Hollandaise
Egg yolks persuade butter to cooperate. Heat management is the job. Whisking harder is not a cooling system.
Ingredients
- 3 pasteurized large egg yolks
- 180 g unsalted butter
- 15 ml water, plus more for thinning
- 15 ml lemon juice, plus more to taste
- Fine salt and a pinch of cayenne, to taste
Measures: 1 tbsp = 15 ml; 1 tsp = 5 ml. Yields are approximate. Pan width and heat affect reduction time; the texture gets the final vote.
Method
Prepare gentle heat
Melt the butter and keep it warm, not sizzling. Put a heatproof bowl over a pan with a little barely simmering water; the bowl must not touch the water.
Thicken the yolks
Whisk yolks, water, and lemon juice in the bowl. Whisk over the gentle steam until pale and thick enough to leave brief whisk trails, about 3–5 minutes. Lift off the pan often if it heats rapidly.
Add butter slowly
Off the heat, whisk in the warm butter a few drops at a time, then in a thin stream once the sauce is stable. Include the milk solids if using whole melted butter.
Adjust and serve
Whisk in warm water by the teaspoon if too thick. Season with salt, cayenne, and extra lemon. Serve promptly; never bring the finished sauce to a simmer.
Checkpoint: Warm, smooth, and spoonable; no oil puddles or cooked egg flecks.
Failure modes and fixes
Oily but not scrambled: start with 1 tsp warm water in a clean bowl and whisk the broken sauce into it slowly. Scrambled yolks require a fresh start.
More rescue techniques →Put it to work
Eggs Benedict, asparagus, steamed fish, or potatoes. For a related sauce, try bearnaise.
Storage and reheating
Use pasteurized yolks: gentle thickening is not a verified egg-pasteurization step. Make just before serving, use promptly, and do not keep it sitting lukewarm for later. Discard leftovers from service. Storage and handling reference.