How to Make Hollandaise Sauce
One of the five ''mother sauces'' of French cuisine, this velvety sauce has a reputation for being hard to make. Master it and you can consider yourself a French chef.
Up next in Sauces, Dressings, & Condiments (29 videos)
Dress up your favorite dishes with these tasty sauces and condiments; just follow the recipes and cooking instructions in these videos.
You Will Need
- 1 stick butter
- 3 egg yolks
- 1 tbsp. lemon juice
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 pinch cayenne pepper
- 2 tbsp. hot water
- A medium saucepan
- A wire whisk
- A medium mixing bowl
- A thermometer
Steps
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Raw egg carries a risk of salmonella infection. Heat the sauce to 150 degrees Fahrenheit to kill bacteria.
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Step 1
Melt the butter
Melt the butter over low heat in the saucepan.
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Step 2
Beat the egg yolks
Whisk the egg yolks in a mixing bowl while the butter is melting.
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Step 3
Add the lemon juice
Whisk briskly as you add the lemon juice, salt, and cayenne pepper.
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Use fresh-squeezed lemon juice.
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Step 4
Add the butter and water
Drizzle the melted butter into the egg yolk mixture. Continue to whisk vigorously. Add the hot water in the same way.
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Step 5
Cook until thickened
Pour the sauce into the saucepan and cook over low heat, whisking continually, until the sauce thickens and the temperature reaches 150 degrees.
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Watch the pan. If it's too hot, the yolks may scramble, too low, the sauce may separate.
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Step 6
Finish and serve
Whisk until you have your desired consistency. Then drip your Hollandaise over eggs Benedict or asparagus, and eat.
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Sauces and gravies were originally used to flavor spoiled foods.
