Equipment
Ingredients
Eggs
- 2 large eggs, cold
- 10 g parmesan cheese, finely grated
Seasoning & Finishing
- 1 g salt
- black pepper, freshly cracked
- 2 g chives, minced
- 2 ml olive oil
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 102 kcal
- Protein
- 8 g
- Carbohydrates
- 1 g
- Fat
- 7 g
- Fiber
- 0 g
- Sugar
- 0 g
- Sodium
- 324 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 2 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 3 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Cholesterol
- 189 mg
- Potassium
- 83 mg
- Calcium
- 90 mg
- Iron
- 1.0 mg
- Magnesium
- 9 mg
- Phosphorus
- 135 mg
- Zinc
- 0.8 mg
- Vitamin A
- 97 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 1 mg
- Vitamin D
- 1.0 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 0.7 mg
- Vitamin K
- 2 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.1 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.5 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.02 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.25 mg
- Niacin
- 0.1 mg
- Folate
- 24 mcg
- Water
- 40 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Preheat the oven to 230°C (450°F). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and lightly grease it with a small amount of olive oil.
Carefully separate the eggs. Place the whites into a large, clean, grease-free mixing bowl. Keep each yolk separate in its own shell half or a small bowl to ensure they don't break.
Add a pinch of salt to the egg whites. Using an electric mixer, whip on high speed until stiff peaks form. If using Parmesan cheese, gently fold it in now using a spatula without deflating the whites.
Spoon the whipped whites onto the baking sheet into two distinct mounds. Use the back of a spoon to create a deep well or 'nest' in the center of each mound.
Bake the egg white nests for 3 minutes at 230°C (450°F) until they just begin to set and turn slightly golden.
Remove the sheet from the oven. Gently slide one yolk into the center well of each cloud. Return to the oven and bake for another 3 minutes, or until the yolks are set to your preference (runny vs. firm) and the whites are golden brown.
Remove from oven. Season the yolks immediately with black pepper and garnish with chives. Serve immediately while warm.
Chef's Notes
- For a more stable meringue, you can add a tiny pinch of cream of tartar to the whites before whipping.
- Do not let the whipped whites sit; bake them immediately to preserve the air bubbles.
- This recipe relies on high heat for a short time to brown the exterior while keeping the yolk runny.
Storage
Troubleshooting
Egg whites won't whip to stiff peaks
Cause: Trace amounts of yolk or grease in the bowl
Fix: Cannot be fixed; save mixture for scrambled eggs and restart with fresh whites
Prevention: Ensure bowl and beaters are immaculately clean; separate eggs one by one in a small bowl before adding to the main batch
Yolk is hard/overcooked
Cause: Oven too hot or baked too long in the second stage
Fix: Cannot be fixed
Prevention: Reduce second bake time to 2 minutes
Cultural Context
The Cloud Egg Omelette, also known as 'Oeufs à la Neige' or 'Floating Island Eggs,' is a modern interpretation of a classic French dessert. While the dessert version features poached meringues in custard, this savory breakfast adaptation transforms the concept into a visually stunning and texturally unique egg dish, popular in contemporary European and American brunch culture.
