Breakfast & Brunch · Free recipe
Eggs Benedict
Toasted English muffins layered with savory Canadian bacon, softly poached eggs, and a silky lemon hollandaise sauce. It is the crown jewel of a proper brunch.
Step 1
First make the hollandaise. Fill a small saucepan with 1 inch of water and bring it to a gentle simmer, not a hard boil. Melt the 1/2 cup butter separately and keep it hot.
Step 2
In a heatproof metal bowl, whisk the 3 egg yolks with the lemon juice and salt for 30 seconds until slightly frothy.
Step 3
Set the bowl over the simmering water, making sure the bowl does not touch the water. Whisk constantly for 2 to 3 minutes until the yolks thicken and you can see the whisk leave trails. If it looks like it is scrambling, lift the bowl off the heat and keep whisking.
Step 4
Still whisking, drizzle in the hot melted butter very slowly, a thin stream at a time. The sauce will thicken into a smooth, pale, pourable cream. Whisk in the cayenne, then remove from heat and cover to keep warm.
Step 5
Bring a wide, deep skillet of water to a bare simmer over medium heat and add the white vinegar. Small bubbles should rise from the bottom; it should not be boiling hard.
Step 6
Toast the English muffin halves until golden, then butter them and set on two plates.
Step 7
Warm the Canadian bacon in a dry skillet over medium heat for about 1 minute per side, then place a slice on each muffin half.
Step 8
Crack one egg into a small cup. Stir the simmering water to make a gentle whirlpool, then slide the egg into the center. The swirl helps the white wrap around the yolk.
Step 9
Poach one or two eggs at a time for 3 to 4 minutes. The white should be fully set and opaque while the yolk stays soft. Lift one with a slotted spoon and touch it gently; the white should feel firm, not slippery.
Step 10
Rest each poached egg briefly on a paper towel to drain off water, so the sauce does not run.
Step 11
Place one poached egg on each bacon-topped muffin half.
Step 12
Spoon warm hollandaise generously over each egg, letting it pool slightly. Sprinkle with chives and a tiny pinch of cayenne, and serve immediately while everything is hot.
Tips from the test kitchen
- If the hollandaise gets too thick, whisk in a teaspoon of warm water to loosen it.
- Use the freshest eggs you can; older eggs spread into wispy threads when poached.
- Make the hollandaise last-minute or keep it barely warm; it can break if overheated.
