Easier Eggs Benedict with Foolproof Hollandaise
By Christie MorrisonPublished on August 21, 2013
Time
1 hour
Yield
Serves 4
Ingredients
Hollandaise
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces and softened4 large egg yolks ⅓ cup boiling water 2 teaspoons lemon juice Salt Pinch cayenne pepperEggs Benedict
4 English muffins, split8 slices Canadian bacon 2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar 1 teaspoon salt 8 large eggsBefore You Begin
An instant-read thermometer is essential to this recipe. For an accurate measurement of boiling water, bring a full kettle of water to a boil and then measure out the desired amount. Our favorite English muffins are Bays English Muffins.
Instructions
- Place butter and egg yolks in large heat-resistant glass or ceramic bowl. Bring 1/2 inch water to simmer in medium saucepan. Place bowl over simmering water, making sure that water does not touch bottom of bowl, and whisk constantly until mixture is smooth and homogeneous, about 1 minute.
- Slowly add boiling water and cook, whisking constantly, until thickened and sauce registers 160 to 165 degrees, 7 to 10 minutes. Off heat, whisk in lemon juice, 1/8 teaspoon salt, and cayenne. Remove saucepan from heat (keep bowl over water bath) and season with salt to taste. Cover to keep warm.
- Adjust oven rack 6 inches from broiler element and heat broiler. Arrange English muffins split side up on baking sheet and broil until golden brown, 2 to 4 minutes. Place 1 slice bacon on each muffin half and broil until hot and beginning to brown, about 1 minute. Remove sheet from oven and cover loosely with aluminum foil.
- Fill 12-inch skillet nearly to rim with water. Add vinegar and salt and bring to boil over high heat. Crack 2 eggs into each of 4 cups. Carefully and simultaneously pour eggs into skillet. Cover pan, remove from heat, and poach eggs until whites are set but yolks are still slightly runny, 4 minutes. (For firmer eggs, cook 2 to 3 minutes longer.)
- Use slotted spoon to transfer eggs from pan to paper towel–lined plate. Arrange 1 poached egg on top of each muffin half. Spoon 1 to 2 tablespoons hollandaise over each egg. Serve, passing remaining hollandaise separately.
for the hollandaise
for the eggs benedict
Time
1 hourYield
Serves 4Ingredients
Hollandaise
Eggs Benedict
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Hollandaise
Eggs Benedict
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Hollandaise
Eggs Benedict
Test Kitchen Techniques
Why This Recipe Works
Poaching eggs in a shallow skillet rather than a saucepan makes them easier to retrieve from the poaching water. And trying to get all the eggs into the pan at once can be a challenge. To ensure success, we cracked the eggs into four teacups and then tilted the cups to gently slide the eggs into the boiling water all at once. We then moved the pan off heat; the gentle residual heat kept the whites intact and the yolks soft and runny. We developed an unconventional technique for hollandaise that required whisking butter and egg yolks on the stovetop in a double boiler. This method reversed the usual order of operations, which combines the yolks with water from the start. Mixing the yolks with butter created a stronger emulsion that was less likely to break during cooking. The resulting sauce is so stable that it can be chilled and reheated. We used a lot of water in this sauce and added the lemon juice off heat. The sauce is foamier than a classic hollandaise, but it holds without breaking for as long as an hour. It can also be refrigerated for up to three days and reheated in the microwave without breaking.
Before You Begin
An instant-read thermometer is essential to this recipe. For an accurate measurement of boiling water, bring a full kettle of water to a boil and then measure out the desired amount. Our favorite English muffins are Bays English Muffins.
Instructions
- Place butter and egg yolks in large heat-resistant glass or ceramic bowl. Bring 1/2 inch water to simmer in medium saucepan. Place bowl over simmering water, making sure that water does not touch bottom of bowl, and whisk constantly until mixture is smooth and homogeneous, about 1 minute.
- Slowly add boiling water and cook, whisking constantly, until thickened and sauce registers 160 to 165 degrees, 7 to 10 minutes. Off heat, whisk in lemon juice, 1/8 teaspoon salt, and cayenne. Remove saucepan from heat (keep bowl over water bath) and season with salt to taste. Cover to keep warm.
- Adjust oven rack 6 inches from broiler element and heat broiler. Arrange English muffins split side up on baking sheet and broil until golden brown, 2 to 4 minutes. Place 1 slice bacon on each muffin half and broil until hot and beginning to brown, about 1 minute. Remove sheet from oven and cover loosely with aluminum foil.
- Fill 12-inch skillet nearly to rim with water. Add vinegar and salt and bring to boil over high heat. Crack 2 eggs into each of 4 cups. Carefully and simultaneously pour eggs into skillet. Cover pan, remove from heat, and poach eggs until whites are set but yolks are still slightly runny, 4 minutes. (For firmer eggs, cook 2 to 3 minutes longer.)
- Use slotted spoon to transfer eggs from pan to paper towel–lined plate. Arrange 1 poached egg on top of each muffin half. Spoon 1 to 2 tablespoons hollandaise over each egg. Serve, passing remaining hollandaise separately.
for the hollandaise
for the eggs benedict
Gift This Recipe
Enjoyed this dish? Let others know by sharing it as a gift recipe.
Appears In
Key Equipment
Keep Exploring
0 Comments