How to use the online timer
Nine minutes takes an egg all the way to fully cooked: a firm, pale yolk with no wet centre, and a white with a bit more bounce than a softer egg. This is the setting for picnic eggs, curried egg sandwiches, deviled eggs, or anything that needs to be sliced cleanly and hold its shape for hours in a lunchbox. As with any boiled egg, start the timer only once the water is at a full rolling boil.
Nine minutes is close to the ceiling for hard-boiled — push much further and the yolk turns dry and starts to crumble, with that grey-green edge becoming more noticeable. If you've had that happen before, this timing should land you just short of it, with a yolk that's fully set but still slightly moist when you bite into it.
An ice bath afterwards isn't optional if you want easy peeling: plunge the eggs in as soon as the timer stops and leave them a few minutes before working the shell off, ideally under a thin stream of cold tap water. Eggs that are a few days old peel more cleanly than fridge-fresh ones, so if you're planning ahead for a barbie or a picnic, boil them the day before.
Common questions
How do I stop the grey ring around the yolk?
Move the eggs into iced water the moment the timer ends rather than letting them sit in the hot water or cool on the counter. That quick chill is what prevents it.
Why won't the shell peel off cleanly?
Very fresh eggs are notoriously hard to peel. Eggs that are a few days old, cooked properly and cooled in ice water, generally peel far more cleanly.
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