Hollandaise

Hollandaise (French sauce hollandaise — “Dutch sauce”) is a delicate, airy warm emulsion sauce, one of the five classic “mother sauces” of French cuisine. It has a creamy consistency, a richly buttery flavour, and a light lemony tang.

Hollandaise is an emulsion of egg yolks and melted butter. It is made very delicately: the yolks with a little water and lemon juice are whisked over a water bath (so that they thicken but do not cook), and then, whisking continuously and vigorously, warm clarified butter is poured in in a thin stream until the sauce turns into a thick, smooth, glossy emulsion. It is seasoned with salt, lemon juice, and a pinch of cayenne. Hollandaise demands skill and attention: at too high a temperature the yolks will curdle, and at the wrong pace the emulsion will “split”. On its base derivative sauces are created, the most famous being béarnaise (with tarragon). The classic use of hollandaise is the famous poached-egg dish eggs Benedict, and also boiled asparagus, fish, broccoli, and vegetables. It is a refined display of the saucier's mastery.