Classic Eggs Benedict with Easy Hollandaise, or, how to make your brunch guest feel special

An inimitable favourite that will make for a memorable brunch, guaranteed.

Ingredients

• 8 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 cup white vinegar
• 1 cup ice
• 4 English muffins
• 16 slices peameal bacon

Hollandaise

• 4 egg yolks
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tsp hot sauce
• ⅔ cup salted butter, melted

Preparation

Fill a large, wide saucepan with water and add the white vinegar. Bring everything to a simmer. Meanwhile, fill a large bowl with cold water and ice, leaving some room for your finished eggs.

Set up a fine mesh strainer over a small bowl and one at a time, crack an egg into the strainer. Shake the strainer gently and allow any extra white to run off. This will help ensure that your poached egg does not have any stringy tails! Tip the egg into the simmering vinegar water. Cook the eggs for 2 minutes each. Remove the eggs from the simmering water with a slotted spoon and transfer immediately to the ice water bath. Be careful not to crowd the pan and work in batches to poach your eggs. When all of the eggs are poached, cover the bowl and refrigerate for up to 16 hours.

When ready to serve, prepare your hollandaise. To a blender, add the egg yolks, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, and hot sauce.  Blend on medium speed for 2 minutes until fluffy. Turn the speed down to low and slowly drizzle in the melted butter. Return the top to the blender and blend on high for 3 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 250F degrees. Split the English muffins in half carefully and arrange them on a baking sheet. Transfer the baking sheet to the oven to warm them while you prepare the peameal bacon and finish cooking the poached eggs.

Heat a large grill pan over medium-high heat and cook the sliced peameal bacon for 2 minutes on each side in batches. When the bacon is grilled, you can transfer it to the oven with the English muffins to stay warm.

To finish your poached eggs, fill your wide saucepan with water and again bring it to a simmer. Use your slotted spoons to carefully transfer the eggs from the cold bath back to the pot and cook for another 2 ½ - 3 minutes. To test doneness, lift each egg from the boiling water using a slotted spoon and give it a gentle poke. If you like a runny yolk there needs to be some give. For a fully cooked yolk keep the eggs in the water for an extra minute or two.

To build your eggs benedict place half of a toasted English muffin on the plate and top with 2 slices of peameal bacon, a poached egg and top with a large spoonful of hollandaise sauce. Garnish with chives or paprika and serve immediately.