They can be simple and comforting, or as luxurious as you like – and once you’ve got your technique right they’re a cinch to prepare. So while foodie trends come and go, a boiled egg will never be out of style

Dippy, jammy, gooey, runny … whatever you like to call it, slicing into a boiled egg to reveal a glorious golden yolk wrapped within a firm, creamy white is one of life’s purest pleasures.

In my humble opinion, you can’t beat a soft-boiled egg with a battalion of soldiers on the side – a dish that is rumoured to have been invented by the Egg Marketing Board back in the 1950s. Choosing your favourite egg cup, ceremoniously cracking the shell with a thwack of your spoon, slicing off the top then dunking buttered toast into the oozing yolk is a food ceremony that never gets old.