Sous Vide Egg Bites (Restaurant Copycat)

Set your immersion circulator to 172°F (78°C) and let the bath come fully to temperature before anything goes in.

Cook the bacon in a skillet over medium heat until crisp, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain on paper towels and chop into rough pieces.

Combine the eggs, Gruyère, cottage cheese, heavy cream, salt, and cayenne in a blender. Blend on high for 30 to 45 seconds, until completely smooth with no visible curd. The cottage cheese is what makes the texture — it has to disappear entirely.

Let the mixture stand 2 minutes so the foam settles, then skim off any foam on top. Foam becomes bubbles in the finished bite.

Butter the inside of each jar thoroughly, all the way up the sides.

Divide the bacon among the jars, then pour in the egg custard, filling each jar about three-quarters full. They swell as they cook — leave the room.

Set the lids on and tighten them fingertip-tight only. Loose enough that trapped air can escape. Crank them down and pressure builds with nowhere to go, and jars crack.

Lower the jars upright into the water bath so the water covers the lids. Cook for 60 minutes. 172°F is the line between silky custard and rubber, and this is where a real circulator earns its price.

Lift the jars out with tongs and let them rest on a towel for 10 minutes. They finish setting as they cool — pull one open early and it'll look underdone when it isn't.

Run a thin knife around the inside edge and invert each bite onto a plate. Serve warm, or cool completely and refrigerate up to 5 days. Reheat 30 to 60 seconds in the microwave.