Eggs Benedict with Hollandaise

The morning sunlight hit our tiny kitchen table just right as my grandmother demonstrated the art of hollandaise, her wrist moving in steady circles like she had been doing it for decades instead of just learning it from a cookbook herself that week.

My friend Sarah came over for what she called emergency brunch therapy after a rough week at work and I nervously attempted hollandaise for the first time while she watched with wide eyes, both of us cheering when it actually came together smooth and golden.

Ingredients

• 3 large egg yolks: Room temperature yolks emulsify better with the butter, so take them out about twenty minutes before you start whisking
• 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice: Bottled lemon juice never gives hollandaise that bright, fresh lift that makes it sing
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter melted and warm: Warm butter incorporates more smoothly than cold butter which can cause your sauce to break
• 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard: This little optional addition helps stabilize the emulsion and adds a subtle depth
• Pinch of cayenne pepper: Just enough warmth to cut through all that richness without making it spicy
• 4 large eggs: Fresh eggs produce the tightest, most beautiful poached eggs with those perfect white cocoon shapes
• 2 English muffins split and toasted: The nooks and crannies catch all that sauce and egg yolk that would otherwise escape
• 4 slices Canadian bacon: Sear them in a hot pan until they get those gorgeous caramelized edges
• 1 tablespoon white vinegar: This helps the egg whites coagulate quickly in the water, creating that neat wrapped around appearance

Instructions

Whisking the hollandaise base:

Set up your double boiler with barely simmering water and whisk yolks and lemon juice until they turn pale and thick enough to leave trails when you lift the whisk

Emulsifying the butter:

Drizzle that warm butter in agonizingly slow while whisking like your life depends on it, watching the sauce transform into something creamy and gorgeous

Seasoning to perfection:

Whisk in mustard if you are using it, then cayenne and salt until it tastes like something you would happily eat with a spoon

Getting your muffins ready:

Butter those split English muffins and toast them until they are golden brown and crisp on the edges

Searing the Canadian bacon:

Toss the bacon slices into a hot skillet and let them sizzle for about two minutes per side until they develop those delicious browned spots

Setting up your poaching water:

Bring a few inches of water to a gentle simmer and stir in that vinegar which will be your secret weapon for neat eggs

Creating the vortex:

Swirl the water into a gentle whirlpool and slide each egg in one at a time, letting the spinning water wrap the white around the yolk

Timing the perfect poach:

Let them cook for about four minutes until the whites are set but the yolks still wobble when you give the pan a gentle shake

The final assembly:

Stack muffin, bacon, egg, then drape that hollandaise over everything like you are plating at a fancy brunch spot

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Sunday mornings with my roommates became legendary in our apartment building once we mastered this recipe, with neighbors literally following the smell of hollandaise up the stairs to our door.

Getting the Timing Right

The trickiest part of Eggs Benedict is orchestrating everything so the sauce stays warm and the eggs stay hot while you assemble. I make hollandaise first and keep it in a warm spot, then poach eggs last so they hit the plate at that perfect runny yolk moment.

Hollandaise That Never Fails

After breaking more batches than I care to admit, I learned that keeping your ingredients at similar temperatures makes all the difference. Room temperature yolks meeting warm butter is the chemistry lesson that finally made me a hollandaise believer instead of someone who just ordered it at restaurants.

Making It Your Own

Once you are comfortable with the classic preparation, the variations are endless. My vegetarian sister loves it with sauteed spinach and my dad will take smoked salmon over Canadian bacon any day of the week.

• Try swapping in crab meat or avocado for a completely different brunch experience
• A microplane grater makes the perfect tool for adding fresh lemon zest right on top before serving
• Leftover hollandaise reheats beautifully over a double boiler if you make a big batch

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There is something deeply satisfying about mastering a dish that feels fancy and restaurant worthy but comes together in your own kitchen on a lazy weekend morning.

Recipe Questions

→ What makes Eggs Benedict authentic?

Traditional Eggs Benedict features poached eggs with runny yolks, Canadian bacon, toasted English muffins, and freshly made hollandaise sauce emulsified with egg yolks, lemon juice, and warm butter.

→ How do I prevent hollandaise from curdling?

Whisk constantly while drizzling warm melted butter into yolks very slowly. Keep the double boiler water gently simmering, not boiling. Remove from heat once thickened.

→ What's the trick to perfect poached eggs?

Use simmering water with a splash of white vinegar. Create a gentle vortex before sliding in each egg. Cook 3–4 minutes for set whites and runny yolks.

→ Can I make hollandaise sauce ahead of time?

Hollandaise is best served immediately but can be kept warm for up to 30 minutes. For longer storage, the sauce separates and loses texture. Fresh preparation yields silky results.

→ What are good vegetarian substitutions?

Replace Canadian bacon with sautéed spinach for Eggs Florentine, or use grilled tomato slices and avocado. Both alternatives maintain the dish's satisfying richness.