Eggs Benedict is a classic breakfast and brunch staple. The unique ingredient is hollandaise – a creamy, flavorful egg sauce that’s worth the time and effort. Take a look at additional Breakfast and Brunch options.
Let’s make this recipe together!
Ready in 25 minutes
Ingredients
- English Muffin
- Spinach or Bacon
- Salted Butter
- Eggs (whole and yolk)
- White Vinegar
- Chives
Directions
Poach the Egg for the Eggs Benedict
First, crack an egg into a small bowl to prepare for poaching.
Poaching an egg is much easier than it sounds. To start, simmer two parts water to one part white vinegar in a pot. Don’t bring the water and vinegar mixture to boil.
Use a kitchen utensil to carefully stir the water in a clockwise direction. Start slowly so the water doesn’t overflow. The water will form a vortex in the middle of the pot – that’s where you drop the egg.
The egg comes together so the white cooks softly around the yolk. Cook for about 3 minutes. Carefully remove the egg from the water and place on a paper towel. Poached eggs break easily. Add salt and pepper.
Make the Hollandaise Sauce for the Eggs Benedict
Into a stainless steel bowl or the top of double boiler, add two egg yolks, two tablespoons of melted butter, and a squeeze of lemon juice.
When adding the melted butter, pour slowly into the egg yolk and lemon juice mixture and whisk continuously. This is called tempering – the egg should not cook, rather combine to form a creamy sauce. Start over if the egg cooks.
Over top of the water used to poach the egg, continue whisking the hollandaise sauce until it’s warm. Be careful at this step to not burn yourself on the steam or pot.
The hollandaise is done when it’s slightly thickened, warm throughout, and coats the back of a spoon without running.
Plate the Eggs Benedict
To plate, start with a toasted English muffin. Next, add either cooked spinach with garlic (which is Florentine Benedict) or bacon. Gently place the poached egg on top of the spinach or bacon. Pour the hollandaise sauce over the poached egg and top with chopped chives.
When you cut into the poached egg, the yolk should run.
