The problem, imho, might be both the soy sauce and the lack of acid. The soy sauce should be dark, as this is what colors the eggs down through the membrane and on to the white itself. The acid is provided by the black tea leaves. I like loose leaves, since they are of a better quality and therefore more powerful. I also up the acid by adding rice wine and a good strip of dried tangerine/orange peel, and I like about a tablespoon of rock sugar to heighten the spicy notes. Will's recipe looks a lot like what I've used over the years, except that I use just enough water to cover the eggs, as well as of course the wine and sugar. I also make the marinade first and simmer it for about half an hour to get the flavors to "bloom"; I've found that if the liquid is too watery when I put the hard boiled eggs in, they never color up quite right. One thing you ought do is taste the marinade: it should taste salty and rich and very flavorful. Since soy sauces and teas vary in strength, adjust the seasoning as needed. You don't need to boil the eggs furiously, in my experience. Just simmer them slowly for 3 hours uncovered (covering the pot often causes a Swiss cheese sort of effect in the whites), adding more water as needed to cover the eggs, but not so much that you dilute the marinade. Seep the eggs in the marinade while it cools off, and then let them sit in it in the fridge for a day or two. Slightly older eggs work best for me, as they are easier to peel. Hope this helps!
