Hollandaise

Name: Hollandaise
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 20 min
Cuisine: French
Ingredients: Egg yolks — 3; Unsalted butter, melted and warm — 170 g (3/4 cup); Fresh lemon juice — 15 ml (1 tbsp); Water — 15 ml (1 tbsp); Salt — 2 g (1/3 tsp); Cayenne pepper — 1 pinch

The Quirky Foodster Team

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10 min

Prep

10 min

Cook

Ingredients

Egg yolks — 3
Unsalted butter, melted and warm — 170 g (3/4 cup)
Fresh lemon juice — 15 ml (1 tbsp)
Water — 15 ml (1 tbsp)
Salt — 2 g (1/3 tsp)
Cayenne pepper — 1 pinch

Method

Set a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of barely simmering water, ensuring the bowl doesn't touch the water.
Whisk egg yolks with water until pale and slightly thickened, about 2-3 minutes.
Whisking constantly, drizzle in warm melted butter very slowly to form a thick emulsion.
Once all butter is incorporated, whisk in lemon juice, salt and cayenne.
Serve immediately; hold briefly over warm (not hot) water if needed.

Cultural Background: A warm emulsified sauce of egg yolk and clarified butter, hollandaise is the fifth mother sauce and despite its Dutch-referencing name is a French creation, likely named for its resemblance to rich Dutch butter sauces. It is best known as the essential topping for eggs Benedict and steamed asparagus.

Tips: • Add the butter too quickly and the sauce will split; go slowly, especially at the start. • If the sauce splits, whisk a teaspoon of hot water or an extra yolk into a clean bowl and gradually add the split sauce back in.

Variations: • Add tarragon and shallot reduction for béarnaise. • Fold in whipped cream for a lighter mousseline version.

Storage: Best made fresh; does not refrigerate or reheat well due to the egg emulsion.

Reheating: Not recommended to reheat; if needed, whisk gently over a bain-marie at very low heat for a few seconds only. Nutrition (per serving) Approx. 95 kcal, 1 g protein, 10 g fat, 0.5 g carbohydrate per 30 ml serving. FAQs Why does hollandaise split? Usually from overheating or adding butter too fast; keep heat gentle and add butter gradually. Is it safe to eat given the raw-ish egg yolks? The yolks are gently cooked by the bain-marie heat, but use pasteurized eggs if serving to vulnerable groups.

FAQs: Why does hollandaise split? Usually from overheating or adding butter too fast; keep heat gentle and add butter gradually. Is it safe to eat given the raw-ish egg yolks? The yolks are gently cooked by the bain-marie heat, but use pasteurized eggs if serving to vulnerable groups.