Eggs Benedict For One

A single serving Eggs Benedict recipe consisting of two halves of an English muffin topped with Canadian bacon and poached eggs topped with hollandaise sauce. It's a traditional American breakfast or brunch dish and so easy to make!

Making Eggs Benedict is easier than you may think and although there are three separate components to making a great Eggs Benedict, each one is simple. In this recipe, we're going to walk you through the steps so that you can enjoy this wonderful meal any time you like.

Be sure to read through the "Expert Tips" and "Frequently Asked Questions" below before making this decadent Eggs Benedict recipe.

Eggs Benedict originated in New York City. It consists of an English muffin, cut in half and toasted, topped with Canadian bacon, poached eggs, and a classic French Hollandaise sauce. It's decadent, rich, and completely satisfying.

Why This Recipe Works

• The secret to a great Eggs Benedict is in the hollaindaise. The method we use to make the sauce is the traditional way by whisking egg yolks, a splash of lemon juice, and melted butter in a bowl placed over a pot filled with boiling water. It's a fool-proof method and yields a perfect hollaindaise.
• Eggs Benedict is a special occasion breakfast that will make anyone feel spoiled.
• In this recipe we use Canadian bacon, but you can use ham or regular cooked strips of bacon instead.

Ingredient Notes

See the recipe box below for ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions.

• Canadian bacon: I use two slices of Canadian bacon but you can also use a few slices of bacon, ham, or prosciutto instead.
• English muffin: You can use slices of toasted bread or a croissant sliced in half too.

For the hollandaise sauce:

• Egg yolks: You will need to separate the egg whites from the egg yolks and use only the yolks. See below for ways to use up leftover egg whites.
• Lemon juice: Use fresh or bottled lemon juice.
• Butter: Use melted, salted butter.
• Salt

For the poached eggs:

• Eggs: I use large eggs.
• Vinegar: I use apple cider vinegar when I poach eggs. You may use white or rice vinegar instead. The vinegar helps to set the egg white.

How To Make This Recipe

See the recipe box below for ingredient amounts.

Start by making the hollandaise:

1. Choose a small saucepan (I use a 1-quart saucepan) and a heatproof glass or stainless steel bowl that fits securely on top of the pot or saucepan. Fill the pot with about 1-inch of water and bring the water to a boil over high heat. You are going to create a double boiler.
2. Place the two egg yolks and the lemon juice in the bowl and begin whisking with a balloon whisk. You want to give the eggs a little lift and incorporate some air to make the sauce light.
3. Lower the heat so that the water is simmering and place the bowl on top of the double boiler. Make sure that the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water, otherwise you will end up with scrambled eggs. Continue to whisk, you want to keep the eggs moving constantly - this is so important!
4. Slowly pour in the melted butter, a little at a time while whisking. If you don't whisk the mixture enough, the eggs don't hold onto the butter and this will cause it to split. Using a big balloon whisk as we show in the photos, makes it easier to incorporate air and helps prevent the mixture from separating. Whisk until the sauce has thickened. It will have a glossy, smooth, firm consistency. When finished, the sauce should coat the back of a spoon.
   • Taste and add a pinch of salt. I find that ⅛ of a teaspoon of salt is too much for my taste. I recommend using just a pinch, taste the sauce and add additional salt if necessary. You may also like to add a pinch of cayenne pepper to give the sauce a little spicy flavor.

Pro Tip: The best way to keep hollandaise nice and warm is to just let it sit over the warm water bath (make sure the stove is turned off). It keeps the sauce at a nice temperature.

Tips and Techniques - Troubleshooting Hollandaise

Although making hollandaise sauce is easy, the sauce can be finicky. There are several reasons why the sauce can curdle or split.

• If the heat is too high, the egg yolks will curdle and the sauce will become grainy. When this happens, this means that the fat has separated from the egg foam and the result will be a lumpy sauce. Curdled eggs cannot be salvaged so you will need to start over.
• If the sauce is not fluffy, you may not be whisking fast enough.
• If you notice the sauce on the verge of breaking up, slowly whisk in 1 teaspoon of cold water or heavy cream, or place the bowl over an ice bath, whisk constantly until the sauce is smooth.
• If the sauce is too thin, it may not have been cooked enough.
• If the sauce is too thick, thin it down with a small amount of liquid which will help to stabilize the emulsion.

Next, cook the Canadian bacon:

5. Melt a small amount of butter in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Add two slices of Canadian bacon to the pan. Cook one side for 3 minutes, then flip and cook the second side for 2 minutes more. Remove from the heat and cover to keep warm.

Pro Tip: While the Canadian bacon is cooking, I like to begin to heat the water for the poached eggs (See next step).

Poach the eggs:

6. Bring a medium-sized saucepan two-thirds filled with water to a boil, then add the vinegar. Bring the water to a boil again, then lower the heat to a simmer.

Using the handle of a spoon or spatula, stir the water with a clockwise motion. Working with one egg at a time, crack an egg into a small bowl or cup and slip it into the barely simmering water. Do the same with the second egg. The secret is not to boil the water rapidly because the strength of the boil can tear up your egg.

Turn off the heat, cover the pan, and let sit for 3-4 minutes. Check the eggs, using a slotted spoon, lift an egg out of the water, and feel the white for firmness. If it's not quite done, slide it back in for another minute or so. When it comes time to remove the eggs, gently lift them out with a slotted spoon and place them on a paper towel. This helps to drain off excess water and will keep the muffin from getting soggy.

Pro Tip: Note that the cooking time for the eggs will depend on the size of your pan, how much water you use, and how runny you like your eggs. If you are cooking at a high altitude and want firmer yolks, you may need to cook them longer.

Toast the English muffin:

7. As soon as the eggs are in the poaching water, begin toasting your English muffin until golden brown. I like to toast mine thoroughly because they'll be covered in hollandaise and poached eggs so they will need to be sturdy.

Assemble the Eggs Benedict:

8. Place two halves of the English muffin on a plate and either butter them or spoon 2-3 tablespoons of the hollandaise sauce over the tops.
9. Top each with a slice of Canadian bacon.
10. Then lift each poached egg onto the top of the bacon.
11. Generously spoon hollandaise sauce over the entire egg.

Expert Tips

• Use vinegar when poaching the eggs. The vinegar helps to set the egg white.
• The best way to keep hollandaise warm while cooking the rest of the recipe is to let it sit over the warm water bath (make sure the stove is turned off). It keeps the sauce at a nice temperature.
• Top the eggs with the hollandaise immediately, you don't want to let the sauce sit for too long before using. Letting the sauce cool can cause it to break.
• To make Eggs Florentine, add sautéed spinach. Some like to use it in place of the Canadian bacon but I like to use it in addition to the bacon.

Frequently Asked Questions

Ways To Use Leftover Ingredients

If you have any ingredients leftover from this Eggs Benedict For One, you might like to consider using them in any of these single serving and small batch recipes.

• Egg whites: Mini Texas Sheet Cake, Vanilla Cupcakes, Chocolate Cupcakes
• Vinegar:  Unstuffed Cabbage Rolls, Potato Salad, Baked Beans, Ranch Dressing
• Lemon juice: Lemon curd, Alfredo Sauce, Lemon Scones, Lemon Bars
• Canadian bacon: Bacon, Egg and Cheese Cup, Quiche Lorraine

Other Small Batch and Single Serving Breakfasts

• A Stack Of Pancakes
• French Toast For One
• Waffle
• Cheesy Baked Eggs

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