Eggs Benedict with hollandaise (Print)

Poached eggs and Canadian bacon with buttery hollandaise atop toasted English muffins for brunch.

# Components:

→ Eggs Benedict

01 - 4 English muffins, split and toasted
02 - 8 slices Canadian bacon
03 - 8 large eggs
04 - 1 tablespoon white vinegar
05 - Salt and pepper to taste

→ Hollandaise Sauce

06 - 3 large egg yolks
07 - 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
08 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and warm
09 - Pinch of cayenne pepper
10 - Salt to taste

→ Garnish

11 - Fresh chives or parsley, chopped (optional)

# Method:

01 - Fill a saucepan with 1 inch of water and bring to a gentle simmer. In a heatproof bowl set over (not touching) the simmering water, whisk together egg yolks and lemon juice until slightly thickened. Slowly drizzle in melted butter while whisking constantly until the sauce is thick and glossy. Remove from heat and season with salt and cayenne pepper. Cover and keep warm.
02 - In a skillet over medium heat, cook Canadian bacon slices until lightly browned, approximately 1 to 2 minutes per side. Keep warm.
03 - Fill a large saucepan with water, bring to a gentle simmer, and add vinegar. Crack one egg into a small bowl, swirl the water, and gently slide the egg into the center. Repeat with remaining eggs, cooking in batches if necessary. Poach for 3 to 4 minutes until whites are set but yolks remain soft. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
04 - Place two toasted muffin halves on each plate. Top each half with a slice of Canadian bacon, then a poached egg. Spoon generous hollandaise sauce over each egg. Garnish with chives or parsley if desired. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It looks restaurant-worthy but only requires basic knife skills and a whisk.
  • The entire meal comes together in 40 minutes, making it perfect for impressing people on a weekend morning.
  • Hollandaise transforms the simplest ingredients into something that tastes decadent and buttery without any cream.
02 -
  • If your hollandaise breaks and looks grainy or separated, start fresh with one egg yolk in a clean bowl and slowly whisk in the broken sauce—it'll emulsify back together.
  • Poaching eggs is as much about water temperature as timing; if your water boils hard, the eggs will shred, so maintain that gentle simmer throughout.
  • Everything must stay warm, which means you might poach eggs while the bacon cooks, then quickly assemble as you plate; multitasking isn't optional here.
03 -
  • Keep a small whisk of warm water nearby while making hollandaise—a teaspoon at a time can rescue a sauce that's thickening too much.
  • If you're nervous about poaching eggs, poach them a minute or two ahead and keep them in warm water; they'll finish cooking gently and you won't panic about timing.
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