Eggs Benedict Brunch Bake

Name: Eggs Benedict Brunch Bake
Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients: 6 whole wheat or multigrain English muffins; 12 thin slices smoked back bacon or lean Black Forest ham; 6 eggs; 1 1/4 cups (300 mL) 10% half-and-half or 18% table Cream; 1 tbsp (15 mL) Dijon mustard; 1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper; salt; Lemon Cream; 1/4 cup (50 mL) 10% half-and-half or 18% table Cream; 1/2 tsp (2 mL) grated lemon zest; 1 tbsp (15 mL) freshly squeezed lemon juice; 1/4 tsp (1 mL) Dijon mustard; salt; pepper

With this easy-to-assemble dish, you can have all the wonderful flavour of classic Eggs Benedict without the tricky work of poaching eggs and making Hollandaise sauce. The sandwiches bake up with ease in the oven and the simple Lemon Cream adds a special touch.

Prep: 10 min - 15 min
Cooking: 30 min

Yields 6 servings

Ingredients

6 whole wheat or multigrain English muffins
12 thin slices smoked back bacon or lean Black Forest ham
6 eggs
1 1/4 cups (300 mL) 10% half-and-half or 18% table Cream
1 tbsp (15 mL) Dijon mustard
1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
salt
Lemon Cream
1/4 cup (50 mL) 10% half-and-half or 18% table Cream
1/2 tsp (2 mL) grated lemon zest
1 tbsp (15 mL) freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/4 tsp (1 mL) Dijon mustard
salt
pepper

READY FOR REWARDS?

Preparation

Butter a 13 x 9-inch (3 L) glass baking dish. Split English muffins and place bottoms in baking dish.

In a bowl, whisk eggs until blended; whisk in Cream, mustard, pepper and salt. Pour half over muffin bottoms in dish. Place 2 slices of bacon on each bottom and sandwich with muffin tops. Pour remaining egg mixture evenly over top; use a rubber spatula to carefully flip sandwiches over, pressing gently, so the muffins absorb the egg mixture. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hrs or for up to 24 hrs.

Meanwhile, make Lemon Cream: Place Cream in a measuring cup or bowl; whisk in lemon zest, then gradually pour in lemon juice while whisking. Whisk in mustard, salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate for at least 15 min or for up to 8 hrs.

To serve, preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Uncover baking dish and carefully flip sandwiches over in dish. Bake for about 30 min or until a knife inserted in the centre comes out clean. Let stand for 5 min before serving. Serve sandwiches with Lemon Cream on drizzled top.

Tips

Look for lean smoked back bacon, also called Canadian bacon, in the packaged bacon section of the grocery store, or at a butcher shop. Don’t mistake it for the cured peameal coated bacon that needs to be cooked.

For a meatless version, replace the bacon with 6 slices of Canadian Cheddar or Provolone cheese.

For a thicker crème fraîche for the topping, use 35% whipping Cream and let thicken for at least 1 hour in the refrigerator before serving.

Add 1 tbsp (15 mL) chopped fresh chives to the Lemon Cream.