Who doesn’t want those smooth, silky eggs Benedict? If you know how to make perfect Eggs Benedict, you can call yourself a good cook. I can’t imagine a good brunch with my friends without Eggs Benedict and I’m pretty picky about it.
Preparation:
To cook:
Level: Intermediate
Serves: 1
Ingredients
- FOR THE ENGLISH MUFFINS:
- 12 ounces, weight All purpose flour
- 1 tbsp Sugar
- 1 package (7g Or 1/4 Oz. Pack) Active Dry Yeast
- 1-½ ounce, weight Skimmed milk powder
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 10 ounces, fluid Water
- 1 tbsp Shortening
- 8 teaspoons Quick rolled oats
- FOR THE EGGS:
- 4 pints Water
- ¼ cups White vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 8 Eggs
- FOR THE HOLLANDAISE SAUCE:
- 3 Egg yolks
- 1 tbsp Water
- ¼ teaspoons Salt
- ½ teaspoon Cayenne Land, Divided
- 8 ounces, weight Cold unsalted butter, cubed
- 3 tablespoons Strained fresh squeezed lemon juice, divided
- ¼ teaspoons Sugar
Preparation
For the English muffins:
Mix the flour, sugar, baking powder, skimmed milk powder and salt in a bowl. Mix slowly with a mixer.
Heat the water and shortening in the microwave for about 2 minutes. Mix until the shortening is melted. Add the mixture to the dry ingredients and mix on medium speed. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate, preferably overnight.
After resting, take the dough out of the refrigerator and mix on medium speed.
Place 8 cookie circles on half baking sheet and spray circles and pan with nonstick spray. Sprinkle oats in the bottom of each ring and, using an ice cream scoop, scoop the dough into the rings, dividing the dough evenly between the rings. Cover with parchment paper and let rest in a warm place for about 60 minutes.
Heat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
Leave parchment paper on the dough and put a second baking sheet on it. Bake for 20 minutes, then remove the top half pan. Continue to bake until the muffins are lightly browned, about 5 to 10 minutes.
Remove the muffins, still in the rings, to a cooling rack for about 10 minutes. Then slide a knife around the edge of the circle to release the muffin. Cool completely. Before serving, grill under the broiler for a few minutes.
For the eggs:
Put 4 cups of pastry cream in a skillet or. Add water, making sure there is enough to cover the cups by at least 1/4 inch. Add the vinegar and salt to the water and heat until the water begins to boil, about 20 to 25 minutes.
Crack the eggs, one at a time, into a custard cup. Do this slowly in each cup, timing them about 10 seconds apart. Cook each egg for 5 minutes.
Serve immediately or remove the eggs from the cups and put them in an ice bath to prevent them from cooking.
For the Hollandaise sauce:
Whisk the egg yolks, water, salt and half the cayenne pepper in a saucepan for 1 minute.
Place the sauce over low heat and whisk quickly, turning the pan on and off the heat about every 10 seconds. Add 1 piece of butter at a time, about every 30 seconds, while whisking and continually moving the sauce. When half the butter has been added, add 1 tablespoon of lemon juice, then add the remaining butter. After the last bit of butter has been added, add the remaining lemon juice, remaining cayenne pepper and sugar. Whisk for a minute. Immediately switch to a thermos to hold up to 2 hours.
My favorite Eggs Benedict are with smoked salmon, but you can also use bacon or ham. For each serving, place 2 dashes of hollandaise sauce on a plate and top with half an English muffin. Then put a small amount of salmon (ham or bacon) on each half and top with a poached egg and drizzle again with Hollandaise sauce.
