I'm not to blame

I followed the directions exactly and precisely. Everything was looking good. The hollandaise sauce was creamy and perfect. And then I decided it probably needed a good stir before pouring it over our eggs benedict. The recipe doesn't say not to give it a good stir. Why doesn't stir sauce? But the second I stirred, the sauce curdled into the mess you see above. No smooth sauce - instead a chunkified one. And while it tasted as good as if it were smooth, it just doesn't make for a very pretty picture.

Next time I am definitely using this version of the recipe to make my hollandaise sauce. In fact, I have to give a shout out to the Pioneer Woman in general with this recipe. Do you see those perfectly formed eggs on top of the muffins? Those are a tribute to PW. The instant I saw her eggs benedict on her blog I began practicing making my poached eggs tornado style. At first it took two of us, one cracking the eggs and the other stirring the water into a frenzy, but THIS recipe. The one right here, was the first time I was able to accomplish this task on my own to create perfect little egg bundles.

Eggs Benedict
Hollandaise Sauce (from Williams Sonoma)

• 2 egg yolks
• 1 Tbs. lemon juice
• 1/2 Tbs. water
• 1/8 tsp. salt
• 1 pinches of freshly ground white pepper
• Pinch of cayenne pepper
• 1 stick unsalted butter, melted andcooled slightly
  

1. In a small, heavy saucepan over low heat, whisk the egg yolks, lemon juice and water constantly until the mixture begins to thicken and continue whisking for about 1 minute more, but remove the pan from the heat as soon as the mixture thickens.
   
2. Transfer the mixture to a blender, add the salt, white pepper and cayenne pepper and blend until smooth. Let cool for 1 minute.
   
3. With the motor running, slowly pour in the melted butter in a thin stream until incorporated. Taste and adjust the seasonings. Transfer the sauce to a saucepan and keep warm over very low heat.

Poached Eggs (From The Pioneer Woman)

• 4 eggs
  

1. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Now, with a spoon, begin stirring the boiling water in a large, circular motion. Think F5 tornado.
2. When the tornado’s really twisting, crack in an egg. Or two. Or four.
3. It’s difficult to see because of the motion, but what’s happening is, the egg is wrapping around itself as it cooks, keeping it together.
4. After 2 1/2 minutes remove the eggs from the water.

Putting Everything together

• 2 English muffins
• 5 tsp softened unsalted butter
• 4 slices ham

1. Preheat a broiler.
2. Lightly spread the cut sides of each muffin with 1 tsp. of the butter and broil until golden, 3 to 5 minutes. Turn off the broiler, cover the muffins or crumpets with aluminum foil and keep warm in the oven.
3. Meanwhile, in a small pan over medium-high heat, melt the remaining 1 tsp. butter. Add the ham and cook until golden, about 1 minutes per side. Keep warm.
4. Place 2 muffin halves on each of 4 warmed individual plates. Top each muffin half or crumpet with a slice of ham, an egg and some of the sauce. Serve immediately.

Serves 2.

Each Serving has:

Calories		896.5
Total Fat		73.3 g
Total Carbohydrate		30.1 g
Protein		32.5 g