Chef John's Cloud Eggs

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with a silicone liner (such as Silpat®) and butter lightly.

2. Crack 1 egg into a clean hand and then separate carefully by letting egg white drip between your fingers into a large bowl. Reserve yolk in a separate, smaller bowl. Repeat with second egg.

3. Pour vinegar into egg whites. Add salt, and whisk until we have relatively firm, but not dry, peaks.

4. Spoon the egg whites onto the prepared baking sheet, making sure they are not too wide, as we want some height here. Shape as desired and make a small depression in centers using the back of a spoon.

5. Bake in center of the preheated oven until egg whites just start to take on some golden color, 5 to 6 minutes. Add yolks to depressions, and bake until yolks are heated through, but still runny, 3 to 4 minutes more. Serve on butter toast.

Chef's Notes:

I used champagne vinegar, but any kind will work.

The most common mistake with this recipe is overwhipping the whites. Don't use an electric mixer for this; do it by hand.

If you want to dress this dish up, try adding fresh chives, tarragon, or dill for a burst of flavor. Another great option is to turn it into a creative take on eggs Benedict—serve it over an English muffin with Canadian bacon. In that case, using lemon juice instead of vinegar in the egg whites would be a better choice for a brighter, more balanced flavor.