First, gather together the following ingredients:
- 2 Egg Yolks
- 1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice (Plus 1 Teaspoon Extra as Needed)
- 6 Tablespoons Butter (Unsalted)
- 6 Tablespoons Heavy Cream
- Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper (To Taste)
Recipe:
- Heat water in a medium-sized saucepan to boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and place a glass or stainless steel bowl on top of the simmering water. This creates a homemade double boiler.
- Whisk the egg yolks and lemon juice together the double boiler until thick and fluffy (about 5 minutes).
- In a separate bowl, cream the butter using a wooden spoon. This softens and lightens the butter.
- Whisk the butter into the thickened egg yolk mixture one tablespoon at a time. Whisk the butter until fully incorporated before adding the next tablespoon.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the heavy cream until it coagulates and forms stiff peaks. Fold this mixture into the warm sauce. Adjust the seasoning and add a little extra lemon juice if needed.
Tips:
The egg yolks are cooked when a thick ribbon falls from the whisk and lays on the surface of the mixture for a few seconds before falling into it. Cooking times vary wildly from kitchen to kitchen, so use this trick to help determine doneness.
If the egg yolks thicken too much, then your double boiler is producing too much heat. Simply remove the bowl from the simmering water and stir in one or two ice cubes to cool down the mixture.
Do not over work the heavy cream into the sauce. It will lose its consistency and create a much looser sauce that will not be nearly as luscious as it could be. If the heavy cream is over whipped, then the sauce must be remade.
If adding other ingredients to create different variations, then make sure that the ingredients are at or below the temperature of the prepared sauce. If they are too hot, then the sauce will break and it will have to be remade.
This sauce does not store well. Serve immediately or discard.
Variations:
- For an extremely lavish variation stir in two or three tablespoons of caviar before serving. This version is great served over lobster or expensive white fish.
- Add I tablespoon of cayenne pepper for a spicier version that is good served over fish or chicken.
- Blend in 3 ounces of thawed frozen spinach, 2 ounces of chopped artichoke hearts, and 2 tablespoons of sundried tomatoes for an interesting dip.
- Add cooked crabmeat to the above variation for an even better dip.
Brian Smith - I have loved cooking since I was a little boy. While other kids watched cartoons on Saturday morning, I watched Julia Childs and Graham ...
