A classic French white sauce with a smooth, glossy body and gentle depth from milk infused with bay and black peppercorn, finished with nutmeg, white pepper and flaked sea salt. Made thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, the way lasagne and gratins want it; for a thinner pouring sauce, whisk in a little more milk at the end.
500ml
1piece
6piece
40g
40g
1pinch
0.5tsp
1pinch| # | Product | Quantity | Notes | State | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | | 500ml | — | — | |
| 2 | | 1piece | — | — | |
| 3 | | 6piece | — | — | |
| 4 | | 40g | — | — | |
| 5 | | 40g | — | — | |
| 6 | | 1pinch | — | — | |
| 7 | | 0.5tsp | — | — | |
| 8 | | 1pinch | — | — |
Pour the milk into the saucepan.
Whole milk · 500 ml
Drop the bay leaf into the milk.
Bay leaf · 1 pieceAdd the whole peppercorns to the milk.
Black peppercorns · 6 pieceSet the pan over a medium heat and bring the milk just to the boil, watching so it does not foam over.
Take the pan off the heat and leave the milk to infuse with the bay and pepper.
Pour the milk through the sieve into the jug, leaving the bay leaf and peppercorns behind in the sieve.
Put the butter in the medium saucepan.
Unsalted butter · 40 g
Melt the butter over a low heat until it foams gently.
Tip the flour into the melted butter.
Plain flour · 40 gStir the flour and butter together with the wooden spoon over a low heat until it forms a smooth, sandy paste that smells biscuity.
Pour the strained milk into the roux a little at a time.
Whisk constantly as the milk goes in so no lumps form, until the sauce is smooth.
Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer and cook, whisking often, until it thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.
Grate a pinch of nutmeg into the sauce.
Nutmeg · 1 pinchAdd the salt.
Flaked sea salt · 0.5 tspAdd the white pepper.
White pepper · 1 pinchWhisk the seasoning evenly through the sauce.
Ladle the sauce into the serving bowl.
| # | Product | Tool | Action |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 500 ml | | Pour the milk into the saucepan.⏱ 10sResultWhole milk |
| 2 | 1 piece | | Drop the bay leaf into the milk.⏱ 5sResultWhole milk and bay leaf |
| 3 | 6 piece | | Add the whole peppercorns to the milk.⏱ 5sResultWhole milk and bay leaf and black peppercorns |
| 4 | — | | Set the pan over a medium heat and bring the milk just to the boil, watching so it does not foam over.⏱ 4 minResultScalded infused milk |
| 5 | — | | Take the pan off the heat and leave the milk to infuse with the bay and pepper.⏱ 5 minResultInfused milk |
| 6 | Infused milkstep 5 | | Pour the milk through the sieve into the jug, leaving the bay leaf and peppercorns behind in the sieve.⏱ 30sResultStrained infused milkused in step 11 |
| 7 | 40 g | | Put the butter in the medium saucepan.⏱ 5sResultUnsalted butter |
| 8 | — | | Melt the butter over a low heat until it foams gently.⏱ 2 minResultMelted butter |
| 9 | 40 g | | Tip the flour into the melted butter.⏱ 5sResultUncooked roux |
| 10 | — | | Stir the flour and butter together with the wooden spoon over a low heat until it forms a smooth, sandy paste that smells biscuity.⏱ 2 minResultPale roux |
| 11 | Strained infused milkstep 6 | | Pour the strained milk into the roux a little at a time.⏱ 30sResultPale roux and strained infused milk |
| 12 | — | | Whisk constantly as the milk goes in so no lumps form, until the sauce is smooth.⏱ 3 minResultSmooth sauce base |
| 13 | — | | Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer and cook, whisking often, until it thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.⏱ 5 minResultThickened béchamel |
| 14 | 1 pinch | | Grate a pinch of nutmeg into the sauce.⏱ 5sResultThickened béchamel and nutmeg |
| 15 | 0.5 tsp | | Add the salt.⏱ 5sResultThickened béchamel and nutmeg and flaked sea salt |
| 16 | 1 pinch | | Add the white pepper.⏱ 5sResultThickened béchamel and nutmeg mixture |
| 17 | — | | Whisk the seasoning evenly through the sauce.⏱ 30sResultSeasoned béchamel sauce |
| 18 | Seasoned béchamel saucestep 17 | | Ladle the sauce into the serving bowl.⏱ 30sResultSeasoned béchamel sauce |
| Total Time | 24 min | ||
Not served on its own — it goes into or alongside other dishes. Keep it until it is needed.
| Nutrient | Per 100 g |
|---|---|
| 126kcal | |
| 4g | |
| 8g | |
| 5g | |
| 9g | |
| 4g | |
| 0.2g | |
| 238mg |
A classic French white sauce with a smooth, glossy body and gentle depth from milk infused with bay and black peppercorn, finished with nutmeg, white pepper and flaked sea salt. Made thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, the way lasagne and gratins want it; for a thinner pouring sauce, whisk in a little more milk at the end.
What you’ll doYou will infuse milk with bay and peppercorns, then strain it. In a separate pan, you will cook flour and butter into a paste, gradually whisk in the strained milk to avoid lumps, and simmer until it coats the back of a spoon. Season with nutmeg, salt, and white pepper before serving.
