Special tools for eggs
Many modern gadgets have emerged for using eggs in cooking, making life much easier. Learn about them and their possible alternatives in this article.
A wide variety of kitchen tools and gadgets are available on the market today. Among them are things like bell pepper corers, onion holders, and corn cob shavers. Some of these items can be used not only with specific foods but also with other foods.
Manufacturers of these products understand how important saving time is for busy people, so they do everything possible to make cooking as easy as possible. We'll introduce you to ten different gadgets for preparing, serving, and eating eggs.
Not everyone has the money or the means to purchase all of the items listed below. Therefore, we offer a simple alternative to each of them.
Different types of egg tools
1. Poacher (a glass-shaped dish for serving eggs)
Eggs, especially soft-boiled or poached eggs, are served in special glasses called poachotnitsa. These glasses can be of various types, plain or decorated with patterns and other decorative elements. Poachotnitsa are made of porcelain, glass, and various metals. They hold the egg upright, making it easy to crack from the pointed end.
Replacement
If you don’t have a poacher, you can replace it with a regular shot glass or shot glass.
2. Egg knife
This is a special tool used for slicing hard-boiled eggs. Just one gentle press, and you'll have several thin, neat slices of egg. Besides eggs, this same tool can be used to slice mushrooms, strawberries, soft cheese, pitted olives, and much more. If you often eat sandwiches, this item will always come in handy.
Replacement
Before this tool was invented, eggs were cut with a regular knife. Even today, many cooks cut eggs with a sharp regular knife. However, if you have a large number of eggs, cutting them this way can take quite a bit of time.
3. Egg separator
Those who enjoy baking probably know that they often have to separate egg whites from yolks. Using a special device makes this task much easier. Egg separators often have special edges that attach to a cup, leaving the cook's hands free to crack the egg. A convenient handle allows for easy transfer of the separated yolk to a separate bowl.
Replacement
Unless you bake large quantities of cakes, you won't need this device. If you don't have one, you can simply carefully crack an egg with a knife down the middle, leaving the yolk in one half of the shell and carefully pouring the white into the other. Then, pour the yolk into one bowl and the white into the other.
4. Egg pan
These molds resemble cookie cutters and are used to shape fried eggs into interesting shapes. Often, when you crack an egg while making sunny-side-up eggs, the whites run to the edges of the pan, making the whole thing look unsightly. Using a cookie cutter prevents the eggs from spreading. These molds are made of fireproof materials and typically have handles that make them easy to remove from the pan.
Replacement
If you don't have a pan for scrambled eggs, you can slice bell peppers into rings and use the rings as a mold, then pour the egg into the center. You can achieve the same result by cutting a slice of crusty bread all the way around. In either case, the scrambled eggs will turn out not only beautiful but also delicious.
5. Egg dish (tray)
For stuffed eggs with vegetables and other ingredients, special dishes with indentations are used to hold the eggs securely and prevent them from rolling away. Both porcelain and ceramic dishes are available.
Replacement
If you're making deviled egg halves, you can use onion rings and place the eggs in the center. The onion will prevent the eggs from rolling and will hold them securely in place. Cucumber slices with a hollow cut out will also work.
6. Egg timer
Cooking soft-boiled eggs always requires a certain amount of time. It's best to use a special egg timer. The timer's beeping sound allows you to remove the eggs from the heat just in time, preventing them from overcooking.
Replacement
Since all modern cell phones come with a timer, you can use one if you don't have a dedicated egg timer. If you don't have a cell phone, you can use a stopwatch. However, in the latter case, you won't be leaving the stove and will need to constantly monitor the time.
7. Electric egg cooker
An electric egg cooker makes boiling eggs much easier. Simply add the required amount of water and the eggs. Piercing the eggs with a needle before cooking will prevent them from cracking and the whites from leaking. Close the container with the lid and set the desired cooking mode: soft-boiled, soft-boiled, or hard-boiled. Turn on the appliance and wait for the beep to indicate the eggs are ready.
Replacement
Eggs don't have to be boiled in special egg boilers. They can be cooked in any saucepan. Of course, you'll need to use a timer or stopwatch and try to stay within a few steps to avoid missing the moment the eggs are removed from the stove.
8. Whisk for beating eggs
A whisk is used to whip egg whites into a foamy state for omelets, pancakes, and other dishes. Whisks come in a variety of shapes: spherical, flat, spiral, and others. A spherical whisk is good for whipping eggs because it helps aerate the egg. Whisks can be made of different materials, so you should buy the one that you like best or that best suits your needs.
Replacement
If you don't have a whisk, you can beat the eggs for an omelet with a fork. However, this will take longer. You can also use a fork to beat egg whites for other dishes.
9. Egg beater
To whip eggs to stiff peaks, which is often required for cakes, it's best to use an electric egg beater. This device helps aerate the egg whites and whip them in a very short period of time. It's also suitable for beating very large quantities of eggs.
Replacement
Instead of an electric machine, you can always use a hand-held egg beater or even a whisk. However, this will take much more time. A manual alternative is ideal in areas with frequent power outages.
10. Pastry bag
The biggest mistake people make is trying to spoon whipped egg whites or cream into a cake. This technique results in the whites looking unsightly and unappetizing. To avoid this, use a pastry bag.
Replacement
If you're baking and don't have a pastry bag at home, use a regular piping bag and fill it with the cream mixture. Gather everything in one corner, and snip off the end, leaving a very small opening. Now, gently press the bag, squeezing the cream where needed.
Eggs can be cooked and processed with or without the help of fancy tools. If you regularly cook for a large family, these tools will save you time and effort. However, if you only have four people in your family, buying these items and equipment is completely unnecessary.
Manufacturers of these products understand how important saving time is for busy people, so they do everything possible to make cooking as easy as possible. We'll introduce you to ten different gadgets for preparing, serving, and eating eggs.
Not everyone has the money or the means to purchase all of the items listed below. Therefore, we offer a simple alternative to each of them.
Different types of egg tools
1. Poacher (a glass-shaped dish for serving eggs)
Eggs, especially soft-boiled or poached eggs, are served in special glasses called poachotnitsa. These glasses can be of various types, plain or decorated with patterns and other decorative elements. Poachotnitsa are made of porcelain, glass, and various metals. They hold the egg upright, making it easy to crack from the pointed end.
Replacement
If you don’t have a poacher, you can replace it with a regular shot glass or shot glass.
2. Egg knife
This is a special tool used for slicing hard-boiled eggs. Just one gentle press, and you'll have several thin, neat slices of egg. Besides eggs, this same tool can be used to slice mushrooms, strawberries, soft cheese, pitted olives, and much more. If you often eat sandwiches, this item will always come in handy.
Replacement
Before this tool was invented, eggs were cut with a regular knife. Even today, many cooks cut eggs with a sharp regular knife. However, if you have a large number of eggs, cutting them this way can take quite a bit of time.
3. Egg separator
Those who enjoy baking probably know that they often have to separate egg whites from yolks. Using a special device makes this task much easier. Egg separators often have special edges that attach to a cup, leaving the cook's hands free to crack the egg. A convenient handle allows for easy transfer of the separated yolk to a separate bowl.
Replacement
Unless you bake large quantities of cakes, you won't need this device. If you don't have one, you can simply carefully crack an egg with a knife down the middle, leaving the yolk in one half of the shell and carefully pouring the white into the other. Then, pour the yolk into one bowl and the white into the other.
4. Egg pan
These molds resemble cookie cutters and are used to shape fried eggs into interesting shapes. Often, when you crack an egg while making sunny-side-up eggs, the whites run to the edges of the pan, making the whole thing look unsightly. Using a cookie cutter prevents the eggs from spreading. These molds are made of fireproof materials and typically have handles that make them easy to remove from the pan.
Replacement
If you don't have a pan for scrambled eggs, you can slice bell peppers into rings and use the rings as a mold, then pour the egg into the center. You can achieve the same result by cutting a slice of crusty bread all the way around. In either case, the scrambled eggs will turn out not only beautiful but also delicious.
5. Egg dish (tray)
For stuffed eggs with vegetables and other ingredients, special dishes with indentations are used to hold the eggs securely and prevent them from rolling away. Both porcelain and ceramic dishes are available.
Replacement
If you're making deviled egg halves, you can use onion rings and place the eggs in the center. The onion will prevent the eggs from rolling and will hold them securely in place. Cucumber slices with a hollow cut out will also work.
6. Egg timer
Cooking soft-boiled eggs always requires a certain amount of time. It's best to use a special egg timer. The timer's beeping sound allows you to remove the eggs from the heat just in time, preventing them from overcooking.
Replacement
Since all modern cell phones come with a timer, you can use one if you don't have a dedicated egg timer. If you don't have a cell phone, you can use a stopwatch. However, in the latter case, you won't be leaving the stove and will need to constantly monitor the time.
7. Electric egg cooker
An electric egg cooker makes boiling eggs much easier. Simply add the required amount of water and the eggs. Piercing the eggs with a needle before cooking will prevent them from cracking and the whites from leaking. Close the container with the lid and set the desired cooking mode: soft-boiled, soft-boiled, or hard-boiled. Turn on the appliance and wait for the beep to indicate the eggs are ready.
Replacement
Eggs don't have to be boiled in special egg boilers. They can be cooked in any saucepan. Of course, you'll need to use a timer or stopwatch and try to stay within a few steps to avoid missing the moment the eggs are removed from the stove.
8. Whisk for beating eggs
A whisk is used to whip egg whites into a foamy state for omelets, pancakes, and other dishes. Whisks come in a variety of shapes: spherical, flat, spiral, and others. A spherical whisk is good for whipping eggs because it helps aerate the egg. Whisks can be made of different materials, so you should buy the one that you like best or that best suits your needs.
Replacement
If you don't have a whisk, you can beat the eggs for an omelet with a fork. However, this will take longer. You can also use a fork to beat egg whites for other dishes.
9. Egg beater
To whip eggs to stiff peaks, which is often required for cakes, it's best to use an electric egg beater. This device helps aerate the egg whites and whip them in a very short period of time. It's also suitable for beating very large quantities of eggs.
Replacement
Instead of an electric machine, you can always use a hand-held egg beater or even a whisk. However, this will take much more time. A manual alternative is ideal in areas with frequent power outages.
10. Pastry bag
The biggest mistake people make is trying to spoon whipped egg whites or cream into a cake. This technique results in the whites looking unsightly and unappetizing. To avoid this, use a pastry bag.
Replacement
If you're baking and don't have a pastry bag at home, use a regular piping bag and fill it with the cream mixture. Gather everything in one corner, and snip off the end, leaving a very small opening. Now, gently press the bag, squeezing the cream where needed.
Eggs can be cooked and processed with or without the help of fancy tools. If you regularly cook for a large family, these tools will save you time and effort. However, if you only have four people in your family, buying these items and equipment is completely unnecessary.
Translation by: Natalia Semenova "TopCook"
Votes: 4
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