Eggs Benedict with Hollandaise Sauce
Eggs Benedict with Hollandaise Sauce is the ultimate classic brunch dish — toasted English muffins layered with savory Canadian bacon, silky poached eggs, and a rich, buttery homemade hollandaise sauce that flows over everything like liquid gold. It looks impressive, tastes absolutely indulgent, and with the right technique, it comes together at home in under 40 minutes. This recipe walks you through every detail, from perfecting the poach to whisking a stable, glossy hollandaise that rivals anything you'd find at a high-end brunch restaurant.
Equipment
- Small saucepan For clarifying butter
- Medium saucepan For the double boiler hollandaise and poaching eggs
- Large deep skillet or wide saucepan For poaching multiple eggs at once
- Heatproof glass or stainless steel bowl For making hollandaise over a double boiler
- Balloon whisk For whisking the hollandaise sauce
- Slotted spoon For lifting poached eggs from the water
- Small ramekins or cups For cracking and holding eggs before poaching
- Toaster or broiler For toasting English muffins
- Skillet or frying pan For warming Canadian bacon
- Kitchen thermometer (optional) Helpful for monitoring hollandaise temperature
- Egg poacher pan (optional) Useful for beginners who want more control over poaching
- Immersion blender (optional) For a faster blender hollandaise method
Ingredients
For the Eggs Benedict
- 4 large fresh eggs Use the freshest eggs available for best poaching results
- 2 English muffins Split in half (4 halves total); fork-split for best texture
- 4 slices Canadian bacon Also known as back bacon
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar Added to poaching water to help whites hold together
- salt To taste, for seasoning
- black pepper Freshly cracked, to taste
- fresh chives or parsley Optional; chopped, for garnish
- paprika Optional; for garnish
For the Hollandaise Sauce
- 3 large egg yolks Room temperature preferred
- 1 tablespoon cold water Helps temper the yolks in the double boiler
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice Plus more to taste; about half a lemon
- 1 cup unsalted butter 225g / 2 sticks; clarified or melted and kept warm
- pinch cayenne pepper Adds subtle heat to the hollandaise
- salt To taste, for seasoning the hollandaise
Instructions
- Melt the unsalted butter in a small saucepan over low heat until it separates into foam, golden liquid, and milky solids. Skim off the foam, then slowly pour the clear golden clarified butter into a separate bowl, leaving the milky solids behind; keep warm.
- Separate 3 egg yolks into your heatproof bowl and crack the 4 whole eggs into individual ramekins for poaching. Measure lemon juice, cayenne, and salt, and chop herbs for garnish so everything is ready before cooking begins.
- Set a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of barely simmering water (double boiler), add the egg yolks, cold water, and lemon juice, and whisk constantly for 3–4 minutes until pale and thick at the ribbon stage. Remove from heat and drizzle in the warm clarified butter very slowly while whisking constantly until the sauce is thick, glossy, and coats a spoon; season with cayenne and salt.
- Heat a dry skillet over medium heat and cook the Canadian bacon slices for 1–2 minutes per side until lightly browned and warmed through. Remove and tent loosely with foil to keep warm.
- Fork-split the English muffins and toast all 4 halves until golden brown and slightly crisp at the edges. Place on serving plates.
- Fill a large wide saucepan with 3 inches of water, add the white vinegar, and bring to a gentle simmer; stir to create a whirlpool, then slide each egg in from a ramekin close to the surface and poach for 3 minutes for a runny yolk or 3.5–4 minutes for a firmer yolk. Lift each egg with a slotted spoon and drain on a clean towel.
- Layer each toasted muffin half with a slice of Canadian bacon, then a poached egg, and spoon warm hollandaise generously over the top. Season with salt and pepper, garnish with paprika and fresh chives or parsley, and serve immediately.
Notes
- Fresh eggs are essential: The fresher the egg, the tighter the white, which means cleaner, neater poached eggs. Use eggs as close to their packaging date as possible.
- Butter temperature matters: Your clarified butter must be warm but not hot when you add it to the hollandaise. If it's too hot, it will scramble the yolks; too cold and it won't incorporate smoothly.
- Add butter drop by drop at first: Rushing the butter addition is the most common cause of a broken hollandaise. Start with literal drops, then increase to a thin stream once the emulsion is established.
- Rescue a broken hollandaise: If your sauce breaks, whisk a teaspoon of cold water in a clean bowl and very slowly whisk the broken sauce into it, one spoonful at a time, to re-emulsify.
- Keep hollandaise warm: Rest the bowl over warm (not simmering) water off the heat and whisk occasionally. It will hold for up to 30 minutes this way.
- Blender hollandaise shortcut: Blend yolks, lemon juice, and water on high speed, then slowly drizzle in hot melted butter for a foolproof sauce in under 2 minutes — great for beginners.
- Make-ahead poached eggs: Poach eggs in advance and store in cold water in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat by sliding into barely simmering water for about 1 minute before serving.
- Variations: Substitute Canadian bacon with smoked salmon (Eggs Royale), wilted spinach (Eggs Florentine), a crab cake, or sliced avocado for a modern twist.
- Storage: Hollandaise keeps in the fridge for up to 2 days; reheat gently over a double boiler while whisking. Do not freeze hollandaise as the emulsion will break.
- Serving tip: Have all components ready before you start poaching the eggs — the dish should be assembled and served immediately for the best experience.
Nutrition
Serving: 1Serving (2 halves)Calories: 710kcalCarbohydrates: 29gProtein: 30gFat: 55gSaturated Fat: 30gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 16gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 580mgSodium: 980mgPotassium: 320mgFiber: 2gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 35IUVitamin C: 6mgCalcium: 12mgIron: 18mg
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