How to Make Hollandaise Sauce

[Instructor] Making hollandaise sauce.

Hollandaise is a thick, rich,

egg-based sauce flavored with lemon juice.

It's used in dishes like eggs benedict,

and is also poured over vegetables,

like steamed asparagus or cauliflower.

We'll start by clarifying our butter.

Melt the butter in a heavy saucepan over moderate heat.

Be careful not to overheat your pan

and burn the butter, which is easy to do.

Now that our butter is completely melted,

we'll turn off the heat and let it stand for three minutes,

then we'll skim the foam from the top

of the butter, creating clarified butter.

Removing the foam helps the sauce to emulsify.

Now, we'll take egg yolks, a little water

to thin them, and lemon juice for flavor,

and whisk them together in a bowl.

Clip a thermometer to the side of the bowl

and set it on top of the saucepan.

You can use a double boiler for this,

but it's easy to make a makeshift one

with a saucepan and heat proof bowl.

We're going to the cook the eggs

over simmering water until they thicken.

They shouldn't be cooked solid.

Cook them just enough to thicken the sauce.

Keep whisking continuously, and incorporate

all the egg yolks by scraping

down the sides and bottom of your pot.

Otherwise, some parts of the mixture

could overcook and form lumps.

Cook the mixture until the thermometer

reaches 140 degrees Fahrenheit

and stays there for three and a half minutes.

At this temperature, the eggs will still be runny,

but they'll be safe to eat.

You'll know the mixture is done

when thin, pale ribbons form when you lift the whisk.

This should take about eight minutes total.

Now, we're going to finish the sauce with the melted butter.

Gradually, whisk the butter

into the sauce one teaspoon at a time.

As you whisk in the butter,

the sauce will thicken and get smooth and shiny.

Once it's done, add salt and pepper to taste.

The sauce can be made up to one hour

ahead of time and kept warm.

Be sure not to keep the sauce for more

than an hour, or bacteria could grow.

To serve, pour the sauce

into a sauce boat, or over the dish.

Enjoy your yummy, fresh hollandaise!