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Hollandaise: Attempt #1

It was a quiet Father's Day Sunday after a busy week and I was craving eggs benny. I decided it was a perfect opportunity to attempt my first pass on making good Hollandaise sauce. I walked to the market and picked up eggs, english muffins, ham and potatoes and it wasn't until I was partway home and read a Facebook comment from my friend that I realised I had forgotten the butter. Doh!

“First hollandaise attempt?? It’s easy…All you need is butter. Lots and lots of butter”


So finally after nearly two hours of prep I was ready. I decided to start with an easy recipe[1] and chose Julia Child’s classic take on this saucy staple (recipe follows).

The ingredients. Please note the packaged hollandaise sauce.
It was purchased as a back-up incase I totally destroyed the one I was making.

Wisking water and lemon juice into the eggs.
I used my Grandma's double boiler for this and put the pot on the simmer element.
Starting to thicken over the bath just the the directions said it would!
Thicker still. Any more and I'd have scrambled eggs.

Pouring in the 8oz of butter.
Adding salt, pepper and cayenne

eggs benedict
Eggs Benny!


The sauce was good. Not great, but not bad for a first try. I'd like to play around with flavours and consistancy next.


Ingredients

·  3 egg yolks
·  1 tablespoon water
·  1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, if needed (or more)
·  6 -8 ounces very soft unsalted butter
·  1 dash cayenne pepper
·  salt, to taste
·  fresh ground white pepper, to taste


Directions


  1. Whisk the yolks, water, and lemon juice in the saucepan for a few moments, until thick and pale (this prepares them for what is to come).
  2. Set the pan over moderately low heat and continue to whisk at reasonable speed, reaching all over the bottom and insides of the pan, where the eggs tend to overcook.
  3. To moderate the heat, frequently move the pan off the burner for a few seconds, and then back on. (If, by chance, the eggs seem to be cooking too fast, set the pan in the bowl of cold water to cool the bottom, then continue).
  4. As they cook, the eggs will become frothy and increase in volume, and then thicken. When you can see the pan bottom through the streaks of the whisk and the eggs are thick and smooth, remove from the heat.
  5. By spoonfuls, add the soft butter, whisking constantly to incorporate each addition. As the emulsion forms, you may add the butter in slightly larger amounts, always whisking until fully absorbed. Continue incorporating butter until the sauce has thickened to the consistency you want.
  6. Season lightly with salt, pepper, and a dash of cayenne pepper, whisking in well. Taste and adjust the seasoning, adding droplets of lemon juice if needed. Serve lukewarm.



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