Topic · Sauce Making Fundamentals

Hints and Tips when Making Hollandaise

The most reliable method to make a Hollandaise sauce is to make a mousse that is called “Sabayon” by whisking egg yolks with water (a tablespoon per yolk) over heat, directly or in a double boiler. The process should take at least 3 minutes, by which time the mousse should be light and thicken. The Sabayon acts as a stabilizer so that the melted butter can be added without separating.

Formerly Hollandaise sauce was seasoned with a reduction of white wine vinegar, but nowadays lemon juice is more common. Hollandaise is always seasoned with salt and a pinch of cayenne pepper. Serve Hollandaise plain or with flavorings, to accompany poached fish, eggs and vegetables. Leftover Hollandaise or hot emulsified sauce should be discarded after usage.

Two points to remember when making Hollandaise by hand:

The heating and thickening of egg yolks: In order for egg yolks to thicken a smooth cream, they must be heated slowly and gradually. Too much of sudden heat will make them granular. Overcooking scrambles them. You may beat them over hot water or over low heat. It makes no difference as long as the process is slow and gentle.

The butter: Egg yolks will readily absorb a certain quantity of butter when it is fed to them gradually, giving them time to incorporate each addition before another is presented. When too much is added at a time, particularly at first, the sauce will not thicken. If the total amount of butter is more than the eggs can absorb, the sauce will curdle. About 3 ounces of butter is the usual amount per yolk. But if you have never made Hollandaise before, it is safer not to go over 2 ounces or ¼ cup.

Good to know:

Portion per serving:	2 – 3 tbsp / 30 – 45 ml
Problems:	If the sauce curdles, add an ice cube, remove from the heat and re-emulsify the sauce by whisking briskly, then gradually draw in curdled sauce. If unsuccessful, start again, adding curdled mixture to 2 egg yolks and water Sabayon. If the sauce has been cooked until the egg is granular (like scrambled eggs) it cannot be saved. Although butter can be re-used by straining the sauce to extract cooked eggs.
Reheating:	Not advisable
Storage:	Keep warm in tepid water for up to 30 minutes whisking time to time to avoid separating.