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1
Bring a large pot of water to a full, rolling boil. Add a pinch of bicarbonate of soda — this raises the pH and reduces adhesion between the white and the shell membrane. The water must be at a vigorous, unbroken boil before the eggs enter.
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2
Lower the eggs gently into the boiling water using a spider or slotted spoon. Set a timer immediately. For a flowing yolk: 5 minutes. For a yolk with a thickened outer layer but still liquid at the centre: 5 minutes 30 seconds. For a jammy, soft yolk that no longer flows: 6 minutes. Even 30 seconds beyond the chosen time changes the result significantly — this is where the dish lives or dies.
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3
When the timer sounds, transfer the eggs immediately to an ice bath. Hold them there for a minimum of 5 minutes. The thermal shock arrests carryover cooking and creates a gap between the white and the shell membrane. The eggs should feel cool and firm to the touch throughout.
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4
Tap each egg gently on a hard surface, then roll it between the palms to craze the shell uniformly across its whole surface. Peel under a thin stream of cold running water; the water lubricates the membrane and prevents the delicate white from tearing. A properly peeled oeuf mollet is perfectly smooth and oval, with no pockmarks or torn surfaces.
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5
If service is not immediate, hold the peeled eggs in warm water at 55–60 °C for up to 30 minutes. They should remain smooth and intact throughout. When cut at the table, the yolk should release in a slow, flowing stream — the mark of a correctly timed mollet.