Bacon and Cheddar Braided Cheese with Soft-Boiled Eggs

Ingredients:

Braids with bacon and cheddar

• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon mustard
• 1 sheet frozen puff pastry, chilled
• Flour for rolling out the dough
• 1/2 tbsp. grated cheddar
• 12 strips of bacon
• Sesame or poppy seeds, optional

Soft-boiled eggs

• 4 large eggs
• Salt and ground black pepper
• Special equipment: a device for removing the tops from eggs

Preparation:

1. For braidsPreheat oven to 190 degrees Celsius. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and lightly spray with oil.
   
   Mix eggs, mustard, and a little water until smooth; season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
   
   Flour your work surface and roll out the puff pastry into a rectangle, with the short side facing you. Layer the cheese on the top half of the dough, then fold the bottom half over the cheese half and lightly grease it to seal. Cut the dough vertically into 12 even strips; each strip will be slightly less than 3 cm wide.
2. Place a strip of bacon on each strip of dough and twist the dough and bacon together. Place the braids on the prepared baking sheet, pressing the ends together. Brush the tops with egg wash and sprinkle with salt, sesame seeds, or poppy seeds (or both).
   
   Bake until the crust is golden brown and the bacon is crisp, 12 to 15 minutes. Remove from the baking sheet and let the braids cool for 5 minutes before serving.
3. For eggsBring a small saucepan of water to a boil over medium heat. Make sure there's enough water to cover the eggs by at least 3 cm. Using tongs, carefully place the eggs in the water and cook for 5.5 minutes. The whites should be set, but the yolks should still be runny.
   
   Transfer the pan to the sink, pour out most of the water, and then run it under cold water for 30 seconds. Place the eggs in egg cups. Use a spoon to scoop out the contents of the egg or simply peel it. Season with salt and pepper and serve with braids for dipping the yolks.