All you need to know to make the perfect Eggs Benedict! You get a golden brown, toasted English muffin layered with a slice of flavorful Canadian bacon, topped with a poached egg with a perfectly runny yolk and they're finished with the an over the top delicious, rich and creamy hollandaise sauce and vibrant fresh herbs. Makes 1 stack per serving.
Fill a saucepan with about an inch of water. Set a stainless steel or glass bowl over saucepan that fits nicely without touching water. Bring water to a simmer.
Add cream, egg yolks, lemon juice, mustard, and cayenne pepper to bowl over saucepan whisk well. Cook mixture, whisking constantly, until just thick enough to coat the back of a metal or wooden spoon and temperature reaches 160 degrees.
Reduce heat to very low, then very slowly drizzle in warm melted butter while whisking constantly. Remove from heat, season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to dish, cover to keep warm.
To Make Poached Eggs
Bring several inches of water along with vinegar just to a boil in a large deep frying pan. Crack eggs one at a time and add to boiling water, fitting four eggs in pan at once.
Cook until whites are just set and yolk is still runny, about 3 - 4 minutes. Transfer to paper towel lined plate to drain, repeat with remaining four eggs.
To Prepare English Muffins and Bacon
Cook Canadian bacon in a skillet over medium-high heat until heated through, about 1 minute per side.
Meanwhile toast English muffins in a toaster oven, or under broiler (setting muffins on a baking sheet) until just golden brown on top.
To Assemble Eggs Benedict
Lay a slice of Canadian bacon atop each English muffin. Top each with a poached egg and season with salt and pepper. Spoon or pour sauce over top**, garnish with parsley and chives and finish with a light sprinkle of paprika.
Notes
*Poached Egg Tips
Use freshest eggs possible, whites will be thickest and therefor spread less.
Don't add salt to the water. Eggs will spread more.
If it's easier for you to gently add eggs to water, you can crack into individual ramekins first.
If you find the eggs are spreading too much you can try cooking in a pot, swirling water before adding to create a vortex so whites spread less. This method works best to cook one egg at a time.
**If needed reheat sauce in microwave at 50% power in 10 second intervals, stirring between each.Hollandaise sauce adapted from Taste of Home