Eggs Benedict

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 50°C/120°F.

Step 2: Cook the bacon in a little oil or butter to your liking. Transfer it to a small baking pan, cover with foil, then place it in the oven.

Step 3: If using ham, cover it and place it in the oven to warm slightly.

Step 4: Lightly toast the English muffins, then keep them warm on a rack on a tray.

Step 5: Place the egg yolks in a tall, narrow jug that the blender stick fits into all the way to the base.

Step 6: Add the water, lemon juice, cayenne pepper and salt. Blitz briefly to combine.

Step 7: Melt the butter in a heatproof jug until hot. If using a microwave, take care to prevent it from exploding. If using the stove, pour the melted butter into a jug. Let it stand for 15 seconds so the milky whites settle at the bottom.

Step 8: With the blender stick running on high, slowly pour the butter in a thin stream into the eggs over about 45 seconds. Leave most of the milky whites behind in the butter, about 1 1/2 tbsp. Once all the butter is in, the sauce should be thick, creamy, smooth and pale yellow. Blitz for a further 10 seconds, moving the stick up and down.

Step 9: If the sauce is too thick, mix in warm tap water 1 teaspoon at a time. It should be thick but pourable, so it coats the eggs without being transparent.

Step 10: Transfer the sauce to a bowl, cover and keep warm. It will stay warm for 15 minutes; room temperature is also fine, as it will warm when it touches the hot eggs.

Step 11: Crack an egg into a small strainer set over a bowl or glass. Leave it for 30 seconds and jiggle it a little so the watery whites drain through. Transfer the egg to a teacup. Repeat with 3 more eggs, using a separate teacup for each.

Step 12: Fill a large pot with 7.5 cm / 3 inches of water. Bring it to a boil over high heat, then turn down the heat until tiny bubbles rise from the base of the pot but big bubbles do not break the surface.

Step 13: Submerge a teacup in the water and gently roll the egg onto the base of the pot, minimizing the drop distance for the neatest shape. Repeat with the remaining eggs; take no longer than 15 seconds to add them all.

Step 14: Twenty seconds after the first egg goes in, the eggs should be starting to set but not fully set. Use a slotted spoon and a tablespoon or dessert spoon to gently turn them upside down, starting with the first egg and ending with the last.

Step 15: Leave the eggs for 1 minute, then turn them again. Leave for another 30 seconds, then lift one out with a slotted spoon to check doneness. The whites should be soft but set, and the yolks should be runny.

Step 16: Transfer the eggs to paper towel to drain and let the tops dry from the residual heat for 15 seconds. Do not leave them too long or they may stick to the paper towel.

Step 17: Place 2 English muffin halves on a plate. Pile on ham, bacon or smoked salmon, then top with a poached egg. Spoon over Hollandaise and sprinkle with parsley and chives. Serve immediately.