Eggs Benedict with Hollandaise (Printable)

Poached eggs and Canadian bacon with buttery hollandaise on toasted English muffins.

# What You Need:

→ Eggs Benedict

01 - 4 English muffins, split and toasted
02 - 8 slices Canadian bacon
03 - 8 large eggs
04 - 1 tablespoon white vinegar
05 - Salt and pepper to taste

→ Hollandaise Sauce

06 - 3 large egg yolks
07 - 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
08 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and warm
09 - Pinch of cayenne pepper
10 - Salt to taste

→ Garnish

11 - Chopped fresh chives or parsley

# How-To:

01 - Fill a saucepan with 1 inch of water and bring to a gentle simmer. In a heatproof bowl set over the simmering water without touching, whisk together egg yolks and lemon juice until slightly thickened. Slowly drizzle in melted butter while whisking constantly until the sauce becomes thick and glossy. Remove from heat, season with salt and a pinch of cayenne pepper, cover and keep warm.
02 - Heat a skillet over medium heat and cook Canadian bacon slices until lightly browned, approximately 1 to 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a warm plate and keep warm.
03 - Fill a large saucepan with water, bring to a gentle simmer, and add white vinegar. Crack one egg into a small bowl, create a gentle swirl in the water with a spoon, and carefully slide the egg into the center. Repeat with remaining eggs, cooking in batches if necessary. Poach for 3 to 4 minutes until egg whites are set but yolks remain soft. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
04 - Place two toasted muffin halves on each serving plate. Top each muffin half with one slice of Canadian bacon followed by one poached egg. Spoon generous hollandaise sauce over each egg. Garnish with fresh chives or parsley if desired. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve immediately.

# Insider Tips:

01 -
  • The hollandaise is genuinely easier than it looks once you realize it's just warm whisking, not rocket science.
  • Four components cooked separately means you can time everything to finish at exactly the same moment, and that coordination actually feels satisfying.
  • Impressing people with something that looks this polished but tastes effortlessly rich never gets old.
02 -
  • Hollandaise can break (turn grainy and separated) if the heat is too high or the butter goes in too fast—if it starts to look broken, whisk a tablespoon of cold water into a clean bowl and slowly whisk the broken sauce into it to save it.
  • Poached eggs actually get easier the more you do it; your hands develop a rhythm and timing sense that no recipe can teach, so the first batch might be imperfect and that's completely normal.
03 -
  • Separate your eggs the night before and keep them in small bowls in the fridge—they slide into the water more easily and gently than room-temperature eggs, and you've already handled the finicky part.
  • If your hollandaise is looking too thick, whisk in a teaspoon of warm water at a time until it reaches that pourable consistency—it should coat the back of a spoon but still run slightly.
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