Infallible Hollandaise Recipes

Steps:

• Add the egg yolks, lemon juice, 3/4 teaspoon salt and cayenne pepper to a medium heatproof bowl and whisk to combine.
• Set the bowl over a medium saucepan of gently simmering water (do not allow the bowl to touch the water). Slowly drizzle in the melted butter while whisking constantly and rapidly until the mixture is pale and has thickened, scraping down the sides of the bowl occasionally with a rubber spatula if needed. If the bowl feels hot to the touch, remove it from the heat and continue whisking until cooler. If the sauce starts to get lumpy, grainy or begins to separate, remove from the heat and whisk in a few drops of warm water. Return to the heat and continue whisking until all the butter has been added.
• Remove from the heat and adjust the seasoning with lemon juice and salt to taste. Serve immediately or cover and hold in a warm place for up to 2 hours, whisking occasionally. The sauce should not be reheated.

Steps:

• Melt the butter in a saucepan and skim any white solids from the surface. Keep the butter warm.
• Put the egg yolks, white wine or tarragon vinegar, a pinch of salt and a splash of ice-cold water in a metal or glass bowl that will fit over a small pan. Whisk for a few minutes, then put the bowl over a pan of barely simmering water and whisk continuously until pale and thick, about 3-5 mins.
• Remove from the heat and slowly whisk in the melted butter bit by bit until it's all incorporated and you have a creamy hollandaise. (If it gets too thick, add a splash of water.) Season with a squeeze of lemon juice and a little cayenne pepper. Keep warm until needed.
• To make eggs benedict, toast the muffin halves, top each half with a slice of warmed ham and a poached egg, and spoon over a generous helping of hollandaise.

Steps:

• Put the butter and salt into the microwave for about 1 minute or until the butter melts.
• Remove and whisk for 30 seconds to allow the mixture to cool slightly and then add in the egg yolks, salt and lemon juice and continue to whisk until the mixture thickens.
• The trick with hollandaise is to keep it in a warm place until you are ready to serve it. If the temperature is too hot the mixture will curdle. We always used to keep the hollandaise on the back of the AGA which seems to be just the right temperature for it.
• If your mixture does curdle you can save it by adding a splash of cold water or if this fails whisk in another egg yolk.