Hollandaise Sauce
While I was out last night, a friend asked me 'How do you make Hollandaise Sauce??'
I was quite pleased by the question since Hollandaise, more specifically Hollandaise in the form of eggs Benedict, is my FAVOURITE thing to eat! My first choice every time!
We chatted quickly about what's in Hollandaise; butter, egg yolks, lemon juice, salt, pepper. She seemed excited at how easy it might be to put together - and it is.
Traditionally, you hear how difficult Hollandaise sauce can be to make, all the problems you can come across and how finicky and temperamental it can be. Honestly, it doesn't have to be. You can make it as hard or simple as you like.
I know two different methods of making Hollandaise; one very traditional and one quicker and more fool proof. I'll go through both methods and then you can choose which method you feel like mastering :) I find both equally delicious, smooth and satisfying. I tend to choose my method of preparation by how technical or adventurous I'm feeling that moment.
The first method is the easier, more fool proof blender method. Essentially, all ingredients, except the butter, are mixed in a blender after which melted butter is slowly added creating the emulsion of yellow, smooth hollandaise gold. The second, more traditional method, requires the egg yolks and lemon to be whisked over a double boiler, constantly, while slowly adding pieces of butter. Which creates the same sumptuous, silkily, yellow mixture. Both equally divine and quickly gobbled up on anything.
Now before we get into how to MAKE hollandaise sauce, lets talk about how to USE hollandaise sauce. Most often seen is in the form of Eggs Benedict. Eggs Benedict consists of a lightly toast english muffin half, a fried piece of back bacon or sausage patty topped with a perfectly poached egg which is then all covered by the wonderful Hollandaise sauce. This dish is perfect and that's all that needs to be said :) Another common dish is to have hollandaise drizzled across boiled or grilled asparagus - equally delicious. As a side note and addition to the previous statement, it goes well on any vegetable; Green beans, broccoli, potatoes, anything... it's just that good.
So now - the recipes. These are recipes I've used and modified until I've gotten them to where I like them. Try making them once, then adjust to your taste, maybe a little more lemon, a little less salt, etc.
Blender Hollandaise
2 egg yolks
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
1 stick (1 cup) of unsalted butter
Salt and pepper to taste
1. Melt the butter in a small sauce pan on the stove or in a microwave safe bowl. Set aside in a measuring cup that will be ready to pour into the blender.
2. In a blender, add Egg yolks and lemon juice and a pinch of both salt and pepper. Not too much salt and pepper though because you will want to adjust it after the butter has been added.
3. Turn on the blender to mix the eggs and lemon juice together; a few seconds will be enough. Now, SLOWLY pour in the melted butter. Very slowly at first, almost a drop at a time, then more quickly in a thin stream until all the butter has been added. Turn off the blender.
4. A smooth, frothy yellow mixture should have formed. If it's a little thick, add a tablespoon of hot water to thin it out.
5. Now, taste it and adjust accordingly. Add more salt and pepper, perhaps another tiny splash of lemon.
You're done!
Traditional Hollandaise
2 Tablespoons of water
2 egg yolks
1/2 cup butter, cubed in 1/2 inch cubes
juice of one lemon (approx 2 T)
salt and pepper to taste
1. Put your eggs yolks, water, pinch of salt and pepper and lemon juice in the top of a double boiler (I'll describe the double boiler below) and whisk until combined and slightly lighter in colour.
2. Whisk in 1 cube of butter at a time until each is dissolved before another is added.
3. As soon as the butter has been combined take the top of the double boiler off immediately.
4. Taste you hollandaise and adjust the lemon, salt and pepper.
You're done. Now this recipe may seem shorter and easier but this method requires CONSTANT whisking and monitoring of heat to make sure you're eggs don't cook and become scrambled eggs. Now I don't want to scare anyone off because this tends to be my go to method. I feel more satisfied after I've made a successful Hollandaise this way. So try it, but be careful and cautious.
Double Boiler - a double boiler is essentially a sauce pan with water in it and a heat safe bowl over top. The water is brought to a simmer which will heat the bowl above very gently. I use a small metal bowl at home which is a great heat conductor and heats up quickly. A glass bowl also works very well. A double boiler can be used in Hollandaise (of course), melting chocolate and other types of cooking that needs a gentle heat.
This is a link to a wise geek page explaining double boilers
http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-a-double-boiler.htm
Here is the wikipedia link - it's a little technical but has a detailed explanation. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Double_boiler
I was quite pleased by the question since Hollandaise, more specifically Hollandaise in the form of eggs Benedict, is my FAVOURITE thing to eat! My first choice every time!
We chatted quickly about what's in Hollandaise; butter, egg yolks, lemon juice, salt, pepper. She seemed excited at how easy it might be to put together - and it is.
Traditionally, you hear how difficult Hollandaise sauce can be to make, all the problems you can come across and how finicky and temperamental it can be. Honestly, it doesn't have to be. You can make it as hard or simple as you like.
I know two different methods of making Hollandaise; one very traditional and one quicker and more fool proof. I'll go through both methods and then you can choose which method you feel like mastering :) I find both equally delicious, smooth and satisfying. I tend to choose my method of preparation by how technical or adventurous I'm feeling that moment.
The first method is the easier, more fool proof blender method. Essentially, all ingredients, except the butter, are mixed in a blender after which melted butter is slowly added creating the emulsion of yellow, smooth hollandaise gold. The second, more traditional method, requires the egg yolks and lemon to be whisked over a double boiler, constantly, while slowly adding pieces of butter. Which creates the same sumptuous, silkily, yellow mixture. Both equally divine and quickly gobbled up on anything.
Now before we get into how to MAKE hollandaise sauce, lets talk about how to USE hollandaise sauce. Most often seen is in the form of Eggs Benedict. Eggs Benedict consists of a lightly toast english muffin half, a fried piece of back bacon or sausage patty topped with a perfectly poached egg which is then all covered by the wonderful Hollandaise sauce. This dish is perfect and that's all that needs to be said :) Another common dish is to have hollandaise drizzled across boiled or grilled asparagus - equally delicious. As a side note and addition to the previous statement, it goes well on any vegetable; Green beans, broccoli, potatoes, anything... it's just that good.
So now - the recipes. These are recipes I've used and modified until I've gotten them to where I like them. Try making them once, then adjust to your taste, maybe a little more lemon, a little less salt, etc.
Blender Hollandaise
2 egg yolks
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
1 stick (1 cup) of unsalted butter
Salt and pepper to taste
1. Melt the butter in a small sauce pan on the stove or in a microwave safe bowl. Set aside in a measuring cup that will be ready to pour into the blender.
2. In a blender, add Egg yolks and lemon juice and a pinch of both salt and pepper. Not too much salt and pepper though because you will want to adjust it after the butter has been added.
3. Turn on the blender to mix the eggs and lemon juice together; a few seconds will be enough. Now, SLOWLY pour in the melted butter. Very slowly at first, almost a drop at a time, then more quickly in a thin stream until all the butter has been added. Turn off the blender.
4. A smooth, frothy yellow mixture should have formed. If it's a little thick, add a tablespoon of hot water to thin it out.
5. Now, taste it and adjust accordingly. Add more salt and pepper, perhaps another tiny splash of lemon.
You're done!
Traditional Hollandaise
2 Tablespoons of water
2 egg yolks
1/2 cup butter, cubed in 1/2 inch cubes
juice of one lemon (approx 2 T)
salt and pepper to taste
1. Put your eggs yolks, water, pinch of salt and pepper and lemon juice in the top of a double boiler (I'll describe the double boiler below) and whisk until combined and slightly lighter in colour.
2. Whisk in 1 cube of butter at a time until each is dissolved before another is added.
3. As soon as the butter has been combined take the top of the double boiler off immediately.
4. Taste you hollandaise and adjust the lemon, salt and pepper.
You're done. Now this recipe may seem shorter and easier but this method requires CONSTANT whisking and monitoring of heat to make sure you're eggs don't cook and become scrambled eggs. Now I don't want to scare anyone off because this tends to be my go to method. I feel more satisfied after I've made a successful Hollandaise this way. So try it, but be careful and cautious.
Double Boiler - a double boiler is essentially a sauce pan with water in it and a heat safe bowl over top. The water is brought to a simmer which will heat the bowl above very gently. I use a small metal bowl at home which is a great heat conductor and heats up quickly. A glass bowl also works very well. A double boiler can be used in Hollandaise (of course), melting chocolate and other types of cooking that needs a gentle heat.
This is a link to a wise geek page explaining double boilers
http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-a-double-boiler.htm
Here is the wikipedia link - it's a little technical but has a detailed explanation. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Double_boiler
Thanks so much Kristina!! You're awesome! I'm gonna try out eggs benedict sometime in the next week and let you know how it goes. So glad I asked the right person!! xo
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