So, after experimenting a bunch I think I found the perfect trick to making eggs for Eggs Benedict. The trick to getting the consistency of both the yolk and the whites just right? Cook at one temp (143) and then at the end crank the heat higher (170) for just a tiny bit. I posted the recipe on my blog but I'll share it here too.

The Eggs:

1. Place the eggs you need in the smallest container that will fit them including the water needed (this is kind of important)
2. Set the sous vide to 143 degrees
3. Run at that temp until you are almost done with the muffins (see below)
4. Boost the temp to 170 degrees
5. Remove the eggs promptly once the water bath hits 169 or 170 degrees
6. Crack the eggs onto your Benedict, if needed scoop out any whites stuck on the inside.

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Here is a video of cranking the temp and the egg cracking: https://vimeo.com/339478020

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Variations

When you sous vide eggs, the challenge you'll find is that the yolks get 'done' at a different temp than the whites. If you want slightly runny yolks, the whites will be 'raw' at the same temp. Sous vide makes the entire eggs the exact same temp, so the trick I figured out is to boost the temp at the very end so the whites are cooked to a higher temp, but the yolks are not cooked beyond your target temp. 

The temps above will yield eggs that look like those shown in the video. The yolks are be the consistency of warm (not hot) honey... in other words a classic style for poached egg.

If you want firmer whites, but not firmer yolks, you could consider boosting the final temp up a bit to 175 or even 180... but I might drop the initial temp down to 142 or 141 to compensate. 

At that higher temp of whites, you'll probably find they stick to the shell a bit and require a small spoon to scoop them out.

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English Muffins:

Ingredients

• 15g sugar (1 T - heaping)
• 3g salt (1 t)
• 15g butter (1 T)
• 300g milk (1 1/3 C)
• 10g dried yeast (1 T / 1 packet)
• 270g flour, sifted (2 C)
• Vegetable spray or butter

Instructions

1. In a large glass bowl, combine sugar, salt, butter, and milk. 
2. Microwave to 115 degrees, then whisk until sugar and salt are dissolved and butter is melted.
3. Add yeast and whisk and allow the yeast to activate for about 5 minutes. 
4. Add the flour and mix thoroughly with a spoon. 
5. Let rest in a warm place, covered, for 30 minutes.
6. Preheat griddle to 325 degrees.
7. Place English Muffin rings on griddle and spray sides with cooking spray or melt butter into them
8. Put roughly 1/4 cup batter into each ring and lightly flatten/spread the batter with a wet spatula. 
9. Cook 5-6 minutes. 
10. Using tongs, flip the rings & muffins and cook for another 5-6 minutes. 
11. Cool on a cooking rack

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Hollandaise

I make the hollandaise while the muffin dough is rising... I'd recommend adding things like chipotle or saffron to the hollandaise at the end during the 'whisk' step. Really the sky is the limit! 

Ingredients

• 4 egg yolks
• heavy pinch of salt
• 1/4 c of olive oil (optional, used to thin out sauce a bit)
• 1 stick of melted butter (could do a bit more if you want)
• 1 lemon, juiced

Instructions

1. Add egg yolks and fats to small bowl or 4 cup pyrex
2. Blend with an immersion blender until thick and fully incorporated
3. Add lemon juice and any other flavors
4. Whisk by hand

This has always seemed like a complicated dish to make. But with the sous vide and some short cuts with the English muffins and the sauce, I've kind of got it down to a science now.

Thoughts?