CIA Culinary Intelligence

Eggs Benedict for Mother's Day Brunch

Mom will feel very special when you serve the quintessential brunch dish—Eggs Benedict—to her on Mother's Day. Folklore tells us that Mrs. Le Grand Benedict, a regular patron of New York City's renowned Delmonico's restaurant, grew weary of the restaurant's breakfast menu and asked for new items. The result of her request was a richly layered concoction of creamy Hollandaise sauce, savory Canadian bacon, tender poached eggs, and toasted English muffins.

While making Eggs Benedict can be time-consuming, using freshly baked English Muffins will make a wonderful difference. If you prepare them, the poached eggs, and Hollandaise sauce in advance, the process becomes far less daunting. When poaching eggs, the chefs at The Culinary Institute of America (CIA) recommend you use the freshest eggs possible. Fresh eggs produce a centered yolk, compact whites, and a clean edge when cooked. The poaching liquid should be about three inches deep, at a gentle simmer, and it should contain a small amount of salt and vinegar to firm the egg proteins and to prevent the whites from separating. Work in small batches when poaching. Too many eggs will cause the temperature of the water to drop.

The key to making Hollandaise sauce is controlled heat. By using a double boiler with water that maintains a slow, even simmer throughout the cooking process, you can avoid making scrambled eggs. Nevertheless, if the egg yolks start to coagulate around the sides and bottom of the bowl while cooking, remove the bowl from the heat. Place the bowl on a cool surface and whisk until the mixture has cooled slightly, then continue cooking over the simmering water until the yolks are at the proper viscosity.

When adding melted butter, do it gradually to keep the sauce from separating. If the sauce should separate, add a small amount of cool water and whisk until smooth. "When making the sauce, I like to use melted whole butter because it adds more flavor," says CIA Chef Scott Swartz.

These recipes, along with more than 175 others, are explained and illustrated in The Culinary Institute of America's Breakfasts and Brunches cookbook (Lebhar-Freidman 2005, $35), which is available for purchase at bookstores nationwide or at www.ciaprochef.com/fbi/books/Breakfasts&Brunches.html.

Watch the step-by-step videos:

Eggs Benedict Part 1: English Muffins – www.ciachef.edu/EnglishMuffins

Eggs Benedict Part 2: Poached Eggs – www.ciachef.edu/PoachedEggs

Eggs Benedict Part 3: Hollandaise Sauce – www.ciachef.edu/HollandaiseSauce

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Eggs Benedict

Makes 8 servings

• 16 slices Canadian bacon
• 16 poached eggs (recipe follows)
• 8 English muffins (recipe follows), split, toasted, and buttered
• 2 cups Hollandaise sauce (recipe follows)

1. Heat a sauté pan over medium-low heat. Add the Canadian bacon and sauté on both sides until heated through, about 1–2 minutes on each side.
2. If eggs have been poached in advance, reheat them in simmering water until warmed through and blot on toweling. Top each English muffin half with a slice of Canadian bacon and a poached egg. Spoon warm Hollandaise over each egg and serve.

English Muffins

Makes 12 servings

• 1 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
• 1 cup water, warmed to 110°F
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup cornmeal, or as needed
• Oil or solid vegetable shortening, as needed

1. Place the yeast and warm water in the bowl of a mixer and stir to completely dissolve. Let the yeast proof until foamy, about 5 minutes. Add the flour, butter, sugar, and salt to the yeast mixture. Mix ingredients together on low speed using the dough hook until all ingredients are blended, about 2 minutes.
2. Increase the speed to medium-high and mix until the dough is smooth, another 5 minutes.
3. Shape the dough into a ball and place it into a lightly greased bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let the dough rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 2 hours. Fold the dough gently over on itself in three or four places and turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface.
4. Divide dough into 12 equal pieces. Shape into rounds and place on sheet pans that have been heavily dusted with cornmeal. Turn each muffin over to coat both sides with cornmeal. Cover and let rise until slightly risen, about 30 minutes.
5. Preheat a griddle over medium heat and brush lightly with oil or shortening. Cook the English muffins until lightly brown on the bottom, about 5 minutes. Turn the muffins over and cook until golden brown, another 5 minutes.
6. Split the English muffins by pulling them apart with a table fork. Toast them just before serving. Serve very hot.

Nutrition analysis per one-ounce serving: 120 calories, 3g protein, 18g carbohydrate, 3.5g fat, 200mg sodium, 5mg cholesterol, less than 1g fiber.

Poached Eggs

Makes 8 servings

• 3 quarts water, or as needed
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 6 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
• 16 large eggs

1. Combine the water, salt, and vinegar in a deep pan and bring to a gentle simmer.
2. Break each egg into a clean cup, and carefully slide each egg into the poaching water. Cook until the whites are set and opaque, about 3 minutes.
3. Remove the eggs from the water with a slotted spoon and blot them on absorbent toweling. Serve immediately or store chilled eggs in the refrigerator until needed.

Nutrition analysis per egg: 90 calories, 6g protein, 0g carbohydrate, 7g fat, 95mg sodium, 210mg cholesterol, 0g fiber.

Hollandaise Sauce

Makes 2 cups

• 1/2 teaspoon cracked peppercorns
• 1/4 cup white wine or cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup water, or as needed
• 4 large fresh egg yolks
• 1 1/2 cups melted whole butter, unsalted
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice, or as needed
• 2 teaspoons salt, or as needed
• Pinch ground white pepper
• Pinch cayenne (optional)

1. Combine the peppercorns and vinegar in a small pan and reduce over medium heat until nearly dry, about 5 minutes. Add the water to the vinegar reduction. Strain this liquid into a stainless steel bowl.
2. Add the egg yolks to the vinegar reduction and set the bowl over a pot of simmering water. Whisking constantly, cook the egg yolk/vinegar mixture until the yolks triple in volume and fall in ribbons from the whisk. Remove the bowl from the simmering water and place it on a clean kitchen towel to keep the bowl from slipping.
3. Gradually ladle the warm butter into the egg mixture, whisking constantly. If the sauce becomes too thick and the butter is not blending in easily, add a little water to thin the egg mixture enough to whisk in the remaining butter. Season the Hollandaise with lemon juice, salt, pepper, and cayenne if desired. Serve immediately or keep the sauce warm in a bowl over simmering water.

Nutrition analysis per 9.5-ounce serving: 730 calories, 29g protein, 36g carbohydrate, 52g fat, 1420mg sodium, 645mg cholesterol, 2 g fiber.

Piping Icing & Decorating Cupcakes

Cupcakes are the perfect treats to please every sweet tooth. Chef Stéphane Weber of The Culinary Institute of America has some great suggestions on how you and your family can create beautifully decorated cupcakes easily using a pastry bag and various piping tips that you can find at most kitchen and craft stores. For a fun and creative family project, ask your kids to help decorate the iced cupcake tops using the abundance of pastel colored candies available during the Spring season.

According to Wedding Cakes and Cultural History by Simon R. Charsley, piping icing onto cake is said to have been invented in M. Lorsa's confectioner shop in Bordeaux. An unnamed apprentice cut off the point of a paper poke that was used to sell sweets, filled it with a left-over meringue mixture, and used it to write his name onto a work bench. The owner quickly realized the possibilities and began to experiment using different icings and perfecting techniques to produce elaborately designed cakes. Soon after, small metal funnels of various sizes to extrude different shapes were developed to fit into the bottom of a piping bag.

Chef Weber used the following recipes from The Culinary Institute of America Cake Art cookbook for both the cupcakes and the Italian Buttercream frosting. However, if you are pressed for time, the chef suggests using a box cake mix to prepare your cupcakes, and make frosting using the simple recipe on the back of the box of confectioner's sugar.

The Cake Art cookbook (Lebhar-Friedman 2008) is available for purchase at bookstores nationwide or at www.ciachef.edu/enthusiasts/cookbooks_dvds/.

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Lemon Chiffon Cupcakes with piped Italian Buttercream icing.

Photo Credit: CIA/Keith Ferris

Lemon Chiffon Cupcakes

Makes 24 cupcakes

* 3 cups cake flour
* 2 tsp baking powder
* 1 cup sugar, divided
* 4 large egg yolks
* 1 cup vegetable oil
* 1 cup water
* 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
* Zest of 1 lemon
* 4 large egg whites

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Place paper cupcake inserts inside cupcake pan.

2. Sift the flour, baking powder, and half the sugar together into a large mixing bowl or stand mixer bowl and reserve.

3. In another large mixing bowl or stand mixer bowl, combine the egg yolks, oil, water, vanilla, and zest. Mix with a handheld mixer or whip attachment until thoroughly combined, about 1 minute.

4. Add the egg yolk mixture gradually to the dry ingredients, mixing with a handheld mixer or whip attachment on medium speed until a paste forms. When a paste has formed, scrape down the sides of the bowl, and continue adding the remainder of the yolk mixture until it is all incorporated. Beat for an additional 2 minutes on medium speed.

5. In a separate mixing bowl or stand mixer bowl, whip the egg whites with a clean whip attachment on medium speed until soft peaks form. Gradually add the remaining sugar while beating the egg whites and continue to beat until medium peaks form.

6. Gently blend 1/3 of the beaten egg whites into the egg yolk mixture to lighten it. Gently fold in the remaining egg whites.

7. Divide the batter evenly among the prepared cups.

8. Bake at 375°F until the top of a cake springs back to the touch, about 20 minutes.

9. Let the cakes cool in the pans for a few minutes before removing them to a wire rack to finish cooling. The cakes are ready to frost now, or they can be wrapped and stored at room temperature for 2 days, or frozen for up to 3 weeks.

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Italian Buttercream

Makes about 7 cups

* 2 cups sugar
* 1/2 cup water
* 8 large egg whites
* 4 cups unsalted butter, cubed, room temperature
* 1 tbsp vanilla extract

1. Combine 1 1/2 cups of the sugar with the water in a heavy-bottomed saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Continue cooking without stirring to the soft ball stage (240°F).

2. Meanwhile, place the egg whites in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the wire whip attachment.

3. When the sugar syrup has reached approximately 230°F, whip the egg whites on medium speed to soft peak consistency. Gradually add the remaining 1/2 cup of sugar and beat until the egg whites hold to medium peaks.

4. When the sugar syrup reaches 240°F, immediately pour it into a heatproof glass measuring cup with a pouring spout. This will allow better control of the flow of the hot syrup into the egg whites. You can also stream the hot syrup into the egg whites directly from the pot, if desired. Pour the sugar syrup into the egg whites with the mixer running on medium speed. As soon as all of the syrup has been added, increase the speed to high and continue to whip until the meringue has cooled to room temperature.

5. Add the cubed butter gradually, mixing after each addition until fully incorporated and scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Blend in the vanilla. The buttercream is ready for use or may be tightly covered and stored in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.