Eggs Benedict is a classic menu served on Sunday brunch, New Year's morning, or your morning with your loved ones. The hollandaise sauce served can be delicious or even unpleasant. Learn how to make it and wow your family or guests with your cooking prowess.
Ingredients
For 2 servings
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For Hollandaise Sauce:
- 4 egg yolks
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) freshly squeezed lemon juice
- cup/115 g unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
- Salt
- Cayenne pepper powder
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For Eggs Benedict:
- 4 pieces of smoked meat
- 2 english muffins, split
- 1 teaspoon (5 ml) white vinegar (optional)
- 4 eggs
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 3-4 slices of green olives with pimento or black olives
- Paprika powder for sprinkling
- Fresh parsley for garnish
Step
Part 1 of 3: Making Hollandaise Sauce
Step 1. Melt the butter
Heat the butter in a wide skillet until a few pieces remain. Remove and cool the butter while you work on the next step.
If you want to make a more luxurious version, make clear butter by removing the milk fat. The milk fat removed will result in a sauce that is thicker, but less flavorful. Alternatively, leave all the milk fat at the bottom of the pan and remove the milk fat when the butter is pouring
Step 2. Prepare a double boiler
If you don't have a double boiler, fill a saucepan with water and heat it until there is some foam on the surface. Place a metal or glass bowl over the pan without touching the water. The indirect heat generated reduces the risk of the sauce getting scorched and cracked.
Step 3. Beat egg yolks and lemon juice
Place four egg yolks and 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of lemon juice in a double boiler. Beat the dough at a constant speed until it is frothy and slightly light in color and leaves the shape of the egg beater. Experienced chefs can make it in a minute or two. However, for beginners it is usually about 5 to 10 minutes.
Also clean the sides of the bowl every now and then from any sticky dough. Unmixed egg residue can spoil the sauce
Step 4. Watch for signs of sauce breaking
If the egg mixture is too hot, the dough will "break" or separate between the solid and liquid parts. When it starts to get too hot, remove the bowl with oven mitts or a cloth. Quickly beat the dough for 30 seconds to cool the eggs and then reheat.
- Measuring the temperature at the start of making the sauce is a bit tricky. To keep the sauce from failing, do this for a few seconds every minute.
- If the sauce starts to thicken, immediately transfer the sauce to another bowl then whisk quickly by adding 1 tablespoon of ice water.
Step 5. Add the butter little by little
Slowly pour in the butter and beat quickly. At first, the sauce will thicken easily then it will be stiff to mix. When this happens, slowly pour in the butter. Too much butter will break the sauce. This step takes about 2 to 5 minutes.
If you are experienced, you can add butter spoon by spoon or in large portions at once. However, this can cause the sauce to crack. However, if you're successful, the hollandaise sauce can be done much quicker with a lighter finish
Step 6. Adjust seasoning and liquid
Add salt and cayenne pepper to taste. You can also add a little lemon juice for a sharper taste. If the sauce is too thick, add a little hot water.
Step 7. Store in a warm place
Cover the bowl and keep in a warm place until you finish the rest of the ingredients. Cold temperatures can cause the sauce to crack.
If the sauce becomes too thick, add a few drops of warm water and shake the sauce before serving
Part 2 of 3: Making Eggs Benedict
Step 1. Fry the bacon
Heat the bacon in a skillet over medium heat. Fry for a few minutes until brown. Turn the bacon occasionally. Once cooked, let stand in the pan to keep warm.
Other types of bacon can also be used
Step 2. Bake english muffins
Cut the English muffin in half and place it on the baking sheet with the cut side facing up. Grease the cut parts with a thin layer of butter and bake in the oven until browned.
Step 3. Heat the water
Fill a nonstick skillet or flat pan with water half full. Heat until a little froth appears or is at 70–80ºC.
You can also add 1 teaspoon (5 ml) of white vinegar to the water. This process will keep the egg whites in position instead of falling apart while in the water. However, this process will change the texture and taste of the egg
Step 4. Add the eggs
Crack one egg into a bowl and try not to break the yolk. Gently tilt the edge of the bowl toward the surface of the water to allow the water to flow toward the bowl. Pour in the eggs by turning the bowl over to the surface of the water. Repeat quickly until the eggs run out.
- When the water comes to a boil, stir the water occasionally with a spoon so it doesn't get too hot before adding the eggs. Do not do this process when the eggs are already in the water.
- If using a small skillet, simply cook two to three eggs at a time. Sticking eggs can be combined into one piece.
Step 5. Boil the eggs
Boil the eggs for 3½ minutes until the whites are cooked, but the yolks are still soft. Remove with a strainer spoon so that the eggs are filtered from the water.
Step 6. Arrange all the ingredients
Place one or two sliced muffins on each plate. Place a slice of bacon on a muffin and then add a hard-boiled egg. Spoon generous amount of hollandaise sauce over the eggs. Garnish with ground paprika and a slice or two of olives. Garnish the plate with parsley.
Part 3 of 3: Variations
Step 1. Make vegetarian Florentine Eggs
Instead of bacon, sauté the spinach until wilted, then place the spinach on top of the English muffin. You'll need about 4 cups (960 ml) of raw spinach for this recipe.
Step 2. Serve with asparagus
Steamed asparagus goes great with hollandaise sauce. Serve next to the eggs benedict and spread the sauce all over the plate. Sprinkle chopped basil for an added summer feel.
Step 3. Use another type of bacon and tomatoes
Make Eggs Blackstone using crispy bacon which is fattier than regular bacon. Serve eggs blackstone with freshly sliced tomatoes between muffins and bacon.
Step 4. Replace the meat with smoked salmon
The lemon flavor goes well with seafood. Top the smoked salmon with chopped dill leaves. Also mix the chopped dill leaves with the prepared hollandaise sauce.
