The Marvel of Eggs

Let's talk about eggs - those little oval miracles that can be breakfast, lunch and dinner and the secret glue holding our cakes together. However you like your eggs - in a cake is my preference - eggs are the unsung heroes of the baking world. Crack one open and you're not just starting a recipe - you're starting a culinary adventure.

The Ultimate Multi-Tool

Need a snack, a face mask or a natural glue? Eggs have got you covered. They are the Swiss army knife of the kitchen.

Eggs help retain moisture in baked goods, keeping them soft and fresh longer.

The protein in eggs provide structure to baked goods, think of them as the scaffolding that stops your cake from collapsing.

They subtly enhance the flavour of the other ingredients and thicken things such as custards and fillings.

Eggs also help mix ingredients together that otherwise don't mix well, such as oil and water, bringing harmony to your batter.

Egg Wash Wonder

Using an egg wash on pie crusts or breads gives them a gorgeous glossy finish and help toppings such as seeds, stick better.

Culinary Chameleons

Eggs can be fried, scrambled, poached, boiled or baked. They have more personalities than the Incredible Hulk.

Shell Shocked

The average hen lays about 300-325 eggs a year, that's an awful lot of omelettes!

Colour Confusion

Brown eggs and white eggs taste the same. The eggshell colour depends on the breed of the hen. Generally speaking, white shell eggs come from hens with white feathers, while brown shell eggs are produced by hens with brown feathers.

Ancient Currency

In ancient Rome, eggs were so valuable that they were often used as currency. Imagine paying your gas bill with eggs!

Dinosaur Eggs

Scientists believe that modern birds, including chickens, evolved from dinosaurs. So when you eat an egg, you are technically eating a distant relative of a T-Rex. Breakfast just got more interesting!

Unbeatable Records

The worlds biggest omelette weighted in at over 6,000 kg. It took 160,000 eggs to make it. Now that is a Big Breakfast!

Egg White Whimsy

Egg whites can expands up to eight times their volume when whipped. They can be used for everything from macarons to meringues and pavlovas. They are like the body builders of the baking world.

Gravity Defying Eggs

Fresh eggs will sink in water and old eggs will float - great for checking the age before cracking in the pan - no one likes a rotten egg.

An Eggcellent Mystery

No one knows why egg yolks are yellow (the yolk is packed with fat which adds richness and tenderness to baked goods). The yellow also adds a golden colour to baked goods. It's the chickens little secret - some say it's due to their diet but the chickens are staying tight beaked.

Shell of a Time

An egg shell is porous and the large end contains more pores than the small end of the egg. (There are about 7,000 pores in a chicken eggshell.) This permits the transfer of gases through the shell. Carbon dioxide and moisture are given off through the pores and are replaced by atmospheric gases, including oxygen.

Cultural Icon

In Japan, eggs are sometimes used as a pizza topping - it's like pizza and breakfast had a baby.

So you see, eggs really are the unsung heroes of baking, they bring texture, flavour and beauty to your creations. Next time you bake, give a little nod to the humble egg.