Recipes

Easy Hollandaise Sauce

A silky, rich Hollandaise sauce perfect for eggs Benedict, fish, or vegetables.

Prepare a bain-marie: Half-fill a saucepan with water and bring it to a gentle simmer. Place a heatproof bowl on top (not touching the water).
Start the base: In the bowl (off the heat), whisk together the egg yolks, vinegar, and salt until combined.
Cook the yolks: Set the bowl over the simmering water and whisk continuously. Keep the heat gentle – whisk until the yolks thicken, become pale, and you can see the whisk leaving trails (like warm mayonnaise).
Add the butter: Remove the bowl from the heat, stabilising it on a damp J cloth over the saucepan so it doesn’t slip. Slowly drizzle in the clarified butter while whisking constantly. Start with a few drops, then increase to a thin stream as the emulsion forms.
Adjust consistency: If the sauce becomes too thick, whisk in a spoonful of hot water to loosen it. Alternate between butter and hot water until you reach a smooth, pourable but thick sauce.
Finish and serve: Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Keep warm (not hot) until ready to serve. If it cools too much, gently reheat over the bain-marie for a few seconds while whisking.

Butter temperature matters – If the butter is too hot or too cold compared to the eggs, the sauce may split.
Practice makes perfect – Hollandaise takes muscle and patience. Don’t be discouraged if it splits; you can often rescue it by whisking in a spoonful of hot water.
Add lemon juice for brightness, or a pinch of cayenne for subtle heat.