Soft-boiled describes an egg cooked in boiling water for a short time, typically three to five minutes, so that the white is just set and the yolk is hot but still liquid. Served in an egg cup with the top sliced off, it is eaten with buttered soldiers for dipping, a nursery and breakfast classic. Timing is everything: a minute under gives a raw white, a minute over gives a jammy yolk. The method suits very fresh eggs, whose whites hold together, and the water should be at a rolling boil when the eggs go in. Food safety guidance advises vulnerable groups to avoid runny yolks, but for most people the soft-boiled egg is a small, perfect pleasure.