Poached eggs are a breakfast favourite, yet achieving that perfect yolk can be quite the culinary challenge.

It’s all too common to miss the mark on this delicate dish, but fear not, as TV cooking sensation Mary Berry has revealed her foolproof method for crafting the “perfect oval” poached egg every time.

According to Mary, who divulged her technique on her website, it’s all about the prep work. She instructs to start with boiling water and vinegar in a pan, then simmering down before adding a “dash of vinegar”.

The key move is to “crack each egg into a ramekin or cup, swirl the water with a spoon and then carefully drop into the pan. Leave until the white is just beginning to set and carefully turn with a slotted spoon to form an oval shape.”

Mary advises letting them simmer for three to four minutes, ensuring the white is set and the yolk remains runny. She cautions to monitor the heat closely to maintain the egg’s shape, suggesting to “Keep an eye on the heat: if the water starts to bubble again, turn it down to stop it disrupting the egg’s shape. Using a slotted spoon, carefully lift out and drain on kitchen paper.”

Mary assures that while they may require some attention to detail, these eggs are “worthwhile”. Cooking expert Mary has just dished out a cracking tip for those who struggle with poaching eggs, advising: “Don’t panic when first tipping an egg into the poaching water. The egg white will naturally spread out, but it comes together as it cooks, and you can tidy the edges at the end when the cooked egg is draining on kitchen paper.”

Mary also shared her hollandaise sauce recipe, which can be found below.

Start whisking the yolks and vinegar together with a hand whisk until they’re well mixed. Mary suggests using a hand whisk to keep the texture in check, cautioning: “You don’t want it to be whipped and become too thick to pour.”

Plonk the bowl over a pan of softly simmering water and trickle in the melted butter, whisking all the while, until the concoction thickens and takes on a glossy sheen.

Chuck in a dash of salt and pepper and yank it off the heat. When it’s done, you can lay a bit of cling film over it and let it sit whilst you sort the eggs out.

If you’re a whiz in the kitchen and like to prep ahead, Mary’s got you covered, saying: “The hollandaise sauce can be made up to an hour ahead and kept warm in a wide-necked vacuum flask.”

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