Baked egg home introduction

Please read the whole of this information resource before starting a home introduction of baked egg. This resource is only to be used on advice of your doctor or dietitian.

What is baked egg introduction?

Many children with egg allergy grow out of it in early life. As the allergy improves with time, many children will first tolerate well-cooked (baked) egg products before they can eat lightly cooked or raw egg.

In some children It is appropriate to try introducing well-cooked baked egg at home where there have only been mild reactions to egg, for example:

• Hives
• Mild swelling
• Acid reflux
• Mild flares of eczema

Children who have had more severe symptoms, such as breathing difficulties or collapsing, will need to have their introduction done under hospital supervision.

This leaflet gives you step-by-step instructions for introducing baked egg at home. Please follow any individual variations you may have been advised by your doctor or dietitian.

What is baked egg?

Baked egg refers to food that contains a small amount of egg mixed with other ingredients and baked in the oven until thoroughly cooked through.

What foods should I introduce?

The recipes you need for the introductions are detailed further down this resource. There is a choice of sweet or savoury cupcakes, or potato cakes.

For the first stage of the introduction you will use 1 egg in every 8 portions (stage 1).

Once your child can eat a whole portion, you repeat the process with 2 eggs to every 8 portions (stage 2).

What about shop-bought products?

If you think you might struggle to make your own foods for baked egg introduction, please discuss this with your doctor or dietitian.

The recipes in this resource are designed to give a known amount of egg protein in each portion. Unfortunately, it is not possible to tell from food labels how many eggs are added to the recipe. The amount of egg may vary between brands even if the items look very similar, and may change over time if the recipe changes.

How do I do the introduction?

You will introduce baked egg over a period of weeks, rather than over one day as happens in hospital challenges. If your child is prescribed an antihistamine make sure this is available and in date.

You can stay at each stage for longer than shown below, but do not increase to the next “dose” of cupcake or potato cake more quickly than stated. Give the dose every day. If you miss several days, for example if your child has a vomiting illness, give a smaller dose when you restart and build up.

Do not increase the dose if your child is unwell. Keep them at the current dose until they are fully recovered from their illness.

If your child has missed 3 days or more of the food introduction, please call the allergy team for advice.

What if my child has a reaction?

Symptoms of a reaction usually occur up to 2 hours after the last dose. Signs of an allergic reaction to watch out for include:

• itching
• redness
• swelling
• hives (nettle-sting type rash)
• being sick
• wheezing

If you notice these, treat your child as per their allergy plan, stop the egg introduction and contact the allergy team to discuss next steps.

If your child gets mild tummy upset or eczema flare you can continue with the introduction, going up more slowly than described below.

The Introduction

Week 1

Days 1 to 7: Give your child a small crumb of cupcake or potato cake to eat. Observe carefully for any sign of allergic reaction.

Week 2

Days 1 and 2: Give your child a pea-sized crumb of a cupcake or potato cake once a day for 2 days

Days 3 and 4: Give your child one 16^th of a cupcake or potato cake once a day for 2 days

Days 5 to 7: Give your child one 8^th of a cupcake or potato cake once a day for 3 days

Week 3

Days 1 to 7: Give your child a quarter of a cupcake or potato cake once a day for 7 days

Week 4

Give your child half of a cupcake or potato cake once a day on 3 separate days over the week. For example, on Monday, Thursday and Sunday.

Week 5

Give your child a whole cupcake or potato cake once a day on 3 occasions over the week. For example, on Monday, Thursday and Sunday.

Next steps

Once you have competed week 1 to 5 with a cupcake or potato cake containing 1 egg in 8 portions (stage 1), repeat all the steps using a cupcake made with 2 eggs in 8 portions (stage 2).

If using potato cake recipe please note you will not be able to make the recipe with 2 eggs as will be too wet. Therefore continue the same recipe used in stage 1 and give 1 whole potato cake and increase the amount as in the steps above. For example, give a whole potato cake and an extra 16^th.

What do we do after the introduction?

Do not allow your child to eat any other foods containing baked egg until 1 whole cupcake (with 2 eggs in 8 portions) or 2 whole potato cakes have been successfully introduced using the stages above.

Please see the patient resource Baked egg: What next? For further information about suitable foods which can now be introduced.

Aim for your child to eat baked egg at least 2 to 3 times a week to maintain tolerance. They may be reluctant to eat new foods initially but it is important to continue offering these.

When choosing which baked egg foods to give on a regular basis please aim for these to be sugar free or low sugar as often as possible – the resource above has suggestions of suitable foods for you. Although muffin can be used for the introduction, they should only be eaten in moderation as part of a healthy diet going forwards.

Recipes

Stage 1 recipes (1 egg in 8 portions)

Sugar-free cupcakes

Ingredients

1 medium egg – beaten
100g self raising flour
100g of your child’s usual butter or spread
80g of grated sweet potato
1 teaspoon of vanilla essence or 1 teaspoon of cinnamon (optional)

Method

1. Heat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius (gas mark 4)
2. Grate the sweet potato and leave for a few minutes while you prepare the other ingredients
3. Melt the butter or spread in a pan or microwave
4. Add the grated sweet potato and the beaten egg to the melted butter . Add vanilla essence if using
5. Weigh out flour into a mixing bowl and add cinnamon if using
6. Add the melted butter, egg and grated sweet potato mixture into the flour and stir gently until there are no remaining lumps
of flour. The mixture should be a soft batter.
7. Add a little of your child’s usual milk if the mixture is too dry
8. Lay out 8 bun cases in a baking tray or muffin tin and divide the mixture equally between these
9. Bake in the oven for a minimum 25 minutes, or until firm and golden and a fork pressed into the centre comes out clean

Alternative cupcake recipe

Ingredients

1 medium egg
100g self-raising flour
100g of your child’s usual butter or spread
60-90g caster sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla essence (optional)

Method

1. Heat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius (gas mark 4)
2. Beat together the sugar and margarine in a bowl until smooth
3. Add egg and beat into the mixture
4. Stir in flour gently with a metal spoon until fully mixed in
5. Lay out 8 bun cases in a baking tray and divide the mixture equally between these

Mini-potato cakes

Ingredients

225g leftover mashed potato (must be cold)
40g plain flour (can use gluten free flour)
1 medium egg, whisked
Salt and pepper
Panko Breadcrumbs (optional, but make a nice crispy coating. Can use gluten free breadcrumbs)
Cooking spray oil (optional)
Extra flavourings:
60g cooked frozen peas
50g cooked onion or leek
30g finely grated cheese or dairy free cheese

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius (gas mark 6)
2. Oil a baking sheet
3. In a bowl, mash the potato to loosen, then add the flour and whisked egg
4. Season the mixture, add any extra flavourings, then mix until thoroughly combined
5. Split the mix into 8 equal portions (use scales if available)
6. Shape each portion into a ball
7. If using, roll in Panko breadcrumbs until well covered
8. Press lightly onto the oiled baking sheet making a round flat potato cake
9. Spray the potato cakes with cooking spray oil for extra crispy coating
10. Place the baking sheet on the middle shelf of the oven and cook for 30 minutes with Panko breadcrumbs, 25 minutes
without
You can add seasonings if you would like.

Stage 2 recipes (2 eggs in 8 portions)

Sugar-free cupcakes

Ingredients

2 medium eggs – beaten
100g self raising flour
100g of your child’s usual butter or spread
2 medium ripe bananas (approximately 150–200g peeled weight)
1 teaspoon vanilla essence (optional) and/or 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon

Method

1. Heat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius (gas mark 4)
2. Melt the butter or spread in a pan or microwave.
3. Mash the bananas in a separate bowl
4. Add the beaten eggs and mashed banana to the melted butter . Add vanilla essence if using.
5. Weigh out flour into a mixing bowl and add cinnamon if using
6. Add the melted butter, egg and banana mixture into the flour and stir gently under there are no remaining lumps of flour
7. Lay out 8 bun cases in a baking tray or muffin tin and divide the mixture equally between these
8. Bake in the oven for a minimum 25 minutes, or until firm and golden and a fork pressed into the centre comes out clean

Alternative cupcake recipe (2 eggs in 8 cupcakes)

Ingredients

2 medium eggs
100g self raising flour
100g of your child’s usual butter or spread
60-90g caster sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla essence (optional)
At either stage, 50g of flour can be swapped for 50g of cocoa to make chocolate cakes if preferred.

Method

1. Heat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius (gas mark 4)
2. Beat together the sugar and margarine in a bowl until smooth
3. Add egg and beat into the mixture
4. Stir in flour gently with a metal spoon until fully mixed in
5. Lay out 8 bun cases in a baking tray and divide the mixture equally between these
6. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes, or until firm and golden and a fork pressed into the centre comes out clean

Frequently asked questions

Can I cook the potato cakes and muffins in an air fryer?

The most important thing to look out for is not method of cooking, but to make sure the baked foods are cooked all the way through. You will need to adjust the time that the recipes are cooked, and always check the muffins and potato cakes are cooked through with no soggy bits left in the middle.

Can I use gluten free alternatives?

Yes please do substitute the flour or breadcrumbs in the recipes for gluten free alternatives if needed.

Can I switch between the potato cake and muffin recipes?

This can be done for the first stage of the introduction when using one egg in 8 portions of potato cake or muffin. For the second stage you will need to stick with either the muffin with 2 eggs in 8 portions or the potato cake recipe, as there are different amounts of egg in the 2 recipes.

Can I batch cook and freeze the cupcakes and potato cakes?

Yes. Please follow standard guidance on freezing and defrosting foods at home.