Sir Ian McKellen shares family recipe for perfect scrambled eggs (2024)

His formidable acting prowess has seen him win numerous awards but it seemsSir Ian McKellen's talents aren't just confined to the screen.

In his latest celluloid offering, a succinct short of 4.20 minutes the 76-year-old Lord of The Rings actor, swaps his wooden staff for a spatula as he demonstrates his recipe for perfect scrambled eggs.

Narrated in his dulcet tones, he exhorts viewers to not skimp on the butter, and advises them to constantly stir the eggs in the pan so they don't separate.

The video, shot in the famous Chateau Marmont in Hollywood, was made to celebrate the success of his latest film, Mr Holmes.

‘I am going to cook my favourite breakfast, which is scrambled eggs. You’re lucky because these are the best scrambled eggs in the world and like all my recipes this is a family one,’ Sir Ian says to the camera, eyes twinkling.

He continues: 'These scrambled eggs can be exactly how you want them to be, they can be as dry or they can be as moist.’

He advises using a saucepan rather than a frying pan and says that three eggs are more than enough for two people.

He then pours single cream into the pan but says that milk will do as well.

‘It’s just guesswork really,’ he says as he pours, ‘and that’s probably about enough.’

‘The other essential ingredient is butter,’ he continues, seasoning his ingredients before he starts cooking.

Once the flame is lit under the pan, he then stirs the mixture with a wooden spoon which is ‘a little larger than I would normally use,’ he explains.

‘Break up the yolks and get it all going,’ he instructs,' as once the pan gets hot everything will start to cook and you will want it all to cook at the same time which is why I am stirring away.’

He then has some suggestions as to what you should do as you cook your eggs.

‘As you are doing this you could listen to the radio or you could talk to your beloved,’ he charmingly suggests.

He continues to stir with consummate ease, scraping the eggy mixture off the sides of the saucepan.

‘I think the more you stir the creamier the eggs are going to be,’ he says.

He then lifts the pan to the camera to show how the egg is beginning to cook.

‘It’s all beginning to catch, you see, and as it catches the curds begin to form, which turns it into scrambled eggs.

It’s good to do it in a pan of this sort [saucepan], rather than a frying pan as in a frying pan they cook too quickly,’ he continues.

He stop cooking the eggs for the moment to start preparing the toast as ‘it’s on the toast that the eggs will go.’

He butters his toast which he likes ‘just nice and crisp’.

He says ‘if you are not going to eat it immediately you should allow the toast to rest in a toast rack upright as it allows to water vapours to escape and keeps the crisp.

‘Never wrap up toast,’ he exhorts ‘as the water vapour will be trapped inside and will make the toast limp.’

He then goes back to the eggs and continues to scramble them before he takes them off the heat.

‘The other trick is you want to take it off the heat just before it is ready as because, even as you carry the pan over the toast, the eggs will continue to cook.’

He then serves up and tucks into his dish, raising a toast to the camera.

‘Cheers, happy breakfast,' he says, winking cheekily.

‘The best scrambled eggs in the world,’ he continues as he takes a big bite.