Baked Eggs Napoleon (Printable Version)

Crisp puff pastry layered with spinach, ham, and baked eggs, finished with rich hollandaise sauce for an elegant brunch.

# What You'll Need:

→ Puff Pastry Layers

01 - 1 sheet puff pastry (approximately 9 ounces), thawed

→ Spinach Filling

02 - 2 teaspoons olive oil
03 - 7 ounces fresh spinach, washed and chopped
04 - 1 small shallot, finely diced
05 - 1 garlic clove, minced
06 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper
07 - Pinch of ground nutmeg

→ Assembly Components

08 - 4 large eggs
09 - 4 slices smoked ham or prosciutto
10 - 2 tablespoons grated Gruyère or Swiss cheese

→ Hollandaise Sauce

11 - 2 large egg yolks
12 - 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
13 - 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
14 - Salt and cayenne pepper

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat your oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Cut the puff pastry sheet into 8 equal squares (approximately 3x3 inches each). Arrange the squares on the prepared baking sheet and prick each one several times with a fork to prevent excessive rising.
02 - Bake the pastry squares for 10 to 12 minutes, or until they turn golden brown and are fully puffed. Remove from the oven and allow them to cool slightly on the baking sheet while you prepare the remaining components.
03 - Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the diced shallot and minced garlic, sautéing for about 2 minutes until fragrant and softened. Add the chopped spinach and cook, stirring occasionally, until completely wilted—approximately 3 to 4 minutes. Season with salt, black pepper, and a pinch of nutmeg. Remove from heat and set aside.
04 - Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F. Select 4 of the baked pastry squares to serve as the base. Top each base with a slice of smoked ham, a generous spoonful of the prepared spinach mixture, and a sprinkle of grated Gruyère cheese. Cover each stack with a remaining pastry square.
05 - Using the back of a spoon, press down gently in the center of each top pastry square to create a shallow indentation. Carefully crack one large egg into each well, taking care not to break the yolk.
06 - Return the assembled stacks to the oven and bake for 10 to 12 minutes. The egg whites should be fully set while the yolks remain slightly runny, or cook longer according to your preferred doneness.
07 - While the eggs are baking, prepare the hollandaise sauce. Place the egg yolks and lemon juice in a heatproof bowl set over a pot of simmering water, ensuring the bowl does not touch the water. Whisk constantly while slowly drizzling in the melted butter until the sauce thickens and emulsifies. Season with salt and cayenne pepper to taste.
08 - Remove the finished Napoleons from the oven. Immediately drizzle each portion generously with the warm hollandaise sauce. Serve hot while the pastry remains crisp and the eggs are perfectly set.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The puff pastry creates these impossibly flaky, buttery layers that make every bite feel extravagant without the stress of traditional poaching
  • Everything bakes together in one dish, meaning you can actually enjoy your morning coffee instead of standing over a stove panicking
02 -
  • cracking the eggs into the pastry is the moment when everything can go wrong, so take your time and maybe crack each egg into a small bowl first to ensure no shell fragments end up in your final dish
  • The hollandaise will continue to thicken as it sits, so make it right before serving and keep it warm but not hot, or it might separate on you
03 -
  • Work quickly when assembling the eggs into the pastry so the yolks don't start cooking before they hit the oven
  • If your hollandaise starts to look curdled or grainy, whisk in a teaspoon of cold water and it should come back together

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