Whether you fry them up for breakfast or use them in baking, the egg is the unsung hero of every kitchen. Grab your dozen and give these must-try hacks a try.  

Cut your eggs without a mess 

TikTok is the mecca of handy kitchen hacks. And this cutting tip is a goodie. Cut your hard-boiled egg whites in one clean swoop but leaving the egg yolk intact. More importantly – you won’t leave a crumby mess everywhere. 

Watch this video for this great cutting hack: 

@andrealanevI’m just now figuring this out after almost 30 years on this spinning rock?♬ original sound – Andrea VanDerwerker

Check if your eggs sink or swim 

How can you tell if your egg has gone off? Easy: try the water test to determine its freshness. Fill a bowl with cold water and submerge the eggs. The fresh eggs will sink to the bottom, while the old eggs will float. But why does this happen? Eggs have air pockets at the top. The older the egg, the more air it contains. Do you have a few old eggs in the fridge? This is how you can use your expired eggs in your garden.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Shinee | Sweet & Savory (@shineshka)

Separate your eggs using a water bottle 

Separating your egg yolks from the whites is a common kitchen struggle. Now, you can separate your eggs using an empty water bottle (no, this is not a practical yolk). Squeeze and hold the opening of an empty (and clean) plastic water bottle close to the egg yolk and release pressure. In one swift movement, the bottle sucks up the egg yolk, separating it from the egg white for you.   

TIP: Those egg whites make a delicious meringue – perfect for a lemon meringue flan. 

@joiaranassiat Use empty bottle to separate the egg yolk #lifehack #hack ♬ original sound – Joi Siat

Shake your eggs for an easy peel 

Love a boiled egg but loath peeling it? Here is a peeling hack that won’t leave you with only half an egg or shell all over the kitchen counter. Put your boiled egg in a plastic container (or mason jar) and add some cold water. Put the lid on and gently shake the container until the shells break and fall away. With this trick, the egg should peel quickly and easily.   

Give these spring onion pancakes with jammy eggs & chilli oil a try. 

Photography: Zhann Solomons