How to Make Eggs Benedict Like a Pro: 6 Tips

Preparing eggs Benedict is not complicated, but the hollandaise sauce may seem difficult to make, as there are a couple of things you should pay attention to. In case you were looking for an easy recipe for this popular brunch meal, 5-Minute Crafts has got some tips and tricks that will help you improve your cooking skills.

1. Control the temperature of the butter.

We need the butter to emulsify the sauce. For this reason, we don’t want it to get barely warm because the yolks will not get heated enough and the sauce will not thicken. But the butter should not get too hot either, as the water will evaporate. This is why we need to keep controlling the temperature of the pot while melting it.

In other words, we should keep in mind that the butter for the hollandaise sauce should simply melt, not boil.

2. Keep an eye on the temperature of the hollandaise.

To make the hollandaise, you’ll place a heatproof bowl over a pot of boiling water. However, it’s critical to make sure the bowl covers the pot completely while keeping it from touching the water. That’s because if the bowl gets too hot or the eggs come in direct contact with the steam, they’ll scramble, and you’ll have no other choice but to start over.

3. Whisk until you get the right texture.

If you don’t whisk enough, the ingredients of the hollandaise sauce may split. You can remove the bowl from the heat to keep it from getting too hot, but keep whisking. When the structure gets as dense as mayonnaise, you’ve reached the goal. In addition to that, the sauce will lose its trademark taste if the ingredients break down, so keep in mind that it should be consumed, at most, 30 minutes after it has been made.

4. Toast your muffins in a ham pan.

Put the middle side of the muffin halves in the pan where you fried the ham. That way, the muffin will soak in the flavor of the ham and become juicier.

5. Try out different types of bread.

If English muffins are not your cup of tea, you can toast other types of bread, like whole-grain bread slices, burger buns, empty croissants cut in half, or even hash browns instead if you feel like it.

6. Feel free to make your own variations.

One of the most delicious variations of eggs Benedict is made with slices of smoked salmon instead of ham. Sprinkle some chili flakes or cut parsley on top to decorate it. You can even add mashed or sliced avocado between the ham and egg layers to make the meal a bit juicier.

Bonus part

Ingredients for 2:

• 7 eggs (4 whole eggs for poaching + 3 yolks for the hollandaise)
• 1 cup of melted butter (for the hollandaise)
• 1 tbsp of lemon juice (optional, for the hollandaise)
• 2 tsp of white vinegar (for the hollandaise) + a bit more for poaching the eggs
• Salt and pepper (optional, for the hollandaise)
• 4 tbsp of olive oil
• 2 English muffins split in half (or 4 slices of a type of bread you prefer)
• 8 or more slices of (Italian Parma) ham (or bacon)

1. Bring some water to a boil and lower the heat. Place a heatproof bowl over the boiling water and whisk 3 egg yolks. Add vinegar and keep whisking until you get a foamy texture (check tips #1, #2, and #3). Add salt, pepper, and lemon juice to taste. Cover the bowl with the hollandaise mix and place aside.
2. Fry both sides of a couple of Parma ham slices in 4 tablespoons of olive oil. If you prefer other types of ham or bacon, go for it (check tip #6).
3. Boil the water for egg poaching slowly, as the strength of the quickly boiled water can literally make the egg explode. Set it at medium heat. Add a splash of white vinegar. Whisk the water to make a whirl. You can start layering the ingredients for the meal by placing 2 (fried) ham slices on each of the English muffin halves while the water for egg poaching is heating.
4. Break an egg in a teacup and place it in the center of the pot with water. Wait 3 minutes for the egg white to cook. The yolk will still be soft. You can tell eggs are ready when they move up to float on the surface of the water.
5. Remove the excess egg white and place the egg onto a plate. Repeat the process with the remaining 3 eggs and salt to taste. Make sure they don’t cool down.
6. Cut the English muffins in half so that you can toast both parts (check tips #4 and #5).
7. As soon as the poached egg drains the excess water on a paper towel, carefully place it on the toasted muffin. Use a tablespoon or ladle to glaze hollandaise sauce over the egg.