Six Figs Farm LLC

written by Sunday

Have you tried duck eggs? They are richer than chicken eggs, with a slightly different nutrient profile. The yolk is larger, so if your favorite part of the egg is the yolk, they are quite yummy. Duck eggs can taste a bit muddy or fishy, if the ducks are living in and around ponds, but our ducks do not have a pond. We refill our duck pools with clean water daily, and their eggs are delicious.

Duck eggs are controversial in our household. For plain eating, some of us love them, some of us don’t. Duck eggs fried, scrambled or prepared as omelets are richer and have a slightly different, but mild taste. I find them delicious, and prefer them greatly to chicken eggs. Others in my family prefer chicken eggs. However, if I put them in a cake, cookies, or even eggnog, everyone is happy. Crepes are our favorite go-to for any type of eggs, and they are even better with duck eggs.

You can use duck eggs in any recipe that calls for chicken eggs. According to many chefs, the result will be a delicious cake or custard that is lighter and richer than one made with chicken eggs. I’ve baked with both duck and chicken eggs over the years, and the difference is real. It steps the recipe up a notch. If you have a fantastic recipe for brownies, cake, pancakes, or cookies, it will be even more amazing with duck eggs instead of chicken eggs.

Here are some tips for baking with duck eggs.

You can replace 1 chicken egg with one duck egg in any recipe, and will possibly need to bake slightly longer. The details follow.

If you are a precise measurement kind of baker, weigh out your duck eggs. A large chicken egg is 2 ounces. Most duck eggs are 2.5-3 ounces. Weighing is the most certain way to get your recipe to turn out just right.

If you are a “throw things together and estimate” kind of baker, when baking with duck eggs, you can use the same as you do chicken eggs, one duck egg for every chicken egg called for. If the duck eggs are really large, or you think it makes sense with your recipe, you can add a teaspoon to a tablespoon of flour per duck egg, to avoid an eggy consistency. Alternately, you can leave out a tablespoon or so of any liquid in the recipe.

Duck egg yolks are thicker, so it helps to whisk the egg first before adding anything else, so as not to overmix. They have more protein, so your baked good will rise higher.

The batter will be moister, and sometimes adding cooking time is necessary, especially for things that are already moist like brownies. Check for doneness with a toothpick.

What are your favorite recipes using duck eggs? Let us know in the comments, or send us an email! Purchase our duck eggs here.

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