Heart-Shaped Poached Egg Sandwiches for Brunch

Six eggs, one heart-shaped silicone mold, and a covered pan of barely moving water. That is the whole trick behind these sandwiches. The mold holds each egg in shape while steam sets the white, so you never chase a yolk around a pot.

You get six hearts from one batch, which builds three sandwiches. Pink ricotta goes on first, whipped with beet juice until it looks like strawberry frosting. Then tomato, onion, and the egg on top.

Timing is the only thing to watch. Three minutes gives you a runny yolk, five gives a soft custard center, and seven sets it firm. Pull the mold when the white looks opaque and no longer jiggles when you nudge the pan.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Make the pink ricotta

Whisk the ricotta, beet juice, garlic powder, and onion powder in a bowl until the color is even and no streaks remain. Set it aside while you work on everything else.

2. Cut strawberry hearts

Halve each strawberry the long way. Cut a small V into the stem end of each half to form the dip at the top of a heart, then round the corners with the knife. Set them aside for garnish.

3. Set up the water bath

Pour water into a large saucepan, at least 4 1/2 quarts, until it's 1 1/2 inches deep. Bring it to a low simmer over high heat, then turn the heat down to low.

4. Grease and place the mold

Brush or spray a 6-cavity heart silicone mold with oil. Lower it carefully into the simmering water.

5. Add the eggs and cover

Crack one egg into each heart cavity. Cover the pan with a lid and cook for 3 to 7 minutes. Use 3 minutes for a runny yolk, 5 for a soft custard yolk, and 7 for a firm one.

6. Cool on a rack

Take the pan off the heat and remove the lid. Lift the mold out with tongs and set it on a wire rack for 5 minutes.

7. Build the sandwiches

Ease each egg out of its cavity. Spread 2 tablespoons of pink ricotta on each toasted muffin half, add 1 tomato slice, season with salt and pepper, lay on 1 onion ring, then top with 1 poached egg. Season again and serve.

Tips & Tricks

• Grease the mold right before you set it in the water. Oil applied early slides down the sides.
• Keep the water at a bare simmer, small bubbles at the bottom only. A hard boil makes the eggs rubbery.
• Let the mold sit on a rack for five minutes after cooking. The eggs firm up and release cleanly.
• Pat tomato slices dry with a paper towel so the muffin stays crisp.

Variations

• Swap the English muffin for a toasted bagel half or a thick slice of sourdough.
• Use whipped feta in place of ricotta for a sharper, saltier spread.
• Add a few fresh basil leaves under the egg if you want a greener, more summery sandwich.

How to Store Heart-Shaped Poached Egg Sandwiches

Frequently Asked Questions

Heart-Shaped Poached Egg Sandwiches for Brunch

Steam-poached eggs in a heart silicone mold, stacked on toasted English muffins with pink beet ricotta, tomato and onion. A playful brunch for three.

15 minPrep time30 minCook time45 minTotal3Servings

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Ingredients

• ¾ cup whole-milk ricotta cheese (or whole-milk cottage cheese)
• 1 tablespoon beet juice (or 4 drops red food dye)
• ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
• ¼ teaspoon onion powder
• fresh strawberry (as desired)
• Olive oil, avocado oil, or vegetable oil (for greasing mold)
• 6 large eggs
• 3 english muffins (split and toasted)
• 6 tomato slices (⅛- to ¼-inch thick) (from 2 large vine-ripened tomatoes)
• kosher salt (to taste)
• black pepper (to taste)
• 6 onion ring slices (⅛- to ¼-inch thick) (from 1 red onion)

Instructions

1. 1Make the pink ricotta — Whisk the ricotta, beet juice, garlic powder, and onion powder in a bowl until the color is even and no streaks remain. Set it aside while you work on everything else.
2. 2Cut strawberry hearts — Halve each strawberry the long way. Cut a small V into the stem end of each half to form the dip at the top of a heart, then round the corners with the knife. Set them aside for garnish.
3. 3Set up the water bath — Pour water into a large saucepan, at least 4 1/2 quarts, until it's 1 1/2 inches deep. Bring it to a low simmer over high heat, then turn the heat down to low.
4. 4Grease and place the mold — Brush or spray a 6-cavity heart silicone mold with oil. Lower it carefully into the simmering water.
5. 5Add the eggs and cover — Crack one egg into each heart cavity. Cover the pan with a lid and cook for 3 to 7 minutes. Use 3 minutes for a runny yolk, 5 for a soft custard yolk, and 7 for a firm one.
6. 6Cool on a rack — Take the pan off the heat and remove the lid. Lift the mold out with tongs and set it on a wire rack for 5 minutes.
7. 7Build the sandwiches — Ease each egg out of its cavity. Spread 2 tablespoons of pink ricotta on each toasted muffin half, add 1 tomato slice, season with salt and pepper, lay on 1 onion ring, then top with 1 poached egg. Season again and serve.

Cook's note: The five-minute rest after cooking is not optional. It finishes setting the whites and lets the eggs pull away from the mold cleanly. If you're avoiding beets, four drops of red food dye will give the same pink ricotta.

Servings: 3

Cuisine: American

Course: Breakfast

RecipesCooker15 minutes30 minutes45 minutes