Eggs benedict
- Anna Glover
Published: August 13, 2021 at 9:47 AM
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Serves 2-4 as a brunch
Easy
Total time: 30 mins
A star rating of 5 out of 5.2 ratingsRate
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Make weekend brunch extra-luxurious with our classic eggs benedict, plus tips and tricks to making your best hollandaise sauce yet
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Follow our tips and tricks to making your best eggs benedict yet, then check out our eggs benedict baguette, scrambled eggs, crumpet eggs royale and more egg recipes. Also read our guide on how to boil an egg for all the tips and advice you need on getting the perfect consistency.
How to make perfect poached eggs
The key to perfect poached eggs is using the freshest possible eggs, as the white sets around the yolk a lot more neatly than with older eggs. Clarence Court Burford Browns have a golden yolk, which is great for colouring the hollandaise, but also brings a little extra sunshine to your plate when you break into it.
How to make the ultimate hollandaise sauce
There are lots of ways of making hollandaise, some including clarifying the butter, but sometimes the classic ways are the best. You’ll need a small balloon whisk for this recipe, or a small metal whisk that looks like a slinky – sometimes called a magic whisk – that's also great for gravy, dressings and mayonnaise. If your hollandaise does split, the water underneath the bowl is too hot, but it can be salvaged by adding 1 tsp of ice-cold water at a time, whisking until emulsified again, then putting back on the heat at a lower temperature.
See our hollandaise sauce recipe for more tips.
Here are three equally delicious alternatives to the classic eggs hollandaise:
- Egg neptune - replace the ham with picked crabmeat
- Eggs royale - swap the ham for smoked salmon and top with snipped chives
- Eggs florentine - swap the ham for wilted, buttered spinach with a little grated nutmeg
Ingredients
Nutrition
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3 tbsp white wine vinegar
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7, 3 separated (freeze the extra whites for meringues or keep for three days covered in the fridge) eggs (we used Clarence Court Burford Browns)
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5 whole black peppercorns
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1 bay leaf
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150g unsalted butter
at room temperature, cubed, plus more for spreading
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½ lemon
a squeeze of juice
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2 english muffins
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4 thick slices cooked ham
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chives or cayenne pepper
to serve
Nutrition: per serving
- kcal533
- fat42.1g
- saturates22.8g
- carbs13.2g
- sugars1.5g
- fibre0.9g
- protein24.8g
- salt1.9g
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Method
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step 1
Put 2 tbsp of the vinegar, three egg yolks, the peppercorns, bay leaf and a small pinch of salt in a heatproof bowl set over a small pan of just-simmering water over a very low heat. Make sure the bottom of the bowl doesn’t touch the water. Whisk for 30 seconds until light and foamy.
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step 2
Drop a cube of the butter into the egg mixture, whisking all the time. Add the cubes one at a time, ensuring each has melted and combined with the sauce before adding the next. Once the hollandaise has started to thicken, you can add a few cubes at a time. This will take a little while but patience, and the continual whisking will create a foolproof hollandaise. It should take about 10 minutes to incorporate all the butter.
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step 3
Once all the butter has been added and you’re left with a thick, glossy hollandaise, check the seasoning. Fish out the bay and peppercorns. Add a squeeze of lemon juice to taste, and a little salt and white pepper if needed.
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step 4
Pour away most of the water from the pan underneath, leaving a few centimetres of hot water. Put the hollandaise bowl back over, off the heat. This will keep the hollandaise warm while you poach the eggs. Stir every now and then to prevent a skin forming. The hollandaise will sit for up to 30 minutes like this. Add 1-2 tbsp of water if your hollandaise becomes too thick while sitting.
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step 5
Bring a large pan of water to the boil, and add the remaining vinegar. Prepare a bowl of cold water to dunk the cooked eggs into. Stir a whirlpool in the simmering water, and crack an egg into a mug. Lower the mug to the surface of the water and carefully slip the egg into the centre of the whirlpool. Cook for 2 minutes, until the white has set, and then remove with a slotted spoon into the cold water. Repeat with the remaining eggs – it’s better to cook them separately so you can achieve the perfect yolks each time. Once the eggs are all in the water bath they will sit here quite happily for 30 minutes until ready to serve. Keep the water simmering over a low heat.
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step 6
To serve, split and lightly toast the muffins. Spread with a little butter, and divide between warmed plates. Layer over the ham.
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step 7
Carefully lower the poached eggs back into the simmering water for 30 seconds, just to heat through, then lift out. Pat with kitchen paper, then add to the muffins on top of the ham. Give the hollandaise a final stir, then add a generous spoonful over the eggs. Garnish with chives or a pinch of cayenne pepper, if you like.
Check out more brilliant brunch recipes...
Authors
Anna GloverSenior food editor
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