Bannock Eggs Benedict Recipe - a Canadian Twist on a Classic Breakfast
by MakerQueen in Cooking > Breakfast
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Bannock Eggs Benedict Recipe - a Canadian Twist on a Classic Breakfast
I should preface this with the disclaimer that I am in no way an expert chef, but I have made brunch on Saturdays and Sundays for about 32 years, so I have some experience! Bannock has a complex and interesting history in Canada. (for more information Bannock at The Canadian Encyclopedia). It is a simple skillet bread made with very accessible ingredients. It is yummy, fast and easy. Aside from making bannock in the woods in elementary school I really came to appreciate it during the first lockdowns in 2020 when we had a 12 kg bag of flour and no yeast. It became our bread.
Supplies
Baking Tools:
- Two medium skillets
- Small saucepan
- Blender or immersion blender
- Stand mixer
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Ramekin for poaching eggs
- Slotted Spoon for poaching eggs
Ingredients:
Bannock:
- 1 1/2 cups All-Purpose Flour
- 1 tbsp Baking Powder
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1/4 cup Melted Butter
- 3/4 cup Water
Hollandaise Sauce:
- 3 Egg Yolks
- 1/2 cup Hot Melted Butter
- 1 tbsp Lemon Juice
- 1 tsp Dijon Mustard
- 1/4 tsp Salt
Everything Else:
- Eggs for poaching
- Baby Spinach Leaves
- Peameal Bacon if desired - in the USA there are many discussions of what 'Canadian Bacon' is - the meat-eaters in my family prefer peameal.
- Black Pepper for garnish
Make the Bannock Dough
- Add the flour, baking powder, and salt to your mixer
- Mix to combine
- Add the melted butter and water
- Mix to form a large ball - do not over mix (this mixing can be done easily by hand as well)
Cook the Bannock
- Form the dough into small puck shapes (I like them to be a bit smaller than my palm)
- Add your choice of fat to the pan - butter or bacon grease works best
- Bake the bannock until cooked through, turning as needed - usually between 15 and 20 minutes. I use this cooking time to make the Hollandaise sauce and poach the eggs.
Make Hollandaise Sauce
Now, while the bannock is cooking we prepare the Hollandaise sauce.
- Separate the whites from the yolks of 3 eggs
- Add the yolks to a blender with the lemon juice, dijon mustard, and salt
- Make sure your butter is hot - I usually melt it in the saucepan and pour it directly into the blender while the blender is going.
- When the sauce is combined I return it to the saucepan from the butter and cover it
Poach Your Eggs
If you are adding bacon I would cook it while you are poaching the eggs so that everything will be ready at the same time.
- Fill a medium-sized skillet with about 4 cm (1,5") of water and bring it to a boil
- Reduce the heat to medium-high
- Crack your egg into a ramekin
- Gently slip your egg into the water
- If you have multiple eggs to cook put them into the water clockwise giving their neighbours space :)
- Cover the pan
- Poach for 3 minutes for a runny yolk and 5 minutes for a firmer yolk
Assemble Your Masterpiece!
- Cut one of your bannock buns in half and add your optional bacon
- Place spinach leaves on top of the bacon
- Add some Hollandaise sauce on top of the spinach - this is not an exact science - drizzle is the word I would use
- Place your poached eggs now
- Grind some fresh black pepper onto the eggs (again optional)
- Now drizzle some more Hollandaise and enjoy!