This past weekend marked our second wedding anniversary and we celebrated by sleeping in and whipping up these waffle eggs benedict for breakfast. Although we don’t always have the same taste in food, hollandaise sauce is something we can always agree on.
Because Jason works in the summer, we opted to have our wedding on a Friday afternoon in February. Little did we know when we started planning our big day we would be locked in a brutal weather system known as a polar vortex that granted us a high of 7 degrees that sunny day two years ago.
Jason spends the summer months running his charter fishing business at various ports around the state. He starts his season at the southern end of Lake Michigan fishing for salmon in April then moves to Lake Erie to fish for Walleye at the end of May. Mid July he makes his way back to Lake Michigan to catch running salmon in Ludington. This is, by far, my favorite port he fishes out of.
Ludington is a small city on the northern side of Michigan’s west coast that boasts beautiful beaches, a secluded state park, and a handful of amazing spots to grab a bite to eat.
The first summer we were dating, Jay took me to a diner that has since become a favorite. Brenda’s Harbor Cafe serves up an amazing eggs benedict and we now have an annual tradition to make it there a couple times a year while Jay is fishing in Ludington.
For our anniversary, I wanted to replicate our favorite diner dish using waffles instead of an english muffin. I also swapped out the canadian bacon Brenda uses for prosciutto, a favorite of Jay’s.
My favorite part of this recipe is that the egg whites leftover from the hollandaise sauce get used in the waffle batter. I based the waffles on a recipe that called for two eggs, but not having enough whole eggs to go around I used the three egg whites instead and crossed my fingers hoping they would turn out. And you know what? They came out perfectly light and fluffy and I will continue to only use egg whites when I make waffles.
To poach the eggs, I cracked each egg in separate bowls to ensure the yolk would stay intact. I then gently poured the egg into a medium sized strainer over a plate and lowered the strainer into the simmering water. You could add the eggs right to water, but I like this method because it keeps the egg together and you end up with a perfectly shaped poached egg.
The waffles are slightly sweet and perfectly contrast the salty prosciutto. Velvety hollandaise sauce pulls everything together for one incredible breakfast. This is such a great dish to make for someone you love, especially if that person is willing to help with the clean up.
Waffle Eggs Benedict with Prosciutto
This recipe serves 2 but makes 3 whole waffles. For more servings, simply double the hollandaise sauce ingredients and add more prosciutto and poached eggs.
For the Waffles
- 2 Cups Flour
- 1 Tsp Baking Soda
- 1 Tsp Baking Powder
- 2 Cups Buttermilk
- 3 Egg Whites
- 1/4 Cup Butter, melted
- 2 Tbsp Sugar
For the Hollandaise Sauce
- 3 Egg Yolks
- 1 Tbsp Lemon Juice
- 1/4 Tsp Salt
- 1/ Cup (1 Stick) Butter, melted
For the Poached Eggs
- 4 Eggs
- 1 Tbsp White Vinegar
Additional Ingredients
- 4 Slices Prosciutto
- Paprika (Optional)
Preheat the waffle iron. In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, and baking powder. Add the buttermilk, egg whites, butter, and sugar and stir until just combined. Pour into the waffle maker and cook for 5-8 minutes until golden brown. Remove the waffles and place in a 200 degree oven to keep warm.
While the waffles are cooking, get started on the hollandaise sauce by adding the egg yolks, lemon juice and salt to a blender. Turn the blender on medium low until everything is combined. While the blender is running, slowly pour in the melted butter. Let the blender run for an additional 30 seconds.
To poach the eggs, fill a medium pot with water and add the vinegar. Bring the water to a simmer. You can add the eggs right into the water to poach or crack the eggs into a medium strainer over a plate and lower the strainer into the water until the egg is cover. Poach the eggs for 2-3 minutes until the whites are opaque. Remove the eggs with a slotted spoon or lift the strainer out of the water.
To assemble the eggs benedict, layer the prosciutto on top of the waffles and add your poached eggs. Ladle your hollandaise sauce on top and dust with paprika (optional). Serve and enjoy!
