Fancy dishes don’t always accommodate a large crowd, but we have found a keeper for you! Classic Benedict Bake is classy and crowd-pleasing and so easy to make! Perfectly cooked eggs are perched atop a golden, toasted English muffin. But not before being layered between a soft, flavorful cheese spread, smoky ham, fresh basil, a juicy ripe tomato, and a volcano-eruption of creamy hollandaise sauce. Don’t shy away from this elegant dish; the Classic Benedict Bake is beautiful in taste and presentation that your whole gathering will love. Make breakfast special again!
Ingredients
For the benedict bake:
- water, to taste
- 1 teaspoon vinegar
- 8 eggs
- 4 English muffins, split
- 1/3 cup flavored semi-soft cheese spread, such as pepper, garlic and herb, garden vegetable, or toasted onion
- 8 (1.5-ounce) slices deli ham, thinly sliced
- 16 large fresh basil leaves, plus more, to taste, for garnish
- 8 slices tomato
- paprika, optional, to taste, for topping
For the sauce:
- 3/4 cup sour cream
- 3/4 cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon milk, plus more, to taste
Directions
Step 1 –Preheat the oven broiler to high heat.
Step 2 –Lightly grease a large skillet and a 9×13-inch baking dish.
Step 3 –Add enough of the water to fill the prepared skillet half way.
Step 4 –Add the vinegar to the water and bring it to a boil.
Step 5 –Reduce the heat to a simmer; bubbles should begin to break the surface of the water.
Step 6 –Crack 1 of the eggs into a measuring cup.
Step 7 –Lower the lip of the measuring cup close to the simmering water and carefully pour the egg in.
Step 8 –Repeat this process with the remaining eggs, ensuring there is a good amount of space between each of them.
Step 9 –Simmer the eggs until the whites are completely set and the yolks begin to thicken (but not harden), about 3-5 minutes.
Step 10 –Use a slotted spoon to transfer the eggs to a plate, then cover the plate with a paper towel to keep the eggs warm.
Step 11 –Add the muffin halves, cut-side up, to an 18×26-inch baking sheet and broil 3-4 inches from the heat until toasted, about 2 minutes.
Step 12 –Transfer the muffin halves to a wire rack to cool.
Step 13 –While the muffin halves are cooling, in a medium bowl, add the sour cream, the mayonnaise, the lemon juice, and the Dijon mustard and stir until well-combined.
Step 14 –Add 1 teaspoon of the milk to the sauce mixture and stir. Add more of the milk, 1 teaspoon at a time, stirring after each addition, until the sauce reaches the desired consistency.
Step 15 –Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Step 16 –Evenly spread 2 teaspoons of the semi-soft cheese spread on the cut-sides of each of the toasted muffin halves.
Step 17 –Place 1 slice of the ham atop the cheese spread on each of the toasted muffin halves, folding as needing to help them fit.
Step 18 –Place the ham-topped muffin halves on the bottom of the prepared baking dish.
Step 19 –Add 2 basil leaves on top of each of the ham slices.
Step 20 –Add 1 tomato slice atop the basil on each of the muffin halves.
Step 21 –Add 1 poached egg to the tops of each of the tomato slices.
Step 22 –Evenly spoon the sauce over the eggs.
Step 23 –Cover and bake until heated through, about 25 minutes.
Step 24 –Serve topped with the paprika and the extra basil.
