MasterChef at Home: Nick Riewoldt’s Dippy Eggs Will Amp up Your Dessert Game

Celebrity MasterChef is ticking along nicely with all kinds of sweet feeds popping up on our screens each week. And lucky for you, we’re following the season closely, sharing any notable MasterChef recipes that our Lifehacker readers may be keen on. This week, we’re taking a peek at Nick Riewoldt’s recipe for Dippy Eggs.

Before you roll your eyes, know that this take on dippy eggs is more than perfectly soft-boiled eggs (which can be a challenge). Riewoldt has crafted a “sweet and sour” breakfast or dessert dish that uses lemon curd, Italian meringue and biscuit soldiers. Read on below.

Nick Riewoldt’s dippy eggs recipe

Makes 6

What you’ll need:

Lemon Curd

• 3 eggs
• 2 egg yolks
• 1 cup caster sugar
• ½ cup lemon juice
• 150g butter, cubed
• 2 tbsp double cream

Soldiers

• 125g butter
• 1 egg
• 1 ½ cups plain flour, plus extra to dust
• ½ cup caster sugar
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• pinch salt
• 1-2 tsp water

Italian Meringue

• 150g caster sugar
• 60ml water
• 2 reserved egg whites
• ½ tsp cream of tartar
• fennel pollen, to finish
• reserved eggshells, plus extra eggshells, to serve

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 180C.
2. For the Lemon Curd, using an egg topper, open 5 eggs. Carefully pour 3 of the eggs into a small saucepan. Separate the remaining 2 eggs and add the yolks into the saucepan. Reserve the whites for the meringue. Reserve all eggshells for serving.
3. Add sugar and lemon juice to the saucepan of eggs and yolks and whisk thoroughly to combine.
4. Place over medium low heat. Add in one cube of butter at a time, whisking continuously until a smooth, thick curd forms. Pour through a fine sieve into a tray. Cover surface with plastic film and place into the fridge to chill and set.
5. Remove from the fridge and transfer to medium bowl. Whisk in cream then transfer to a piping bag. Set aside in the fridge.
6. For the Soldiers, place the butter into a small saucepan and place over medium heat. Allow butter to melt and the solids to brown. Remove from the heat and pour into a bowl. Set aside to cool.
7. Using an egg topper, open egg then pour egg into a food processor. Reserve eggshell.
8. Add the remaining ingredients, along with the cooled browned butter. Pulse, adding a little water, until a dough forms.
9. Shape dough into a flat disc, wrap in cling film and place into the freezer for 10 minutes to chill.
10. Unwrap dough and roll out thinly (3mm) on a lightly floured board using a floured rolling pin. Trim into rectangles about 1.5 cm wide and press on the surface with a fork. Transfer rectangles to a lined tray, taking care to maintain their shape.
11. Bake in the oven until lightly golden, about 14-15 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside on the tray for 10 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool.
12. For the Italian Meringue, place the sugar and water into a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to the boil. At the same time, place the reserved egg whites and cream of tartar into the bowl of a stand mixer. Whisk on low speed until foamy. While syrup is approaching temperature, increase speed of mixer and whisk whites to soft peaks. Once syrup reaches 115C, immediately remove from the heat and pour in a thin stream onto the inside of the mixing bowl until all added. Reduce speed of mixer to medium and continue to whisk until meringue has cooled to room temperature. Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a star nozzle and set aside.
13. To prepare the eggshells for serving, bring a saucepan of water to the boil.
14. Carefully rinse the eggshells in warm water and remove any remaining egg and membrane. Place into simmering water for 10 minutes to sterilise. Carefully remove from the water and remove any remaining membrane. Place onto a clean tea towel, cut side down, to cool.
15. To serve, arrange eggshells into a ceramic egg carton or egg cups. Pipe in curd until about 80% full. Pipe dots of meringue over the curd. Using a blow torch, lightly scorch the meringue. Sprinkle lightly with fennel pollen. Serve immediately with soldiers on the side.

Hot tip: remaining curd, soldiers and meringue can be served in small ramekins or bowls

Pretty impressive, no? Will you be giving Riewoldt’s dippy egg recipe a try? Let us know in the comments how you get along.