A list of words and phrases used in recipes, and what they really mean

Word or Phrase

Crack the eggs

What it means

When you open or crack an egg you get at the white and the yolk inside it. You need to do a bit more that just crack it though; you need to break it in half. There are two important things to remember when you do this. Firstly, you need somewhere to put the contents of the egg when it breaks, so have a bowl ready. Secondly, you want just the inside of the egg without bits of shell, so don't go hitting it with a hammer or something! Break the egg by tapping it firmly on the edge of a bowl, push a finger into the hole and pull the egg apart. Drop it into a small bowl, remove any bits of shell, and then add the egg to your recipe.