Eggs Benedict

Eggs Benedict

Do you want your breakfast or brunch experience to be out of the ordinary? Then try this easy eggs Benedict recipe – a classic American brunch favourite. We stay true to the classic with poached egg, hollandaise sauce, and crispy ham on a slice of toasted bread. It is a beautiful combination of crispy and soft with the beautifully poached egg with its runny yolk being the cherry on top.
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https://www.arlafoods.co.uk/recipes/eggs-benedict/

Instructions

Bread and prosciutto
  • Preheat the oven to 225°C (regular oven).
  • Cut bread into slices and place them on a wire rack.
  • Place prosciutto on a plate with baking paper and toast the ham and bread in the oven for approx. 5 minutes until golden and crispy.
  • Set both aside until ready to serve.
Hollandaise sauce
  • Make sure you have all the ingredients ready before you start.
  • Whisk egg yolks, water, and lemon juice in a bowl suitable for a water bath. Hang the bowl over the water bath – the boiling water must not touch the bottom of the bowl; only the steam should heat the bowl.
  • Keep whisking the eggs continuously until the egg mixture foams and starts to thicken.
  • Continue to whisk and add melted butter to the egg cream in a thin stream. Whisk constantly until all the butter is mixed in.
  • You can add a bit of cold water to adjust the consistency and keep the sauce from getting too hot.
  • Season to taste with salt.
  • Turn down to low heat and leave the sauce until you need it. It must not exceed 60°C.
Poached egg
  • Meanwhile, bring water, vinegar, and salt to a boil in a saucepan. Crack the eggs into cups.
  • When the water boils, whip with a whisk to create a whirlpool.
  • Remove the whisk and carefully pour the eggs into the swirl 1 at a time.
  • Let the eggs cook for approx. 3 minutes until the egg white has set, but the yolk is still runny.
  • Lift the eggs with a slotted spoon and place them in ice-cold water for approx. 30 seconds to stop the cooking.
For serving
  • Arrange the eggs on top of the toasted bread, pour the warm sauce over it and place a slice of crispy prosciutto on top. Garnish with chives and freshly ground pepper.
Enjoy!
Tips

When preparing the eggs, water temperature is key. Bring the water to a boil. Once tiny bubbles are coming up from the base, you can place the eggs in the water. If the water is bubbling too much, the eggs will end up wispy, and if it is not hot enough, the eggs will not be able to set. Use fresh eggs – the fresher the better – as they have a better structure and hold well together.

Tips

Make sure the sauce does not get exceed 60°C or it might split or curdle. If the sauce splits, you can add a bit of cold water and bring it back together. If that does not help, you can carefully whisk the split sauce with a new egg yolk.

Questions about eggs Benedict

Making eggs Benedict is easier than you might think if you follow our recipe and tips. Below, you can find our answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about the popular breakfast dish and learn how to master the classic breakfast staple with poached egg, prosciutto, and a silky hollandaise sauce.

What is eggs Benedict?
Eggs Benedict is a popular and decadent breakfast and brunch choice consisting of poached eggs and crispy slices of ham on top of toasted bread or an English muffin. The dish is covered with hollandaise sauce and sprinkles of fresh herbs for a finishing touch. There are many conflicting accounts of the origin of eggs Benedict, but some say that the hearty dish originates from New York City. Since its invention, it has spawned countless variations with different sauces and add-ons, but you can never go wrong with a traditional eggs Benedict.
How to make eggs Benedict?
Eggs Benedict is made up of several delicious components. Start by preparing the base and toast the bread and prosciutto in the oven for about 5 minutes at 225°C until they are golden and crispy. Next, prepare the homemade hollandaise sauce and the poached egg. Assemble the dish and arrange the egg on top of the toasted bread. Pour the warm sauce over the egg and place a slice of prosciutto on top. Finally, garnish with chives and freshly ground pepper.
How to make sauce for eggs Benedict?
The hollandaise sauce for eggs Benedict is made with egg yolk, water, lemon juice, and butter. To make the sauce, start by whisking egg yolks, water, and lemon juice over a water bath until the mixture begins to thicken. Add melted butter to the egg mixture in a thin stream while continuing to whisk until the butter is thoroughly mixed in. Season with salt and turn down the heat until you are ready to use it. Do not let the sauce exceed 60°C. Serve on the poached egg in eggs Benedict and finish with crispy prosciutto on top.
How to poach an egg for eggs Benedict?
To poach an egg, bring water, vinegar, and salt to a boil in a saucepan. Once the water is boiling, although not too much, use a whisk to form a vortex and carefully add the eggs into the vortex one at a time. Let the eggs cook for roughly 3 minutes until the egg white is firm and set. The egg yolk should still be runny. Use a slotted spoon to remove the eggs and put them in cold water for about 30 seconds. Place them on a paper towel to dry off and enjoy while still a bit warm.
How to reheat eggs Benedict?
It is easier to reheat eggs Benedict when the dish has not yet been assembled. Heat the prosciutto and bread separately in a pan with a tiny bit of butter. Next, transfer the poached egg to a pot of salted boiling water. Let the eggs simmer for about 15 seconds before placing them in cold water. Then, put the eggs on a paper towel to dry and reheat the sauce in a small saucepan over low heat. Finally, assemble the dish starting with toast, then poached egg, hollandaise sauce, and prosciutto.

Ingredients

Bread and prosciutto
Light bread
4 slices
Prosciutto (approx. 75 g)
4 slices
Hollandaise sauce
Egg yolks
2
Water
2 tbsp
Freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tsp
Melted butter
200 g
Poached egg
Water
1 litre
Coarse salt
1 tsp
Vinegar
50 ml
Eggs
4
Garnish
Chopped chives
½ dl
Freshly ground pepper
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The classic eggs Benedict

If you are looking for a delicious breakfast or brunch staple, you cannot go wrong with this recipe for eggs Benedict. Nothing says classic quite like this beautifully assembled toasted delight. It is the queen of breakfast and brunch dishes with toasted bread, crispy prosciutto, poached eggs, and a classic creamy hollandaise sauce to top it all off. Fortunately, it is far easier to perfect the traditional dish than it might look. Enjoy a luxurious meal that always hits the spot.

Want to try out other scrumptious breakfast ideas? Check out our recipe for fluffy scrambled eggs and egg muffins with bacon. Enjoy your breakfast with a cup of dalgona iced coffee.

Poached egg with ham and hollandaise sauce

There are many variations of the traditional eggs Benedict but what they all have in common is a perfectly poached egg with a firm white exterior and golden runny yolk on the inside. To break the softness of the egg, it is placed onto a slice of oven-toasted bread along with crisp prosciutto, also adding a hint of salt. The eggs Benedict is covered with a rich, lemony homemade hollandaise sauce and fresh chopped chives for a beautiful, tasty finish that adds creaminess and softness to the dish, highlighting all the sweet and salty notes with its mild, buttery flavour. It is an easy way to treat your family to a luxurious and delightful breakfast or brunch.

A perfect combination of soft and crunchy

The ingredients for eggs Benedict work together to create a sensory experience with the perfect combination of soft and crunchy textures. The soft poached egg is draped in a rich, buttery, creamy sauce that makes it feel like you are biting into a soft, fluffy cloud. To break up these soft and indulgent consistencies, the bread and prosciutto offer a nice warm crispy crunch. It is such a dreamy delight for texture lovers and is ideal for every occasion from a Monday morning that needs a bit extra to a delicious weekend morning brunch or breakfast.

Add your own touch

Give the dish a fun spin and replace prosciutto with smoked salmon. The addition of smoked salmon makes this dish so much tastier. Assemble the eggs Benedict and add salmon on top of the crispy toasted bread, followed by the poached egg. Finish it off with a generous scoop of hollandaise sauce and a sprinkle of fresh chopped chives. Eggs Benedict with salmon is a delicious brunch staple.

If you prefer a green twist, try eggs Benedict Florentine. It is an excellent alternative to the traditional version. Instead of ham, the poached egg rests on a bed of perfectly sauteed spinach and still has the creamy hollandaise sauce on top. It adds flavour and highlights the creamy textures, making eggs Benedict Florentine a delicious upgrade – or variation – of the classic.

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