then pour the white through your fingers, catching the yolk. This works well but is messier, and you have to touch the raw egg.
The shell method we prefer is easy to master after a few tries. If you get it any yolk into the white, you can try removing it with a teaspoon, or start again with a new egg. Yolk in the white can prevent it whisking properly; a little white in the yolk will not matter for most recipes however. Give it a go!