Poached Eggs on English Muffins with Helga's Hollandaise

Step 1

For the English muffins: Whisk together the flour and instant yeast in a large bowl.

Step 2

In a large measuring cup, combine the water, milk, melted butter, sugar and salt.

Step 3

Slowly add the liquid to the flour mixture, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. Stir vigorously until the mixture is smooth. (The dough should be loose and sticky, not runny.) Cover and let rest in a warm place for 30 minutes or until doubled in volume.

Step 4

Preheat a griddle or large skillet over medium heat; spray liberally with nonstick spray. Place six 4-inch tart rings on the griddle; spray the inside of each ring liberally (see Cook's Note).

Step 5

Using a large cookie scoop or 1/2 cup measuring cup sprayed with nonstick spray, fill the rings halfway with batter. (I spray my fingers and use them to push the batter to the edge of the rings, since it doesn't spread as easily as, say, pancake batter.) Griddle the muffins for ten minutes.

Step 6

Flip the muffins, using tongs or a spatula, and griddle for another 10 minutes. (I find that the griddle oil starts to blacken at this point, and if I'm feeling like a perfectionist, I'll remove the muffins to a cooling rack, wipe down the griddle, and respray it to keep the muffins from getting too dark on the reverse side.)

Step 7

For the hollandaise: Place the egg yolks, lemon juice, and a pinch each of salt and white pepper in a blender; blend until combined. With the blender running, slowly pour in the melted butter. Blend until emulsified, about 30 seconds.

Step 8

For the poached eggs: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Step 9

Add 1 tablespoon water to 6 cups of a standard muffin pan, then crack an egg into each cup. Bake for 11 minutes for a soft yolk; the exact time will vary depending on your oven and preferred level of doneness.

Step 10

To assemble: Slice an English muffin in half. Top with a slice of tomato and a strip of bacon. Using a rubber spatula, slide a poached egg from the muffin pan and place it on top of the bacon. Drizzle with hollandaise sauce, and serve with the top half of the muffin on the side.