Egg Yolk Melts

Separate the egg whites from the yolks, keeping the bowl free of oil and water. There is only a little yolk, so use a small rice bowl rather than a large one, which is hard to whip in.

Whip the yolks on high speed until they lighten in colour and grow in volume. Beat until you can trace a figure-8 that holds without fading, about five minutes.

Add the milk powder to the whipped egg, stirring just until no dry powder remains.

Transfer the batter to a piping bag and snip a small hole at the tip, keeping it small. Preheat the oven to 90C before piping the drops. Line the baking tray with parchment; do not pipe directly onto the tray.

A little peak when piping is fine, as it settles into a smooth round shape; just keep the tray level. If the melts do not hold their shape, the yolk was under-whipped, so next time beat until the pattern lingers.

Melts must be baked low and slow so the temperature is neither too high nor too low. My oven runs at 90C top and bottom for 60 minutes. Watch your own oven: if the melts sink, the temperature may be too low, so raise it about 10C next time; if the surface scorches while the inside stays soft, it is too hot, so lower it about 10C.

Baked melts lift easily off the parchment. They feel soft while very hot; if still soft once cooled, bake a little longer. Remove them promptly, as the oven holds residual heat and leaving them in too long over-bakes them.