Eggs Benedict English muffins
- Prepare
- 1-2 hours
- Cook
- 10 to 30 mins
- Serve
- Serves 4
- Dietary
- Nut-free
Making your own English muffins isn’t as complicated as you may think and turns this eggs Benedict stack into an extra special brunch!
However, if you're short on time, shop bought muffins will still result in a delicious dish!
Ingredients
For the muffins
- 300g/10½ oz strong white bread flour, plus extra for flouring
- 6g fast-action yeast
- 6g salt
- 10g/½oz caster sugar
- 20g/¾oz softened butter, cut into small pieces
- 1 medium free-range egg (about 22g/¾oz), lightly beaten
- 150–200ml/5½–7fl oz whole milk
- oil, for greasing
- 20g/¾oz semolina or polenta, plus extra for dusting
For the hollandaise
- 1 shallot, finely chopped
- 4 tbsp white wine vinegar
- 2 lemon, juice only
- pinch mace
- 2 free-range eggs
- 125g/4½oz clarified butter
- pinch cayenne pepper
- salt and freshly ground pepper
To serve
Method
To make the muffins begin by lightly dusting 2 baking sheets with semolina.
Place the flour, yeast, salt and sugar in a large bowl or stand mixer with a dough hook. Tip the flour into a large mixing bowl. Add the butter, egg and gradually add the milk, to form a soft dough, not too wet.
Lightly flour the work surface and knead the dough for 10 minutes or if using the machine allow to run for 10 minutes.
Place in a greased large bowl and allow to prove for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
Once risen, dust the work surface again with semolina and roll out the dough until 2cm thickness. Cut the muffins out using an 8 or 9cm cutter and place on the prepared trays. Dust with a little semolina on the top of the muffins. Allow to prove for 30 minutes.
Preheat a flat frying pan, on a low heat, on the hob. Cook the muffins for 5 minutes on each side.
TO make the hollandaise, heat the shallots with the vinegar, 1 lemon juiced, mace in a small saucepan, until the liquid has reduced by half, whisk in the eggs to thicken, the ribbon stage (until it leaves a trail in the mix) and then slowly add the clarified butter until thick. Add the cayenne and season with salt and pepper and the other lemon juice.
To serve, cut the muffins in half and toast. Top with a poached egg and the wilted spinach, then spoon over the hollandaise.
