Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Place the 6 large eggs in a single layer in a medium saucepan. Cover them with cold water by about an inch. Bring the water to a rolling boil over high heat. Once it's boiling, immediately turn off the heat, cover the pot with a tight fitting lid, and let the eggs sit in the hot water for 12 minutes. This is my grandmother's trick for perfect, never rubbery, hard boiled eggs.
- After 12 minutes, use a slotted spoon to transfer the eggs to a large bowl of ice water. Let them cool completely, about 10 to 15 minutes. This ice bath not only stops the cooking process but also makes the eggs much easier to peel.
- Gently crack the cooled eggs on a hard surface and carefully peel them under cool running water. Pat them dry with a paper towel. Using a sharp knife, slice each egg in half lengthwise.
- Gently scoop out the cooked yolks and place them in a small bowl. Arrange the egg white halves on a plate or in a shallow dish, cut side up.
- In a medium bowl or a quart sized glass jar, combine the 1/2 cup of water, 1/2 cup of white vinegar, and 1 teaspoon of black gel food coloring. Whisk it all together until the color is completely uniform. The vinegar is key here; it helps the color adhere to the egg whites.
- Carefully place the egg white halves into the black dye. Make sure they are fully submerged. Let them soak for 5 to 15 minutes, depending on how deep you want the color to be. I find that about 10 minutes gives a perfect, rich black. The kids love watching this part; it's like a potion in the making.
- While the whites are dyeing, let’s make that delicious filling. To the bowl with the egg yolks, add the 1/4 cup of mayonnaise, 1 teaspoon of Dijon mustard, and 1 teaspoon of white vinegar. Use a fork to mash everything together until it’s smooth and creamy. The sound of the fork against the bowl is one of my favorite kitchen sounds. Season with salt, pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon of paprika. Taste and adjust the seasonings if needed. Sometimes I add a tiny bit more Dijon for an extra kick.
- Using a slotted spoon, carefully remove the blackened egg whites from the dye and place them on a paper towel to drain and dry for a minute. The color will be stunning. Arrange them on your serving platter.
- You can either spoon the yolk mixture neatly into the cavity of each egg white or, for a more polished look, transfer the filling to a piping bag (or a zip top bag with the corner snipped off) and pipe it in.
- Now for the final, artistic touch. Finely dice a small piece of the red bell pepper. Carefully arrange the tiny red pieces on top of the yellow filling in the shape of a Black Widow’s signature hourglass. This requires a little patience, but it’s so worth it.
- For the best flavor, cover the eggs and chill them in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before serving. This allows the flavors in the filling to meld together beautifully.
Nutrition
Calories: 140kcalCarbohydrates: 1gProtein: 6gFat: 12gSaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 210mgSodium: 140mgPotassium: 50mgVitamin A: 80IUVitamin C: 5mgCalcium: 15mgIron: 0.2mg
Notes
This is a great recipe to make for themed parties, kids, and movie nights. Making these eggs is a fun family activity that helps kids feel more involved in the kitchen.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
