Jammy Eggs and Feta on Toast
Jammy eggs and feta on toast is all about the luxuriously creamy texture of egg yolks served over whipped feta on sourdough with fresh herbs. Yum! An eggs with feta recipe is a winning flavour combo you’ll keep craving for. This is a super easy, gourmet way to level your breakfast game.
Jammy Eggs and Feta on Toast
Jammy Eggs and Feta on Toast
Jammy Eggs and Feta on Toast
If I ever ran a B&B, this recipe would be on the menu. Every egg enthusiast loves a classic jammy boiled eggs on toast, but when made a little bit extra, with whipped feta and cream cheese, it’s a whole other level of deliciousness, and isn’t that what we’re all wanting? A weekend breakfast that makes us feel like we’re on holidays somewhere quaint? Lean into the ‘staycation weekend’ vibes, and make this tasty breakfast.
Developing this recipe was quite special. I have six beautiful free range chickens that wander around the yard and into the neighbouring forest, eating the grass (and sometimes my herbs) which makes their eggs a deep orange colour and tastes amazing. You can guarantee when you watch one of my recipe videos, there’s a chicken close by looking for scraps. So it’s worth mentioning before we kick off into the nitty gritty of egg boiling, where you, can buy free range organic eggs, so that you’re supporting farmers that love their chickens and give plenty of space to roam and scratch around. Happy chickens, delicious eggs.
Why you’ll love this recipe:
- Eggs and feta are a really good combo. The saltiness of the feta is mellowed somewhat by the cream cheese, but just enough to make a perfectly seasoned whipped cheese that compliments the eggs.
- I will show you how to make perfect jammy eggs every time using the fool proof method below.
What is a ‘Jammy egg’
Take a big breath in, we're going on a deep dive! Jammy eggs are where the egg white is fully cooked but the yolk is soft, thick and gooey - A jammy texture that’s so delicious! It’s different to a soft boiled egg (but very close), where the entire yolk is quite runny. Think goldilocks - not too soft, not too hard, just jammy goodness. The difference between a soft boiled egg, jammy egg, hard boiled egg and a gross rubbery golf ball is the cook time. Read on for how long to boil for jammy eggs.
Jammy eggs boil time
The all important boil time for jammy eggs is 7 minutes for medium/large size refrigerated eggs. If your eggs are quite large, boil for another 30 seconds to a minute. If they’re petite sized eggs, then 6 or 6 mins 30 seconds is ideal.
If your eggs are room temperature, boil for 6 minutes, as the starting temperature is different to refrigerated, it takes less time to cook.
The general rule of thumb for egg boiling times are:
- Soft boiled eggs = 6 minutes
- Jammy eggs = 7 minutes
- Hard boiled eggs = 9-10 minutes
Equipment needed to boil eggs
- A timer (your phone)
- A saucepan
- A spoon
- A bowl
How to make jammy eggs
- Start by bringing a pot of water to the boil first. Fill the pot enough to cover the eggs. Don’t add eggs to cold water, they will overcook. You want a rolling full boil not a simmer. Note if your hob or element is really strong and is making the eggs crack because it’s boiling too hard, reduce the heat slightly.
- Gently lower the eggs into the water. If you drop them in, they’ll crack straight away, so place one on a spoon and lower it in softly. Repeat one after the other, but working quickly so the cook-time remains the same for all of them. I like to have a timer ready to go so when I lower them all in, I hit start.
- Choose a saucepan appropriately sized. If you’re boiling only a 2-3 eggs a small saucepan is fine, but for larger batches make sure you use a large pot. You don’t want them stacking on top of each other.
- Give them an ice bath. While the eggs are cooking, fill a bowl with ice and water deep enough to submerge the eggs fully. As soon as your timer goes off, remove the eggs with a spoon or slotted spoon and place them in the ice water for 3 minutes to stop the cooking process.
- Drain them on some paper towel. So that they’re nice and dry before peeling them.
How to peel boiled eggs
- Gently tap the egg all over with the back of a spoon to make little cracks in the shell.
- Start from the bottom part of the egg, pull open a cracked piece and begin to peel the thin membrane part between the shell and the cooked egg white. This is what will help to peel off larger amounts at once and keep the egg white nice and smooth.
- Peel slooowwwwlllyyyyy. Easy does it. If you rush this step you coul get chunks of white sticking to the shell that you’re peeling off. Some eggs are trickier than others, some say that older eggs are easier to peel, but regardless of age, peeling gently and slowly is the best chance at a smooth peel.
- If there’s any residual shell bits give the egg a little rinse.
- If you do get an uneven peel, nobody's gonna die. This recipe is alll about the jammy yolk!
Variables & Troubleshooting
- Fridge eggs vs room temp eggs - The cook times above are for refrigerated eggs, not room temp eggs. But if you’re like me and have chickens at home, you may not have them refrigerated all the time. For room temp eggs, reduce the cook time by a minute to allow for the difference in temperature.
- Different egg sizes - Eggs come in all different sizes. These cook times are for medium to large eggs, not small or extra large. Adjust the cook time from 30 seconds to a minute for if your eggy’s aren’t a standard size. So if you have a large egg and a small egg that you want to boil, add the large first, wait a minute then add the small one so they finish at the same time.
- Eggs are overcooked - If your eggs are overcooked it could be that the egg was smaller than average size, it wasn’t refrigerated, or it wasn’t placed into the ice water straight away for the length of time needed.
- Eggs got cracked in the pot - If the boil is too rapid, your eggs might crack in the boiling process, this happens sometimes because some egg shell varieties are thinner than others. Reduce the heat a little to decrease the rapidness of the boil. If the egg is only a small crack, continue with the same cook time. If the crack is more seismic, then reduce the cooking time by a minute or so.
Storage
Eggs will keep for 2-3 days in the fridge, stored in an airtight container.
Ways to serve jammy eggs
Other than on toast with feta, I love jammy eggs on their own with some simple seasonings like sesame oil and salt, or everything bagel seasoning. They’re also the perfect topping for homemade ramen.
More cooking tips for this recipe
- Whipping the feta - Room temp-ish feta and cream cheese is easier to blend in a food processor.
- Pipe a thin (about 3mm) layer of feta mixture - too thick and it will be all you can taste.
- You don’t have to pipe the whipped feta on like a pastry chef if you don’t have a piping bag/can’t be bothered. Smear it on with a knife if that’s more your thing.
- If frying your bread (not toasting in a toaster), don’t have heat on too high, it’ll burn the edges.
More delicious things on toast:
Love a tasty toast recipe? Try these easy and delicious gourmet toast recipes perfect for any time of day: Fig haloumi ricotta sourdough, Roasted strawberries on toast, Smoked salmon on rye sourdough, Sardines on toast, and Posh Mushrooms on Toast.
They’re best eaten when you make them, or refrigerated for later on and eaten cold. I wouldn’t recommend reheating them.
This comes from overcooking the eggs. It's still safe to eat.
Start with boiling water to prevent over cooking.
Ingredients and substitutions
How to make it - step by step!
Add feta, cream cheese and 3 tbsp olive oil to a food processor, blitz until smooth. You may need to stop and push the cheese close to the blade a couple of times to blend it all. Add to a piping bag.
Bring a pot of water to the boil, then using a spoon, carefully place in the eggs one at a time, boil for 7 minutes. Prepare your bowl of ice water.
Meanwhile, toast sourdough pieces (either in a toaster or in a pan with olive oil on a low heat).
Once the timer goes off, place boiled eggs into a bowl of iced water for 3 minutes, then remove and dry with paper towel.
Using the back of a spoon or hard surface, gently crack the egg shells all over. Slowly and gently peel the egg shells from the eggs. Rinse any remaining little shell bits then cut in half and or quarters.
Place your toast on a plate, then pipe (or spread) over a thin layer (about 3mm) of whipped feta, followed by a drizzle of olive oil, zest of lemon, and a crack of pepper. Then layer over the jammy eggs, chilli flakes, pepper, (teeeny) pinch of salt on the yolks, dill and chives.
Add feta, cream cheese and 3 tbsp olive oil to a food processor, blitz until smooth. You may need to stop and push the cheese close to the blade a couple of times to blend it all. Add to a piping bag.
Bring a pot of water to the boil, then using a spoon, carefully place in the eggs one at a time, boil for 7 minutes. Prepare your bowl of ice water.
Meanwhile, toast sourdough pieces (either in a toaster or in a pan with olive oil on a low heat).
Once the timer goes off, place boiled eggs into a bowl of iced water for 3 minutes, then remove and dry with paper towel.
Using the back of a spoon or hard surface, gently crack the egg shells all over. Slowly and gently peel the egg shells from the eggs. Rinse any remaining little shell bits then cut in half and or quarters.
Place your toast on a plate, then pipe (or spread) over a thin layer (about 3mm) of whipped feta, followed by a drizzle of olive oil, zest of lemon, and a crack of pepper. Then layer over the jammy eggs, chilli flakes, pepper, (teeeny) pinch of salt on the yolks, dill and chives.
Watch the how to video
Watch the how to video
Jammy Eggs and Feta on Toast
- 4 pieces of sourdough
- 6 free range eggs
- 150g Danish feta cheese (room temperature)
- 100g cream cheese (room temperature)
- 3 tbsp olive oil (plus extra for frying)
- 2 tsp lemon zest
- 2 tbsp dill
- 1 tbsp chives, chopped
- 1 tsp chilli flakes
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- Add feta, cream cheese and 3 tbsp olive oil to a food processor, blitz until smooth. You may need to stop and push the cheese close to the blade a couple of times to blend it all. Add to a piping bag.
- Bring a pot of water to the boil, then using a spoon, carefully place in the eggs one at a time, boil for 7 minutes. Prepare your bowl of ice water.
- Meanwhile, toast sourdough pieces (either in a toaster or in a pan with olive oil on a low heat).
- Once the timer goes off, place boiled eggs into a bowl of iced water for 3 minutes, then remove and dry with paper towel.
- Using the back of a spoon or hard surface, gently crack the egg shells all over. Slowly and gently peel the egg shells from the eggs. Rinse any remaining little shell bits then cut in half and or quarters.
- Place your toast on a plate, then pipe (or spread) over a thin layer (about 3mm) of whipped feta, followed by a drizzle of olive oil, zest of lemon, and a crack of pepper. Then layer over the jammy eggs, chilli flakes, pepper, (teeeny) pinch of salt on the yolks, dill and chives.