Step 1

Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat.

Step 2

Meanwhile, place yolks, water, lemon juice, salt, and cayenne in an immersion blender cup or another tall cup that an immersion blender can fit into.

Step 3

Heat the butter the rest of the way to 200°F (93°C), check it with a Thermapen, and pour it into a glass measuring cup for easier handling.

Step 4

Start blending the yolks in the cup and pour the butter into it in a slow stream. (The stream needs to not be too fast, but needn’t be as slow as for a hand-whisked emulsion.) Continue to blend until the sauce is thick and creamy. Set aside.

Step 5

Fill a deep skillet or shallow saucepan with water, add a teaspoon of salt.

Step 6

Set your ChefAlarm probe in place with a pot clip so the tip of the probe is suspended in the water without touching the bottom of the pan.

Step 7

Set ChefAlarm high alarm to 180°F (82°C).

Step 8

Once the water comes to a stable target temperature, set the ChefAlarm low-alarm to 175°F (79°C) to make sure it doesn’t dip too far during cooking.

Step 9

One at a time, crack the eggs into a strainer over a bowl or sink, then, once the thin white stops straining out, lower the basket of the strainer into the heated water and tip the egg out.

Step 10

Jiggle each egg slightly with a wooden spoon for a few seconds to make sure it doesn’t stick to the pan.

Step 11

Set a timer for 4 minutes. You may vary that time depending on your doneness preference and the size of your eggs—3 minutes will be quite runny, 5 will be firmer, like a medium-cooked yolk.

Step 12

When the TimeStick alarm sounds, check the eggs. The yolk should still jiggle slightly under pressure (don’t poke it too hard!) and the whites should not be runny.

Step 13

Transfer them to a bowl filled with warm water, where they can be held easily.

Step 14

Add 1/2 Tbsp of the unmelted butter to a second skillet and heat it over medium-high heat

Step 15

Once the butter is hot, add the ham slices as many as can fit at a time.

Step 16

Cook until browned on one side, flip and brown on the other side. Repeat until all ham is cooked.

Step 17

Add half the remaining butter to the pan and toast half of the English muffins, face down in the hot buttered skillet.

Step 18

Repeat with remaining butter and muffins. Alternatively, you can butter each slice and place them on a cooking sheet in a 450°F (232°C) oven for about 5 minutes.

Step 19

Place a slice of ham on each toast, top with a poached egg and a nice dollop of Hollandaise. Sprinkle with a little paprika for color, and serve.