French Omelettes – butter, eggs and salt. A lovely and smooth bright yellow, with a soft scrambled custard like filling. A joy to eat but the nemesis of many. Use this how-to to create a perfect french omelette in your kitchen!
What is a French Omelette?
Omelettes come in different forms, with the French omelette being the rolls Royce of omelettes. It’s also the most difficult to make. It needs patience. Lots of it, and lots of practice. Once you master it, it is so satisfying to create a smooth silky French omelette and will impress whoever you cook it for. Other omelettes such as a classic American omelette are cooked longer and browned on the exterior. Not for a French omelette. No browning, a smooth bright yellow exterior and a soft, wet but not runny centre like custard.
How to Make a French Style Omelette
The key to making a great French omelette is all in the technique and the temperature of the pan. If the pan is too hot, you will brown the omelette and it will be too firm and ultimately overcooked. Too low a heat and you won’t get it to set enough to roll it into the signature cigar type shape it is known for. Follow these steps to perfecting the French omelette.
- Use good quality ingredients
Start with good fresh eggs, preferable free range and organic. I have made omelettes with different qualities of eggs and found that the better the egg, the better the omelette – simple.
- Find good butter
Good quality butter, particularly French butter. The French make amazing butter and if you want to go all out, get a good French butter to make this your best French omelette. - Get a dedicated omelette pan
A non-stick pan, in good condition with no scratches or a damaged surface. It is essential you have a non-stick surface so the cooked omelette can be released, and you can roll it up. If it has any scratches, then the eggs will stick and there is nothing worse than making a good omelette before trying to roll it up and your pan lets you down. A cheap non-stick pan will do the trick. I like to keep a pan specifically for French omelettes, that way it will last longer and not get damaged.
- Whisk eggs thoroughly
Whisking the eggs before adding to the pan. The eggs need to be whisked enough to ensure no egg white remains. The perfect French omelette should be a uniform yellow with no white dots of cooked egg white when its served.
- Perfect pan temperature.
This is where you can make or break your omelette. The best way to make a French omelette is on a low heat and to have a little patience. Eggs are best cooked low and slow and to make a lovely custardy type omelette, this way is the best.
- Good Technique
Swirling the eggs whilst shaking the pan – this technique helps to cook the eggs but with small curds and cooks the eggs evenly, allowing for a smooth scrambled centre to your omelette.
- Cook evenly
Spreading the egg mixture – getting the timing right to stop scrambling the eggs and spread them in an even layer is crucial. If you take too long you will just end up with scrambled eggs. The eggs need to be just scrambled but still spreadable so you can spread them in the pan in an even layer for the final part of the cooking process. This allows the outer shell of the omelette to firm up and allow you to roll the eggs into the cigar shape.
Watch How To Make A French Style Omelette
FAQ’s
Yes you can but I advise against it as fresh is best. If you want a great tasting omelette, eat it right away.
Yes but I am not a fan of cooking eggs twice. You have to make sure it is properly cooked all the way to ensure you kill any bacteria. To reheat, place in a microwave/oven and cover with damp kitchen towel and heat till piping hot.
How To Make A French Style Omelette
Ingredients
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tbsp salted butter
- 1 tsp chopped fresh chives
- salt
Instructions
- Begin by placing some butter in your non-stick pan on a low-medium heat and allow it to melt
- Whilst the pan gets to temperature, crack your eggs into a bowl and whisk gently until thoroughly combined and no white remains. Season.
- Once the butter starts to gently foam and bubble, turn the heat down to the lowest it will go.
- Add the eggs and start shaking the pan and stir the eggs around the pan with a spatula fairly vigorously
- Keep doing this until a gentle scramble starts to form, cleaning down the sides of the pan as you go with the spatula
- When the scramble is looking creamy and custardy, but still fluid enough to spread, use the spatula to spread into a smooth layer covering the pan
- Allow to cook for a few minutes until the eggs look set but still moist
- Tilt the pan and slowly roll up the omelette using the spatula
- Gently invert the pan onto a plate to remove the omelette and brush with some melted butter. Garnish with chopped chives
