More general cooking tips for eggs

Judging the freshness of your eggs

All British Lion eggs have the best-before date printed on the eggshell to guarantee freshness.  But if you want a handy trick to instantly judge the freshness of your eggs, simply drop your eggs into a large mixing bowl of cold water and look out for the following signs.

Fresh eggs: A fresh egg will sink to the bottom of the water, with its positioning running lengthways on its side.

Boiled eggs in eggcups

Semi-fresh eggs: Eggs which are semi-fresh should sink to the bottom but stand up straight.

Older eggs: If your egg floats higher than halfway towards the surface of the water this means it’s most definitely not fresh and consumption should be avoided.


Why does this work? Eggshells are porous and therefore air can flow through them. The older an egg is the more air will seep through and gradually make it more buoyant as time progresses.

Making eggs last longer

Nobody likes wastage, especially now when it's a food as delicious as an egg. To get the most time from your eggs keep them in the egg box in the fridge on a shelf  - avoid storing them loose in egg storage containers in the side-door compartment.

If you have a big batch of eggs but are probably not going to use them for a while then freezing them is another handy trick to avoid the potential involvement of the bin. Just grab a spare ice cube tray and crack them into each compartment - these eggs work brilliantly if you want to make scrambled eggs in the future.  

Beating the perfect egg whites

Beating great egg whites isn’t an art, however there are some key considerations to take if you want them just right:

  • Avoid plastic bowls: Only use stainless steel or glass so any residue fat doesn’t stick to the lining.
  • Separate your yolk and whites carefully to avoid any traces of fat from the yolk mixing with the egg whites and making it more difficult to properly beat.
  • Don’t beat cold eggs: Eggs which are room temperature can be beaten to a greater volume.
  •  Add the sugar in stages once the egg whites have doubled in size. Adding it all at once will make the whites harder to beat and you won’t get anywhere near the same volume.

Separating the yolk from the whites

If you’re not quite an egg separating pro who can calmly do it using the two halves of the shell then these tips should come in handy:

  • Give yourself a hand: Slowly crack the egg into the outstretched palm of your hand. Keep your fingers close together and let the egg whites gradually run through the cracks and into a bowl below. Note - make sure you wash your hands first!
  • The bottle trick: Crack an egg into a bowl and place an empty plastic water bottle over the yolk. Gently apply some pressure to the bottle by squeezing it and once you release your grip the yolk should scoop up and enter the bottle.
  • In the event of a shell: It’s not quite separating eggs but is another common mishap when cooking with eggs. If you’re left with a piece of shell floating around in your whites, avoid reaching for a spoon and instead use a larger piece of shell which should pick it up with no problems.

Eggcellent cooking cups

Want to make picturesque eggs which also taste great? Try an edible cooking cup to sculpt a perfectly presented egg and also add an extra delicious flavour to the mix. For frying, sliced bell peppers and onion rings make great shape holders for your eggs. Simply cut a circular shape out of the veg, add to the pan and crack in your egg. To try something in the oven, crack an egg into a hollowed avocado or even wrap a cupcake tray with a cooked piece of bacon for a crispy treat!