A confit egg yolk is something you'll see on plenty of restaurant menus, but they're actually very easy to make at home. The method means the egg yolk is just cooked, often placed on top a dish to be broken and create an oozing sauce.

To confit basically means to slow-cook an ingredient in fat. The term is often associated with duck confit, but can be employed for a host of ingredients. Confiting egg yolks is a more modern technique, great for adding a little cheffy flair to home-cooked dishes. They are simple to make, but remember to handle the confit egg yolks with care, as they're very delicate and you don't want them to break open before they're on the plate. The foolproof method below will result in perfectly confited egg yolks time after time.

You can also confit egg yolks sous vide, if you have the right equipment.

You can use bacon fat or different flavoured oils, such as rosemary or garlic, to confit the yolks in – this adds another flavour dimension to the dish that you can use to complement other ingredients on the plate.

Adam Simmonds pairs confit yolk with confit duck, asparagus and cobnuts, the buttery egg yolk making a rich and satisfying sauce. Nuno Mendes matches the confit yolk in his dish with confit cod, saffron, garlic and citrus, perfectly balancing salty, rich and fresh elements. And for a fantastic vegetarian dish, try Michael Bremner's Broccoli with confit egg yolk, swede remoulade and Berkswell cheese.