Bring 1cm (1/2in) water to the boil in a medium saucepan.

Place eggs in a strainer / sieve that will fit inside your saucepan without the bottom touching the water in the pot.

Lower strainer with eggs into the saucepan so it is resting on top. Allow the steam to come through for a few seconds. Cover the surface of the strainer and pot with foil and clamp on the lid.

Set your timer for 11 minutes and leave the eggs to steam happily. Fill a bowl of cold water in the sink.

When the timer goes, lift the strainer of eggs off the pot and carefully tip them into the prepared bowl. Turn on the cold tap and let the eggs cool for a minute or so.

When the are cool enough to touch, taking one egg at a time, bash the shell on the surface of the sink so that the whole surface of the egg is cracked.

Roll the egg between your hands. Don't skip this step - the rolling motion moves air from the air sack to loosen the space between the surface of the white and the membrane. This makes it exponentially easier to peel.

Starting at the base of the egg, peel the shell away. It should start to come off easily. If not, just roll again and then try peeling again.

NOTE: Occasionally even when I've followed all the instructions, I get a difficult egg that comes out all pock marked. But then the next one will be perfect. I just take it as a sign that the universe is testing me to remember it doesn't matter if some eggs aren't perfectly smooth - they still taste the same.

Repeat with remaining eggs.