Easy Eggs Benedict with Quick Hollandaise is the perfect brunch treat! My cheat blender Hollandaise sauce is ready in minutes and totally foolproof, for perfect Eggs Benedict every time.
Perfect Brunch
Eggs Benedict is a brunch classic. Made popular in New York City, the dish is made up of a toasted English Muffin, sliced in half. Each muffin half is topped with crispy bacon and a poached egg then drizzled with decadent Hollandaise sauce.
Some other variations of the dish include Eggs Florentine, made with spinach in place of bacon, and Eggs Royale with smoked salmon. I’ve tried many delicious versions including lobster and even black pudding too! You can also swap out the bacon for sliced ham.
Easy Hollandaise
Hollandaise Sauce is one of the French ‘Mother Sauces‘. It is made from egg yolks, butter and lemon juice and usually seasoned with salt and white or cayenne pepper.
As well as being an essential ingredient for Eggs Benedict, Hollandaise sauce is excellent with fish dishes as well as drizzled over asparagus or broccoli.
The traditional method of cooking Hollandaise can be daunting. You need to whisk egg yolks and lemon juice over a low heat before carefully adding in melted butter. It sounds simple, but it can easily become a curdled mess if it gets too hot or you add the butter too quickly.
My quick and easy Hollandaise sauce recipe uses a stick or hand blender. You simply add all the ingredients to a jug or large glass and blend for 90 seconds to create a decadent and rich Hollandaise sauce.
Tips for the making the Best Blender Hollandaise
- Use room-temperature eggs – pouring melted butter straight on to cold egg yolks may cause it to solidify and your Hollandaise will either split or become lumpy.
- Allow the melted butter to cool very slightly before adding to the rest of the ingredients to avoid ‘cooking’ the egg yolks.
- Serve Immediately – Hollandaise sauce is best served just above room temperature – it should be slightly warm and not hot. It is possible to reheat the sauce if it has been refrigerated, but it is temperamental and can easily split. When making this dish, I prepare the sauce last so I can pour it straight over the poached eggs.
- To reheat Quick Hollandaise – place the bowl or jug containing the Hollandaise sauce into a larger bowl of warm (not boiling) water and whisk until it is the desired temperature and consistency.
- Make sure your eggs are fresh and free-range.
- Use FRESH lemon juice, not from a bottle.
- For best results, use a hand or immersion blender. I use this Netta Hand Blender* and it comes with a handy jug which is perfect to use when making this recipe.
- Make the Hollandaise in a jug or jar which is just wide enough to fit the head of your immersion blender – this technique won’t work as well if you use a wide bowl.
How to Poach Eggs – the Easy Way
There are hundreds of tutorials and articles online for cooking poached eggs, and so many different methods or ‘hacks’. I like to keep it super simple and straightforward and find that this method makes great poached eggs every time. They may not always be the most ‘instagram worthy’ looking eggs but they taste delicious!
- Use FRESH eggs. As eggs get older, the whites start to break down and get more watery, causing your poached eggs to be very wispy. Fresh eggs are firmer and the whites hold shape much better when cooking.
- Fill a large pot ⅓ full with water and bring to a boil. I like to use a nice wide pot – the same one I typically use for cooking pasta. I usually cook four poached eggs at one time.
- When the water is boiling, turn the heat right down and add a pinch of salt. The water surface should be still with some small bubbles at the bottom of the pot. Some people like to add vinegar to help firm the egg whites, but I find the difference to be minimal and it can alter the taste of the eggs, so I don’t bother.
- Crack your eggs into small bowls or teacups. You can strain the eggs in a fine mesh sieve if you wish – this will get rid of the ‘wispy’ bits on your poached eggs. I don’t always do this step – it makes the eggs look nicer but for me it’s not absolutely necessary.
- Slowly submerge each cup or bowl into the water and carefully tip out the egg. You don’t want to drop the egg from a height. I like to use teacups or measuring cups with handles to avoid burnt fingers!
- Cook eggs for 2-3 minutes. I find 2 minutes to be perfect for nice runny yolks, but you can cook them for slightly longer if you prefer your eggs more well-done.
- Remove each egg with a slotted spoon. Try to take them out in the same order you put them in!
- Use kitchen roll or paper towels to drain and lightly pat the eggs dry. Place on a plate until ready to serve.
- If you are batch cooking or preparing ahead of time, slip the cooked eggs into a bowl of ice water.
- You can store pre-cooked poached eggs in an airtight container filled with water for up to 2 days in the fridge. Reheat them by placing in a bowl of freshly boiled water (not over heat) for 30 seconds.
I hope you like this recipe as much as I do! Please leave a comment or tag me on Instagram @carrieskitchen_ if you make it!
More Easy Brunch Ideas:
- Flamenco Eggs – Baked Eggs with Chorizo
- Fiesta Scrambled Eggs
- Lemon Blueberry Pancakes
- Chorizo Breakfast Tacos
- The Best Egg Mayonnaise
Easy Eggs Benedict with Quick Hollandaise
Equipment
- large pot
- Immersion or hand blender
Ingredients
- 8 large fresh, free range eggs
- 8 slices of bacon or ham
- 4 English Muffins sliced in half and lightly toasted
- chopped chives or parsley to garnish
Quick Hollandaise
- 3 egg yolks
- 115 grams butter
- 1 tbsp lemon juice freshly squeezed
- ½ tsp salt
- pinch white or cayenne pepper to taste
Instructions
- If using bacon, cook to your desired crispness and keep warm while you prepare everything else.
- Fill a large pot ⅓ full with water and bring to the boil. Add a pinch of salt and turn the heat right down – the surface of the water should be still but with some small bubbles at the bottom of the pot.
- Crack the eggs into small bowls or teacups and one by one, submerge the cup into the water (be careful of your fingers – this is why I prefer to use cups with handles) and then gently tip the egg into the water. You may need to do this in batches depending on the size of your pot.
- Cook the eggs for 2 minutes until the whites are opaque but the yolks still soft (cook longer for more well-done eggs.) Remove with a slotted spoon, drain and lightly pat dry with kitchen paper and place on a plate.
- To make the Hollandaise, add the egg yolks, lemon juice, salt and pepper to a tall jug or jar which is just wide enough to fit the head of your hand blender. Melt the butter in a small saucepan or in the microwave. Be careful not to burn it and let it cool for 30 seconds before adding to the rest of the ingredients.
- Immediately after adding the butter, use an immersion/hand blender to blend the Hollandaise ingredients together for about 30 seconds to one minute. Gently lift the blender up and down as you blend to make sure everything is combined and emulsified.
- Taste, and add more salt and pepper if desired.
- To assemble the Eggs Benedict, lay a slice of bacon on each toasted muffin half (you can butter the muffins if you wish). Top with a poached egg and drizzle over a generous spoonful of Hollandaise. Garnish with some chopped chives or a sprinkle of cayenne pepper and serve immediately.
Notes
Nutrition
Yummmm! Easy to make and so delicious! Something a bit special for a weekend brunch 😉