Recipe Background
Eggs Benedict is one of those brunch favorites that seems out of reach for home-cooks. But never fear! Easy Eggs Benedict Toast makes it so each component feels remarkably simple! The classic hollandaise sauce is prepared slowly on the stovetop, and then delivers that luxurious buttery flavor. The eggs are soft-cooked for optimal runniness without needing to poach them. The crispy toast and the prosciutto underneath create a beautiful base for all of these brilliant flavors! Easy Eggs Benedict Toast is easy but truly tasty!
Eggs Benedict is one of those brunch favorites that seems out of reach for home-cooks. But never fear! Easy Eggs Benedict Toast makes it so each component feels remarkably simple! The classic hollandaise sauce is prepared slowly on the stovetop, and then delivers that luxurious buttery flavor. The eggs are soft-cooked for optimal runniness without needing to poach them. The crispy toast and the prosciutto underneath create a beautiful base for all of these brilliant flavors! Easy Eggs Benedict Toast is easy but truly tasty!
Ingredients
- 3 large egg yolks plus 4 large eggs cold, divided
- 1 tablespoon cold water plus more, to taste
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice divided
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt divided
- ice to taste
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter cold, plus 12 tablespoons, melted, divided
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- warm water to taste
- 4 (1/2-inch-thick) sourdough bread slices toasted
- 8 thin slices prosciutto or speck
- 2 tablespoons fresh chives roughly chopped, for garnish
- freshly ground black pepper optional, to taste, for garnish
Directions
- In a small saucepan, add 3 of the egg yolks and whisk them until smooth, about 1 minute.
- Add 1 tablespoon of the cold water, the cornstarch, the Dijon mustard, 1 tablespoon of the lemon juice, and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt to the egg yolks and whisk until thoroughly combined.
- Using the extra cold water and the ice, prepare a bowl of ice water large enough to dip the bottom of the saucepan into.
- Set the ice water aside.
- Add 1 tablespoon of the cold butter to the egg yolk mixture.
- Place the saucepan over very low heat and cook, while whisking constantly, until the egg yolk mixture has thickened and any bubbles have disappeared, about 1-2 minutes. If the egg mixture looks anything other than perfectly smooth, transfer the saucepan from the heat immediately and briefly plunge it into the ice water while continuing to whisk the egg yolk mixture.
- When the butter is completely incorporated into the egg yolk mixture and the egg yolk mixture has thickened, add the remaining 1 tablespoon of the cold butter and transfer the saucepan from the heat.
- Whisk the egg yolk mixture until the cold butter is incorporated and the mixture is smooth.
- Add 2 tablespoons of the melted butter, 1/4 teaspoon at a time and while continuing to whisk constantly, to the egg yolk mixture until it begins to thicken, about 1 minute.
- Add the remaining 10 tablespoons of the melted butter, 1 tablespoon at a time and while whisking constantly, to the egg yolk mixture until it becomes a smooth sauce, about 2 minutes.
- Add the cayenne, the remaining lemon juice, and the remaining salt to the sauce mixture and whisk to combine.
- If the sauce seems too thick, add the extra warm water, 1 teaspoon at a time, and whisk to combine until the sauce is thin enough to spread out but still thick and billowy.
- Cover the saucepan and keep the sauce warm.
- In a medium saucepan, add a steamer basket and fill the pan with 1 inch of the extra cold water.
- Place the saucepan over medium heat and bring the water to a simmer.
- Add the remaining 4 cold eggs to the steamer basket and cover the saucepan.
- Steam the eggs until the egg whites are set but the yolks are runny, about 7 minutes for very runny yolks and up to 8 minutes 30 seconds for less runny yolks.
- Transfer the egg yolks to the ice bath and let them stand for 1-2 minutes.
- Carefully peel the eggs.
- Drape each piece of the sourdough toast with 2 slices of the prosciutto.
- Carefully cut the peeled eggs in half lengthwise and immediately place 2 egg halves on each slice of the toast.
- Spoon 1/4 cup of the sauce over each slice of the toast.
- Serve the toast sprinkled with the chopped chives and the black pepper.
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