Eggs Benedict with Hollandaise for a Mother’s Day Table
Eggs Benedict is the ultimate brunch showstopper – poached eggs and Canadian bacon on toasted English muffins, topped with rich hollandaise sauce. It’s fancy enough for Mother’s Day but manageable if you break it into steps.
The silky hollandaise might seem intimidating, but it’s just egg yolks and butter whisked together with a little lemon juice.
How to Make Hollandaise That Won’t Break
Hollandaise breaks when the butter gets too hot or gets added too fast. Keep your melted butter warm but not bubbling – around 160°F is ideal. Add it drop by drop at first, then in a thin stream while whisking constantly.
If your sauce does break, don’t panic. Whisk a tablespoon of cold water in a clean bowl, then slowly whisk in the broken sauce. It’ll usually come back together.
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Timing Strategy for Serving Hot Food
Make the hollandaise first and keep it warm in a double boiler over barely simmering water. Toast the muffins and warm the Canadian bacon while your water comes to a poaching simmer.
Poach eggs last since they’re best served immediately. You can poach all four eggs at once if your pan is large enough, or work in batches of two. The whole assembly takes less than a minute per plate.
Eggs Benedict with Hollandaise for a Mother’s Day Table
Ingredients
Hollandaise
Equipment Needed
- Double boiler or heatproof bowl and saucepan
- Wire whisk
- Large skillet
- Slotted spoon
- Small saucepan
- Toaster
Instructions
- Start hollandaise base: Set up a double boiler with barely simmering water. In the top bowl, whisk egg yolks and lemon juice until pale and slightly thickened, about 2 minutes.
- Finish hollandaise sauce: Melt butter in a small saucepan until hot but not bubbling. Remove egg mixture from heat and slowly drizzle in melted butter while whisking constantly, starting drop by drop then increasing to a thin stream. Season with salt and cayenne. Keep warm over the double boiler.
- Prepare poaching water: Fill a large skillet with 3 inches of water and add vinegar. Bring to a gentle simmer – you should see small bubbles but not a rolling boil.
- Toast and warm components: Toast English muffin halves until golden. Warm Canadian bacon in a dry skillet over medium heat for 1-2 minutes per side until heated through.
- Poach the eggs: Crack each egg into a small bowl. Create a gentle whirlpool in the simmering water with a spoon, then slide eggs one at a time into the center. Poach for 3-4 minutes until whites are set but yolks remain runny. The whites should be completely opaque and the yolks should jiggle slightly when gently shaken with a spoon.
- Assemble and serve: Place toasted muffin halves on plates and top each with a slice of Canadian bacon. Use a slotted spoon to lift poached eggs from water, letting excess water drain. Place one egg on each muffin half and spoon hollandaise over top. Garnish with fresh chives and serve immediately.
Nutrition Facts
Per Serving (1 serving)
