Eggs Benedict
Creamy hollandaise over perfectly poached eggs, your choice of toppings, and homemade English muffins. The best way to start the day.
Ingredients
Hollandaise
- 4 egg yolks
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard smooth
- ½ cup melted butter
- 2 teaspoons heavy cream plus more do adjust thickness
- dash cayenne optional
- dash salt to taste
Poached eggs
- 8 eggs
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar
Eggs benedict
- 4 English muffins
- 4 slices ham or other chosen topping(s)
- 8 poached eggs
- hollandaise sauce
- fresh parsley optional
Instructions
Hollandaise
- Set up your double boiler. Fill a small pot about ⅓ of the way up with water, or so that your stainless steel bowl does not touch the water. Heat the boiler, sans metal bowl, until it has reached a simmer, then turn down the heat to maintain just a light simmer.
- Meanwhile, place the egg yolks, lemon juice, and Dijon in your stainless steel bowl (off of the heat). Whisk the mixture until it has about doubled in volume.
- When the water and the egg mixture are both ready, place the egg bowl on top of the pot and begin whisking vigorously. Slowly pour the melted butter into the bowl as you whisk. Keep an eye on the temperature of the eggs; the water should stay at a light simmer, and the continuous whisking is a must. Continue to whisk until the sauce thickens and gains volume. Check the thickness of the sauce by dipping the back of a spoon into it and seeing how readily it falls off the spoon.
- Once the sauce has thickened, remove it from the heat and whisk in the cream, cayenne, and salt. Cover the sauce and set it aside in a warm area until the rest of the dish is ready. If the sauce is thicker than you prefer, add a few drops of cream or water, just before serving, until desired thickness is reached.
Poached eggs
- Fill a medium sized pot about ¾ full with water and add the vinegar. Don't leave the vinegar out or it will make your job harder.
- Bring the water to a boil, then turn the heat down to a simmer. Drop the eggs into the water one at a time.
- Cook the eggs for 3-4 minutes, depending upon your preferred egg consistency. If you like a runny yolk, check on the eggs after 3 minutes. When poked gently with a finger, the whites should feel cooked but there should be some give in the middle. If you prefer a more cooked yolk, cook for the full 4 minutes.
- Use a slotted spoon to remove the eggs from the boiling water, when they're done to your liking, and place them on a kitchen towel to gently blot them dry.
Eggs benedict
- Slice and lightly toast the English muffins.
- Prepare your preferred topping (s) such as ham, sautéed vegetables, or Italian sausage and place them atop your English muffin halves.
- Add a poached egg to each muffin half, then drizzle with the hollandaise. If desired, top the benedicts with a sprinkle of fresh parsley.
Notes
If your sauce curdles, there is no fixing it. Unfortunately, you'll have to start over.
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