Description
A classic French Hollandaise sauce made with egg yolks, melted butter, lemon juice, and a hint of cayenne pepper, blended to a smooth, creamy, and tangy accompaniment perfect for dishes like Eggs Benedict, asparagus, steak, or salmon.
Ingredients
Scale
Hollandaise Sauce Ingredients
- 3 large egg yolks (55-60g / 2 oz each)
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (or white pepper)
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 1/2 tbsp lemon juice, plus more to taste
- 1 1/2 tbsp water
- 175 g (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 1.5 cm / 1/2″ cubes
Instructions
- Prepare the egg mixture: Place the egg yolks in a tall, narrow container that fits the blender stick all the way to the bottom. Add the water, lemon juice, cayenne pepper, and salt. Blitz briefly to combine all ingredients smoothly.
- Melt the butter: Melt the butter in a heatproof jug until hot, being cautious if using a microwave to avoid boiling over. Alternatively, melt on the stove then pour into a jug.
- Clarify the butter: Let the melted butter stand for about 15 seconds so the milky white solids settle at the bottom of the jug. This ensures a clean butterfat layer for the sauce.
- Emulsify the sauce: With the blender running on high, slowly pour the hot clarified butter into the egg mixture in a thin stream over approximately 45 seconds, leaving behind about 1 1/2 tablespoons of milky solids. The sauce should thicken, become creamy, smooth, and pale yellow.
- Finish blending: Blitz the sauce for an additional 10 seconds, moving the blender stick up and down to incorporate air and ensure a smooth texture.
- Adjust thickness: If the sauce is too thick, add warm tap water one teaspoon at a time, mixing gently until desired consistency is reached.
- Season to taste: Adjust salt for the final dish; add extra salt for less salty food like asparagus, or leave as is for salty dishes like Eggs Benedict or steak. Adjust lemon juice to be slightly more tangy than desired if serving with rich foods to balance flavors.
- Serving and storage: Use the sauce immediately or keep warm covered with a tea towel for up to 15 minutes. It can be served warm or at room temperature. To loosen, stir in warm tap water as needed. For storage and reheating, see note recommendations.
Notes
- Use fresh, high-quality large eggs for best consistency and flavor.
- Clarifying the butter by letting the milk solids settle improves the texture and stability of the sauce.
- Ensure the butter is hot but not boiling to avoid scrambling the eggs during emulsification.
- If the sauce separates or is too thick, gently whisk in warm water to bring it back together.
- Hollandaise sauce is best used fresh but can be kept warm for a short time; do not reheat directly on high heat to prevent curdling.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Category: Sauce
- Method: Blending
- Cuisine: French
Keywords: Hollandaise sauce, classic sauce, French sauce, Eggs Benedict sauce, creamy lemon butter sauce
