Brilliant brunches
Whip up these café-style treats for a lazy weekend breakfast – best enjoyed in your fluffiest dressing gown!
Whip up these café-style treats for a lazy weekend breakfast
EGGS BENEDICT PREP TIME 10 MINS COOK TIME 15 MINS SERVES 4
INGREDIENTS
● 4 large eggs ● 4 wholemeal muffins, halved horizontally ● 8 slices thin-cut ham ● black pepper, to season
FOR THE HOLLANDAISE SAUCE
● 2 tbsp white wine vinegar
● 1 shallot, roughly chopped ● ½ tsp black peppercorns ● 2 large egg yolks
● 120g butter
METHOD
1 Preheat the grill to medium. To make the Hollandaise sauce, put the vinegar, 2 tbsp cold water, the shallot and peppercorns in a saucepan and simmer over a low heat for a few minutes until you have around 1 tbsp liquid remaining.
2 Strain into a blender (or in a bowl if you are going to use an electric handheld whisk) with the egg yolks and set aside. Melt the butter in the same pan.
3 Fill a saucepan with water and bring to a gentle simmer. Crack the eggs in so they don’t touch and poach for exactly 3 minutes.
Put the muffins (cut-side up) and ham on a tray lined with foil or baking parchment and place under the grill for 2-3 minutes.
4 To finish the Hollandaise sauce, blend the egg mixture until frothy. With the motor running, add the melted butter in a very slow trickle until the sauce is thick. It should take about a minute to add all the butter; any quicker and it will not emulsify and you’ll just have runny eggs.
5 Drape a slice of ham on top of each muffin half. Scoop out each poached egg and add to the stack. Pour over the Hollandaise sauce and sprinkle with black pepper to serve.