Classic Eggs Benedict with Hollandaise

Name: Classic Eggs Benedict with Hollandaise
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 22 min
Total time: 42 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 4 yolks (72 g) large egg yolks, from very fresh large eggs, at room temperature, whites saved for another use; 4 teaspoons (20 ml) fresh lemon juice, strained, from about 1 lemon; 1 tablespoon (15 ml) water, cool, for the yolks; 12 tablespoons (170 g) unsalted butter, cut into pieces, melted and kept hot (about 130°F / 55°C); ¼ teaspoon (1½ g) fine salt; ⅛ teaspoon (0.3 g) cayenne pepper, a pinch, or to taste; 2 quarts (1900 ml) water, enough for about 3 inches (8 cm) in the poaching pan, plus about 1 inch (2.5 cm) in the small saucepan; 1 tablespoon (15 ml) distilled white vinegar; 8 eggs (400 g) large eggs, very fresh, cold from the fridge; 4 muffins (228 g) English muffins, split in half with a fork; 8 slices (225 g) Canadian bacon slices, about ¼ inch (6 mm) thick; 1 teaspoon (5 ml) neutral oil or unsalted butter, for the skillet; 1 tablespoon (3 g) fresh chives, thinly sliced, for garnish (optional); black pepper, freshly ground, to taste

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Toasted English muffins topped with seared Canadian bacon, tender poached eggs with runny yolks, and a silky, lemony hollandaise whisked from scratch over gentle heat. It's a true brunch showpiece, and this method keeps each part timed so everything reaches the table warm.

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 22 min
Wait: 8 min
Total: 50 min
Makes: 4 servings (2 halves each, 8 benedicts total)

Jump to recipe ♡ Save

Ingredients

4 servings

For the hollandaise
4 yolks (72 g) large egg yolks, from very fresh large eggs, at room temperature, whites saved for another use
4 teaspoons (20 ml) fresh lemon juice, strained, from about 1 lemon
1 tablespoon (15 ml) water, cool, for the yolks
12 tablespoons (170 g) unsalted butter, cut into pieces, melted and kept hot (about 130°F / 55°C)
¼ teaspoon (1.5 g) fine salt
⅛ teaspoon (0.3 g) cayenne pepper, a pinch, or to taste
For the benedicts
2 quarts (1900 ml) water, enough for about 3 inches (8 cm) in the poaching pan, plus about 1 inch (2.5 cm) in the small saucepan
1 tablespoon (15 ml) distilled white vinegar
8 eggs (400 g) large eggs, very fresh, cold from the fridge
4 muffins (228 g) English muffins, split in half with a fork
8 slices (225 g) Canadian bacon slices, about ¼ inch (6 mm) thick
1 teaspoon (5 ml) neutral oil or unsalted butter, for the skillet
1 tablespoon (3 g) fresh chives, thinly sliced, for garnish (optional)
black pepper, freshly ground, to taste

Equipment (11)

Small saucepan (2-quart / 2 L) for the double boiler
Heatproof glass or stainless steel bowl (that sits on the saucepan without touching the water)
Large, deep skillet or wide pot (10-12 inch / 25-30 cm, at least 3 inches / 8 cm deep) for poaching
Small saucepan or microwave-safe cup for melting butter
Balloon whisk
Slotted spoon
Four small ramekins or cups
Large nonstick skillet (10-inch / 25 cm)
Toaster or broiler
Paper towels and a small plate
Instant-read thermometer

Steps

Before you start

Have everything measured and within reach before you turn on any heat. Hollandaise and poached eggs both need your full attention, and the dish comes together fast.
Use very fresh eggs for poaching. Fresh whites hold close to the yolk and give a neat shape.
Make the hollandaise first. It holds warm for about 15 minutes while you finish the bacon, muffins and eggs.
You need 12 large eggs total: 8 whole eggs for poaching and 4 more for their yolks. Save the 4 whites for scrambled eggs or an omelet.

1
Set up your stations
- Separate 4 eggs, putting the 4 yolks in a heatproof bowl and saving the whites.
- Crack the 8 eggs for poaching, 2 per ramekin, into the 4 ramekins, taking care not to break the yolks.
- Strain the lemon juice.
- Split the English muffins with a fork.
- Set a plate lined with paper towels near the stove.
- Pour the lemon juice into the yolks along with the water, and have the salt and cayenne ready.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Yolks, eggs and muffins are all ready within arm's reach
Tip: Sliding the eggs from a ramekin into the water is gentler than cracking straight into the pot, so the whites stay together.
2
Melt the butter
- Cut the butter into pieces and put it in a small saucepan over medium-low heat.
- Stir occasionally until fully melted and hot but not browned, about 3 minutes (it should reach about 130°F / 55°C).
- Remove from the heat and keep it near the stove.
- Hot butter emulsifies better than lukewarm butter.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Butter is fully liquid, with no browning and no solid pieces
Tip: Don't let it brown. Brown butter turns the sauce dark and nutty rather than bright and lemony.
3
Heat the two pans of water
- Pour about 1 inch (2.5 cm) of water into the 2-quart saucepan and bring it to a bare simmer over medium-low heat.
- Pour about 3 inches (8 cm) of water into the deep skillet, add the vinegar, and bring it to a gentle simmer over medium heat, with small bubbles on the bottom and sides of the pan and an occasional bubble rising (about 180°F / 82°C).
- Do not let it reach a rolling boil.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Water shows small bubbles but isn't rolling
Tip: A rolling boil tears the whites into wispy strands. Lower the heat as soon as you see big bubbles.
4
Whisk the yolks
- Set the bowl with the yolks, lemon juice and water on top of the saucepan of barely simmering water, making sure the bottom doesn't touch the water.
- Whisk constantly and vigorously, scraping the bottom and sides, for 3 to 4 minutes, until the yolks thicken, turn pale yellow and form ribbons that hold for a second when you lift the whisk, and the mixture reaches 160°F (71°C).
- If the bowl gets too hot or the eggs start to look scrambled at the edges, lift it off the heat for a few seconds while whisking.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Yolks are pale, thick and ribbon-like, and an instant-read thermometer reads 160°F (71°C)
Tip: Heating the yolks to 160°F (71°C) cooks them to a food-safe temperature.
5
Emulsify in the butter
- Take the bowl off the saucepan and set it on a folded towel so it doesn't slide.
- Whisking constantly, add the hot melted butter a few drops at a time at first, then in a thin, steady stream once the sauce starts to thicken and look glossy.
- Leave behind the milky white solids at the bottom of the butter pan.
- Stir in the salt and cayenne.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Sauce is thick, smooth and glossy, and coats the back of a spoon
Tip: If the sauce looks greasy or starts to split, whisk in 1 teaspoon of hot water, then continue adding the butter more slowly.
6
Taste and hold the sauce
- Taste the hollandaise and adjust with a few more drops of lemon juice, a pinch of salt or a little more cayenne.
- Turn off the heat under the saucepan and set the bowl back over the warm (not simmering) water to hold.
- Cover with a plate or plastic wrap.
- Whisk occasionally.
- Use within 15 minutes.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Sauce tastes bright, buttery and lightly peppery, and is pourable but thick
Tip: If the sauce thickens too much while it waits, whisk in 1 teaspoon of warm water.
7
Sear bacon and toast muffins
- Brush a 10-inch (25 cm) nonstick skillet with the oil and heat over medium heat.
- Add the Canadian bacon in a single layer (work in two batches if needed) and cook 1 to 2 minutes per side until browned in spots and hot through, about 140°F (60°C).
- Move to the paper towel-lined plate.
- Meanwhile, toast the muffin halves in a toaster or under the broiler until golden and crisp at the edges.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Bacon is browned in spots and hot; muffins are golden and crisp
Tip: Cover the bacon and muffins loosely with foil so they stay warm while the eggs poach.
8
Poach the eggs
- Turn the poaching water down to low to keep a gentle simmer, with the water barely moving.
- Lower the lip of each ramekin to the water's surface and slide in 4 eggs, spacing them apart.
- Poach for 3 minutes for set whites and runny yolks (3½ to 4 minutes for a jammy yolk).
- Lift each egg out with a slotted spoon, rest it on paper towels for a few seconds to drain, and trim any ragged edges.
- Repeat with the remaining 4 eggs.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Whites are opaque and set, yolks jiggle and feel soft when pressed gently
Tip: Poach 4 at a time at most, or the water temperature drops and they cook unevenly.
9
Assemble and serve
- Place 2 toasted muffin halves on each of 4 warm plates.
- Top each with a slice of Canadian bacon, then a well-drained poached egg.
- Whisk the hollandaise briefly, spoon generously over each egg, and finish with chives, if using, and freshly ground black pepper.
- Serve right away.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Sauce is warm and glossy and cloaks each egg
Tip: Blot each egg on a paper towel before it goes on the muffin, so water doesn't thin the sauce.

Good to know

Tips

Keep the hollandaise warm, not hot. Over 160°F (71°C) the yolks scramble, and below about 100°F (38°C) the butter can firm up.
Use a bowl that fits snugly over the pan so steam doesn't escape and heat stays gentle.
To fix a broken hollandaise, whisk 1 tablespoon of hot water in a clean bowl, then slowly whisk the broken sauce into it a little at a time.
Pre-heat the plates in warm water or a 200°F (95°C) oven so the benedicts stay hot.

Make ahead

"Poached eggs can be made up to 2 days ahead: undercook them by 30 seconds, move them to ice water for 2 minutes, then refrigerate in cold water. Rewarm in hot (not boiling) water for 60 seconds. Hollandaise is best fresh, but holds warm for up to 15 minutes in a bowl over warm water."

Storage & reheating

"Best eaten immediately. Leftover components keep separately: refrigerate poached eggs in water and cooked Canadian bacon up to 2 days. Leftover hollandaise keeps in the fridge up to 2 days in an airtight container; reheat gently in 10-second bursts in the microwave at 50% power, whisking each time, or whisk over warm water, adding a teaspoon of warm water if it thickens. Do not freeze hollandaise or poached eggs. Cooked Canadian bacon can be frozen for up to 2 months."

Substitutions

Canadian bacon slices → thick-sliced ham, smoked salmon or sautéed spinach. For smoked salmon or spinach, skip searing and just layer them on the muffins.
fresh lemon juice → white wine vinegar. Use 1 tablespoon, which gives a sharper, more traditional tang.
English muffins → thick slices of toasted sourdough or biscuits. Cut sourdough to a similar size to the muffin halves so the eggs stay put.
unsalted butter → ghee (clarified butter). Ghee is already free of milk solids, so it blends smoothly, and the flavor is slightly nuttier.