Eggs Benedict
Poached eggs and Canadian bacon on toasted English muffins, draped in rich, buttery hollandaise.
- prep
- 20 min
- cook
- 15 min
- total
- 35 min
- serves
- 2
- level
- medium
Eggs Benedict turns a poached egg into brunch's centerpiece: a toasted English muffin, good ham, and a hollandaise rich enough to coat the back of a spoon.
The sauce is the part people avoid at home, but it comes together in a few minutes of steady whisking over a bare simmer, no blender required.
Part of our 20 best egg recipes list.
method
Whisk the egg yolks with the lemon juice and a splash of water in a heatproof bowl set over barely simmering water, whisking constantly until thick and pale.
Remove from the heat and slowly drizzle in the warm melted butter, whisking constantly, until the hollandaise is thick and glossy. Season with salt and cayenne, and keep warm.
Bring a wide pan of water to a bare simmer and add the vinegar. Crack each egg into a small cup, swirl the water, and slide the eggs in one at a time.
Poach for about 3 minutes, until the whites are set and the yolks are still soft. Lift out with a slotted spoon onto paper towels.
While the eggs poach, toast the muffin halves and warm the Canadian bacon in a dry pan.
Top each muffin half with bacon, a poached egg, and a generous spoonful of hollandaise. Finish with chives and a little extra cayenne.
chef's tips
- Day-old eggs poach more neatly than very fresh ones; the whites hold together better once the yolk is set.
- If the hollandaise splits, whisk in a teaspoon of hot water off the heat; it usually brings it back together.