Cloud Eggs

Apparently, this is or was all the rage within the food blogosphere recently.  It came to my attention when I was on the Spruce Eats website looking for some inspiration on a completely different recipe.  I saw this during my search and thought I would give it a try.  While there is nothing better than a couple of fried eggs in butter, be it sunny-side-up or over-easy, this was a departure from the usual and made for a delicious breakfast with a lot of visual appeal.  It's also a bit easier on clean-up and fat calories because nothing is fried; your oven does all the cooking.

You can let your imagination run a bit here.  The dish would lend itself well to any kind of cheese or toppings and different fresh herbs.  But this is the recipe I found on the Spruce Eats website, unaltered with the exception of cooking times due primarily because I live at an elevation of over 5,000 feet, and things just take a little longer to cook here.

Ingredients
4 extra-large eggs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan Cheese (like, the Kraft Green Can)
pinch of sea salt
1 tbsp snipped fresh chives
non-stick cooking spray (like, Pam)

The Recipe
Pre-heat the oven to 400F degrees with a rack situated in the top third of the oven.

Line a sheet pan or cookie sheet with parchment paper.  Lightly spray the non-stick cooking spray over the surface of the parchment.

Separate the yolks from the egg whites, putting the latter into a mixing bowl.  Add the pinch of sea salt and using an egg beater, whip the eggs until stiff white peaks form.  When you take your beaters out of the whites, a peak should remain in place without falling.  This will take 4-5 minutes.

Add the Parmesan cheese to the egg whites and using a rubber spatula, carefully fold the cheese into the whites.  Use a turning or folding movement, not a stirring movement, and make as few folds as you can without breaking down the air pockets that have given the egg whites their stability.

Spoon out four equal "clouds" on the parchment paper and using the back of your spoon, make a little indentation in the center of each cloud, large enough for the egg yolk.

Place the sheet pan or cookie sheet in the oven and bake until you're getting wisps of golden brown in places, 5 - 7 minutes.

Remove the clouds from the oven and spoon one yolk into each of the indentations in the clouds.

Return the sheet pan or cookie sheet to the oven and bake for another 4-7 minutes depending on how firm or runny you like your yolks.  They will become fully set at 8 - 10 minutes.

Garnish with the snipped chives and serve immediately.  They cool quickly and cannot be kept for future consumption.