Place eggs in a saucepan large enough to hold them in one layer. Fill the pan with enough cold water to cover the eggs by 1 inch. Turn heat to high and bring to a gentle boil; cook for 30 seconds. Remove pan from heat, cover tighly, and let stand for 15 minutes.
Pour out the water and replace with cold water. Continue pouring cold water into the pan (or add ice cubes) until water remains cold. Drain, cover pan, and shake well to crack the egg shells. Remove the eggs and the remaining shells.