Eggs Benedict Recipe
Black Forest Ham, Poached Eggs, Hollandaise, English Muffin
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Ingredients
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Eggs & Poaching
Hollandaise Sauce
Assembly & Base
Method
Eggs & Poaching
- 1
Prepare poaching water
Fill a wide, shallow saucepan with about 2 liters of water. Add 1 teaspoon salt and 2 tablespoons white vinegar. Bring the water to a gentle simmer (small bubbles, not a rolling boil) and maintain at a temperature just below boiling.
- 2
- 3
- 4
Poach the eggs
Gently slide 2–3 eggs (depending on pan size) from their cups into the simmering water. Poach for 3 minutes for a runny yolk, 3½–4 minutes for slightly firmer. Keep the water to a gentle simmer; adjust heat as needed. Use a slotted spoon to lift the eggs and gently blot on a paper towel to remove excess water. Repeat until all 6 eggs are poached.
Hollandaise Sauce
- 5
Clarify/melt butter
Melt 1 cup (about 225 g) unsalted butter in a small saucepan over low heat until fully liquid. Optionally skim foam for a clearer sauce. Keep butter warm but not simmering.
- 6
Set up double boiler
Place a heatproof bowl over (not touching) a pot of gently simmering water to create a double boiler. Ensure the bowl bottom is above the water level. Keep heat low — hollandaise must not scramble.
- 7
Whisk yolks
In the heatproof bowl, whisk 4 egg yolks with 2 tablespoons lemon juice and 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard until slightly thickened and pale. Place the bowl over the simmering water and continue whisking constantly.
- 8
Cook and thicken
Whisk continuously until the yolk mixture reaches a ribbon stage and warms to about 60–65°C (140–150°F) — thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Do not let it get too hot to avoid scrambling.
- 9
- 10
Season and adjust
Remove from heat. Stir in 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon white pepper or a pinch of cayenne, and additional 1 tablespoon warm water if the sauce is too thick to achieve a silky texture. Taste and adjust lemon or salt as needed. Keep warm (not hot) until assembly — place bowl in a warm spot or cover; avoid reheating directly.
Assembly & Base
- 11
Toast English muffins
Split 3 English muffins and butter both cut sides lightly with 2 tablespoons unsalted butter. Toast in a skillet or under a broiler until golden and crisp around the edges.
- 12
Warm ham
Warm 6 slices of Black Forest ham briefly in the skillet for 30–60 seconds per side until heated through and slightly caramelized at the edges. This enhances flavor and texture.
- 13
Assemble on plates
Place the toasted English muffin halves on serving plates (6 halves total). Top each half with one warmed slice of Black Forest ham. Using a slotted spoon, place one poached egg on top of each ham-covered muffin half.
- 14
Sauce and garnish
Spoon 2–3 tablespoons of warm hollandaise over each poached egg, covering the top but allowing some yolk visibility. Sprinkle finely chopped fresh chives and a grind of black pepper or a pinch of cayenne if desired.
- 15