Hollandaise Sauce

I've always loved getting eggs Benedict when out for brunch. It's a special treat that I look forward too. I've had it in so many forms, the classic with English muffin, Canadian bacon, and poached egg, and even bread-less with crab, asparagus and poached egg. The thing all of them had in common?

Hollandaise sauce.

What is Hollandaise Sauce?

Well, it's an emulsion of egg yolks, lemon juice, spices, and hot melted butter. It creates a creamy and tangy sauce that's perfect for breakfast items or vegetable dishes.

There are several methods for making a hollandaise but the almost fool proof way to do it is with an emulsion blender (affiliate link). This method makes it less likely that the sauce will separate, which is yucky and no fun.

You want constant motion while adding the hot butter to the yolks so they emulsify properly. An emulsion blender, upright blender, food processor or hand mixer are all great for making Hollandaise.

You can make this sauce by hand whisking but it's a workout and you have a higher chance that the sauce will separate and I'd rather spend my time on the rest of the meal then hand whisk forever.

How to make Hollandaise Sauce

I have an emulsion blender that comes with a cup that fits it perfectly. I melt the butter in the microwave and add the remaining ingredients to the cup while it's melting.

Once its all melted and hot (being just melted isn't hot enough for the sauce, you want it bubbling hot) I dunk the blender in the cup and give it a spin to mix everything. Then, while the blender is still going, I pour in the hot butter and let the emulsion do it's thing.

Then it's' ready to pour on whatever you want.

How to fix Hollandaise Sauce

I've yet to have it happen using this method, but if your sauce separates there are two things you can try.

• Try adding an extra egg yolk and blend like crazy
• Try adding a TBS or two if boiling water and blend like crazy.

If these fail, bummer, you'll probably want to start over.

How to Store and Reheat Hollandaise Sauce

Hollandaise is best when it's freshly made and can be tricky to reheat, but it can be done sucsessfully.

To store- Place any leftover sauce in an airtight container and allow to cool completely. From there you can store it in the fridge for a few days or freeze it for a few weeks.

To reheat you can microwave the sauce in 10-15 second bursts, stirring between times, until warmed up.

Or you can reheat in a sauce pan over low heat with a teaspoon of water and butter in the pan.

The key to reheating is low and slow otherwise you'll cook the yolks which creates a gross and grainy sauce.

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