Hollandaise Sauce

It’s not very often I make Hollandaise sauce as it can be a little tricky to make, is best served right away, and as delicious as it is, it’s pretty heavy in fat and calories. The good thing is a little goes a long way so you don’t have to eat a lot of it to taste the delicious flavor. Hollandaise sauce adds a nice touch to many dishes. I’ve seen it most often with Eggs Benedict or over Asparagus, both delicious. It’s also traditionally used with fish dishes. My recent obsession with Hollandaise sauce is to make Over-Loaded Potatoes. So yummy!

loaded potatoes plate
Over-Loaded Potatoes

To get started, you need to use a double boiler to cook the sauce. This sounds way more complicated than it is. You can make a double boiler out of any pot and bowl, just make sure the bowl is bigger than the pot and shallow enough so that it doesn’t touch the bottom of the pot or the water that we’ll need to put in the pot. You want the water to simmer in the pot, then the bowl sits over this with a couple inches between the bottom of the bowl and the water.

pot and bowl

double boiler

Add some water to the pot – 1-2 inches, depending on how deep the pot is and turn the heat to medium. Set the bowl on top and add the egg yolks, lemon juice, water, and 1/3 of the butter. [Have the other 2/3’s of the butter nearby because you’ll need to whisk these in once the sauce starts heating up.] Whisk the mixture in the bowl and continue to whisk (at a fast pace) until the butter begins to melt and the sauce starts to thicken.

hollandaise sauce 1

Don’t panic if it curdles a little, just keep whisking and it should smooth out when we add the butter.

hollandaise sauce 2

Once the sauce has started to thicken, add one piece of butter at a time whisking the entire time.

hollandaise sauce 3

Keep doing this until you’ve incorporated all the butter. Whisk and cook for 2 minutes more. Remove from heat and serve immediately.

hollandaise sauce 4

If the sauce gets too thick or curdles, whisk in 1-2 Tablespoons of hot water to thin and smooth it out.

hollandaise sauce 4

Hollandaise Sauce

Homesteading Dreams
Traditional Hollandaise Sauce - serve over eggs, fish, or vegetables.

Ingredients
  

  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 3 egg yolks
  • 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1 Tablespoon water
  • Salt to taste

Instructions
 

  • Cut the butter into 1/3's
  • Add water to the bottom pot of a double boiler or use a pot and bowl with water in the pot.
  • Place over medium heat.
  • Add 1/3 of the butter, egg yolks, lemon juice, and water to the top of a double boiler or bowl (over pot).
  • Whisk at a fast pace constantly until butter melts and mixture starts to thicken.
  • While continuing to whisk, add the butter, one piece at a time, whisking to incorporate each time.
  • Cook for two more minutes, whisking constantly.
  • Remove from heat and serve.
  • If the sauce gets too thick or curdles slightly, thin out with 1-2 Tbsp. HOT water.