Eggs Benedict

Instructions

1. In a small saucepan, melt the butter, skim off any white foam/particles that come to the surface. This is clarification. What you should be left with is a pure golden butter with no white, keep warm. *
2. In a glass bowl, add the egg yolks, water, white wine vinegar, a pinch of salt and paprika. Whisk for a minute to combine well.
3. *
4. Place the bowl over a bain-marie of lightly simmering water, you want a very gentle heat. *
5. Whisk continuously, adding the clarified butter very slowly (dont be tempted to speed up, as this can split the hollandaise!). *
6. Kepp whisking until you have a creamy thick coating consistency, you wont need all the butter, likely around 2/3rds. Remove from the heat, taste and season with a little extra salt and lemon juice to taste. If its too thick, let it down with a tiny bit of warm water and whisk again. *
7. In a medium saucepan, fill with boiling water and 1 tbsp white wine vinegar, once at a rolling boil, swirl the water and carefully add your eggs, you can do it one by one if you like to make it easier. *
8. Poach the eggs for approx. 3 minutes for a jammy soft poach. *
9. While the eggs poach, toast muffins. *
10. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper or a clean cloth.*
11. Butter the muffins with salted butter, add a slice of ham to each, top with a poached egg and spoon over the hollandaise. *
12. Sprinkle with a little more paprika and serve immediately! *