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Eggs Benedict

Eggs Benedict is a brunch specialty consisting of hot buttered English muffins, Canadian-style bacon, and poached eggs topped with a rich homemade Hollandaise sauce. Wonderful for Easter, Mother's Day, or brunch anytime! If you're not a lemon fan, start with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice. If you like a tangy Hollandaise, you can add the full amount.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Course Breakfast
Cuisine French
Servings 4 people
Calories 2779.6 kcal

Equipment

  • 1 Double Boiler Essential for making Hollandaise sauce over indirect heat.
  • 1 Whisk For emulsifying the Hollandaise sauce.
  • 1 Large Saucepan For poaching eggs.
  • 1 Slotted Spoon For carefully removing poached eggs from water.
  • 1 Medium Skillet For browning Canadian bacon.

Ingredients
  

Main

  • 4 egg yolks
  • 3 ½ tablespoons lemon juice or less to taste
  • 1 tablespoon water
  • ⅛ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 pinch ground white pepper
  • 1 cup butter melted
  • 1 teaspoon hot water or more as needed (Optional)
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt or to taste
  • 1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar
  • 8 eggs
  • 8 strips Canadian-style bacon
  • 4 English muffins split
  • 2 tablespoons butter softened

Instructions
 

  • To make the Hollandaise: Whisk egg yolks, lemon juice, 1 tablespoon of water, Worcestershire sauce, and white pepper in the top of a double boiler over simmering water. Add melted butter, 1 or 2 tablespoons at a time, while whisking yolks constantly. If Hollandaise begins to get too thick, add a teaspoon or two of hot water. Continue whisking until all of the butter is incorporated. Whisk in salt, then remove from heat. Place a lid on the pan to keep sauce warm. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
  • To poach the eggs: Fill a large saucepan with 2 to 3 inches of water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, pour in vinegar, and keep water at a gentle simmer. Crack an egg into a small bowl then gently slip egg into simmering water, holding the bowl just above the surface of water. Repeat with the remaining eggs. Cook eggs until whites are firm and yolks have thickened but are not hard, 2 ½ to 3 minutes. Remove eggs from water with a slotted spoon, dab on a kitchen towel to remove excess water, and place onto a warm plate. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
  • Meanwhile, set an oven rack about 6 inches from the heat source and preheat the oven's broiler. Brown bacon in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
  • Toast English muffins on a baking sheet under the preheated broiler.
  • To serve eggs Benedict: Spread toasted muffins with softened butter and top each one with a slice of bacon, followed by one poached egg. Place 2 muffins on each plate and drizzle with Hollandaise sauce. Sprinkle with chopped chives and serve immediately. DOTDASH MEREDITH FOOD STUDIOS 

Notes

For the Hollandaise, temperature control is paramount; slowly drizzle in the melted butter while whisking constantly over gentle, indirect heat to prevent the emulsion from breaking. Clarified butter can yield a silkier, purer sauce. If the sauce begins to curdle, a tablespoon of hot water or even an ice cube whisked vigorously can sometimes rescue it. For perfectly poached eggs, a splash of vinegar in the water helps the whites set cleanly around the yolk. Maintain a gentle simmer, not a rolling boil, and crack each egg into a small bowl before carefully slipping it into the water. Serve immediately on warm plates to maintain optimal temperature and texture for all components.