Perfect Hard Boiled Eggs

Ingredients

Eggs

6 large

Water

enough to cover eggs by 1 inch

Ice

3 cups

Salt

1 teaspoon (optional, for seasoning)

Pepper

to taste (optional, for serving)

Paprika

for garnish (optional, for serving)

Instructions

1. Place the eggs in a single layer in a saucepan, ensuring they are not overcrowded.
2. Add enough water to the saucepan to cover the eggs by about an inch.
3. Place the saucepan on the stove over high heat and bring the water to a rolling boil.
4. Once the water is boiling, remove the saucepan from the heat and cover it with a lid. This method utilizes residual heat to cook the eggs perfectly.
5. Let the eggs sit in the hot water for 12 minutes for a well-cooked yolk. For a softer yolk, reduce the time to 9-10 minutes.
6. While the eggs are cooking, fill a large bowl with ice and cold water to create an ice bath.
7. After 12 minutes, carefully use a slotted spoon to remove the eggs from the hot water and place them directly into the ice bath.
8. Let the eggs sit in the ice water for at least 5 minutes to cool and stop the cooking process, preventing overcooking.
9. Once cooled, gently tap each egg on a hard surface and peel, starting from the wider end for easier removal.
10. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and sprinkle paprika on top if desired before serving.