Hollandaise Sauce

Name: Hollandaise Sauce
Total time: 19 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: french
Ingredients: 225 g Unsalted butter; 6 piece white peppercorns; 2 tbsp White wine vinegar; 30 ml Water; 4 piece Egg yolks; 500 ml Water; 0.5 piece Lemon; 1 pinch Salt; 1 pinch Cayenne pepper

19 min · 15 min active · makes ~895 ml · Trivial

A silky emulsion of egg yolks and unsalted butter sharpened with white wine vinegar and lemon, finished with a pinch of cayenne.

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Hollandaise Sauce

A silky emulsion of egg yolks and unsalted butter sharpened with white wine vinegar and lemon, finished with a pinch of cayenne.

See more →

TOTAL TIME

19 min

ACTIVE TIME

15 min

QUANTITY

~895 ml

DIFFICULTY

Trivial

CUISINE

—

Who’s eating

People here are for suitability — allergies, preferences and what to watch for. Portion sizing is off for this recipe.

Portions & fullness

Ingredients0/8

Tools0/10

Ingredients

0/8 gathered · 4 servings

225g

6piece

2tbsp

530ml

4piece

0.5piece

1pinch

#	Quantity	Notes	State
1	225g	—	—
2	6piece	—	—
3	2tbsp	—	—
4	530ml	—	—
5	4piece	—	—
6	0.5piece	—	—
7	1pinch	—	—
8	1pinch	—	—

Tools

12 items

Serveware

1 item

Procedure

21 steps

1 of 21

Put the butter into the small saucepan.

Unsalted butter · 225 g

⏱ 10s

ResultUnsalted butter

2 of 21

Set the pan over a low heat and melt the butter gently, then let it sit for a minute off the heat so the white solids sink to the bottom — you will spoon from the clear yellow fat on top.

⏱ 3 min

ResultMelted butterused in step 17

3 of 21

Put the white peppercorns into the small bowl.

White peppercorns · 6 piece

⏱ 5s

ResultWhite peppercorns

4 of 21

Crack the peppercorns lightly with the pestle so they are bruised and split but not ground to powder.

⏱ 20s

ResultCracked white peppercornsused in step 6

5 of 21

Pour the white wine vinegar into the second small saucepan.

White wine vinegar · 2 tbsp

⏱ 5s

ResultWhite wine vinegar

6 of 21

Tip the cracked peppercorns into the saucepan with the vinegar.

Cracked white peppercorns · step 4

⏱ 5s

ResultCracked white peppercorns and White wine vinegar

7 of 21

Add the water to the saucepan.

Water · 30 ml

⏱ 5s

ResultCracked white peppercorns and White wine vinegar and water

8 of 21

Bring the liquid to a brisk simmer over a medium heat and let it reduce until only about one tablespoon of liquid remains in the pan.

⏱ 2 min

ResultPeppercorn reduction

9 of 21

Pour the reduction through a fine sieve into the heatproof bowl, pressing the peppercorns to extract every drop, then discard the solids.

Peppercorn reduction · step 8

⏱ 20s

ResultStrained reduction

10 of 21

Add the egg yolks to the bowl with the reduction.

Egg yolks · 4 piece

⏱ 10s

ResultStrained reduction and egg yolks

11 of 21

Whisk the yolks and reduction together vigorously until the mixture is smooth and slightly paler.

⏱ 30s

ResultWhisked yolks and reduction

12 of 21

Pour water into the saucepan to a depth of about 5 cm to make a bain-marie.

Water · 500 ml

⏱ 10s

ResultWater

13 of 21

Bring the water to a gentle simmer over a medium heat, then reduce to low so it barely trembles.

⏱ 2 min

ResultSimmering water

14 of 21

Set the heatproof bowl over the saucepan of simmering water, making sure the base of the bowl does not touch the water.

Simmering water · step 13

⏱ 5s

ResultWhisked yolks and reduction

15 of 21

Whisk the yolk mixture continuously over the gentle heat, moving the whisk in large circles and figure-of-eights, until the mixture thickens enough to leave a clear ribbon trail when the whisk is lifted and has approximately doubled in volume — about 4 to 5 minutes.

⏱ 5 min

ResultThick sabayon

16 of 21

Lift the bowl off the pan and set it on the counter to hold it steady.

⏱ 5s

ResultThick sabayon

17 of 21

Spoon in the clear clarified butter drop by drop at first, whisking constantly, then in a thin, slow stream as the sauce thickens and emulsifies — leave the milky solids at the bottom of the saucepan behind.

Melted butter · step 2

⏱ 3 min

ResultEmulsified hollandaise

18 of 21

Squeeze the lemon and add the juice to the sauce, tasting as you go.

Lemon · 0.5 piece

⏱ 15s

ResultEmulsified hollandaise and lemon

19 of 21

Season the sauce with a pinch of salt and stir gently to combine.

Salt · 1 pinch

⏱ 10s

ResultSeasoned hollandaise

20 of 21

Pour the hollandaise into a warm jug and serve straight away; don't let it boil or it will split.

Seasoned hollandaise · step 19

⏱ 10s

ResultPoured hollandaise

21 of 21

Dust a pinch of cayenne over the surface of the sauce in the jug.

Cayenne pepper · 1 pinch

⏱ 5s

ResultHollandaise Sauce

Total Time19 min

#	Product	Action
1	225 g	Put the butter into the small saucepan.⏱ 10sResultUnsalted butter
2	—	Set the pan over a low heat and melt the butter gently, then let it sit for a minute off the heat so the white solids sink to the bottom — you will spoon from the clear yellow fat on top.⏱ 3 minResultMelted butterused in step 17
3	6 piece	Put the white peppercorns into the small bowl.⏱ 5sResultWhite peppercorns
4	—	Crack the peppercorns lightly with the pestle so they are bruised and split but not ground to powder.⏱ 20sResultCracked white peppercornsused in step 6
5	2 tbsp	Pour the white wine vinegar into the second small saucepan.⏱ 5sResultWhite wine vinegar
6	Cracked white peppercornsstep 4	Tip the cracked peppercorns into the saucepan with the vinegar.⏱ 5sResultCracked white peppercorns and White wine vinegar
7	30 ml	Add the water to the saucepan.⏱ 5sResultCracked white peppercorns and White wine vinegar and water
8	—	Bring the liquid to a brisk simmer over a medium heat and let it reduce until only about one tablespoon of liquid remains in the pan.⏱ 2 minResultPeppercorn reduction
9	Peppercorn reductionstep 8	Pour the reduction through a fine sieve into the heatproof bowl, pressing the peppercorns to extract every drop, then discard the solids.⏱ 20sResultStrained reduction
10	4 piece	Add the egg yolks to the bowl with the reduction.⏱ 10sResultStrained reduction and egg yolks
11	—	Whisk the yolks and reduction together vigorously until the mixture is smooth and slightly paler.⏱ 30sResultWhisked yolks and reduction
12	500 ml	Pour water into the saucepan to a depth of about 5 cm to make a bain-marie.⏱ 10sResultWater
13	—	Bring the water to a gentle simmer over a medium heat, then reduce to low so it barely trembles.⏱ 2 minResultSimmering water
14	Simmering waterstep 13	Set the heatproof bowl over the saucepan of simmering water, making sure the base of the bowl does not touch the water.⏱ 5sResultWhisked yolks and reduction
15	—	Whisk the yolk mixture continuously over the gentle heat, moving the whisk in large circles and figure-of-eights, until the mixture thickens enough to leave a clear ribbon trail when the whisk is lifted and has approximately doubled in volume — about 4 to 5 minutes.⏱ 5 minResultThick sabayon
16	—	Lift the bowl off the pan and set it on the counter to hold it steady.⏱ 5sResultThick sabayon
17	Melted butterstep 2	Spoon in the clear clarified butter drop by drop at first, whisking constantly, then in a thin, slow stream as the sauce thickens and emulsifies — leave the milky solids at the bottom of the saucepan behind.⏱ 3 minResultEmulsified hollandaise
18	0.5 piece	Squeeze the lemon and add the juice to the sauce, tasting as you go.⏱ 15sResultEmulsified hollandaise and lemon
19	1 pinch	Season the sauce with a pinch of salt and stir gently to combine.⏱ 10sResultSeasoned hollandaise
20	Seasoned hollandaisestep 19	Pour the hollandaise into a warm jug and serve straight away; don't let it boil or it will split.⏱ 10sResultPoured hollandaise
21	1 pinch	Dust a pinch of cayenne over the surface of the sauce in the jug.⏱ 5sResultHollandaise Sauce
Total Time		19 min

Serving

Not served on its own — it goes into or alongside other dishes. Keep it until it is needed.

Nutrition

per 100 g

Estimated · pre-cooking · 89% ingredients covered

Nutrient	Per 100 g
	214kcal
	2g
	23g
	14g
	0.8g
	0.2g
	0.1g
	26mg

Ingredients0/8

Tools0/10

Recipe

Hollandaise Sauce

A silky emulsion of egg yolks and unsalted butter sharpened with white wine vinegar and lemon, finished with a pinch of cayenne.

What you’ll doYou will clarify butter and reduce vinegar with peppercorns to a syrup, then whisk egg yolks over gentle heat until they thicken and nearly double in volume. Off the heat, you will whisk in the clarified butter drop by drop until the sauce emulsifies, then finish with lemon juice and seasoning.

Serves4

Total19 min

LevelMedium

Ingredients

Unsalted butter225 g
White peppercorns6 piece
White wine vinegar2 tbsp
Water530 ml
Egg yolks4 piece
Lemon0.5 piece
Salt1 pinch
Cayenne pepper1 pinch

Tools

SpoonSieveSaucepanPestle and mortarSmall bowlSauce jugButter saucepan (small saucepan)Peppercorn reduction saucepan (small saucepan)Citrus juicerWhiskHeatproof bowlMortar pestle

Method

Put the butter into the small saucepan.

10sButter saucepan (small saucepan)Unsalted butter · 225 g

Set the pan over a low heat and melt the butter gently, then let it sit for a minute off the heat so the white solids sink to the bottom — you will spoon from the clear yellow fat on top.

Result · Melted butter · used in step 17

3 minButter saucepan (small saucepan)

Put the white peppercorns into the small bowl.

5sSmall bowlWhite peppercorns · 6 piece

Crack the peppercorns lightly with the pestle so they are bruised and split but not ground to powder.

Result · Cracked white peppercorns · used in step 6

20sSmall bowl, Mortar pestle

Pour the white wine vinegar into the second small saucepan.

5sPeppercorn reduction saucepan (small saucepan)White wine vinegar · 2 tbsp

Tip the cracked peppercorns into the saucepan with the vinegar.

5sPeppercorn reduction saucepan (small saucepan)Cracked white peppercorns · step 4

Add the water to the saucepan.

5sPeppercorn reduction saucepan (small saucepan)Water · 30 ml

Bring the liquid to a brisk simmer over a medium heat and let it reduce until only about one tablespoon of liquid remains in the pan.

2 minPeppercorn reduction saucepan (small saucepan)

Pour the reduction through a fine sieve into the heatproof bowl, pressing the peppercorns to extract every drop, then discard the solids.

20sHeatproof bowl, SievePeppercorn reduction · step 8

Add the egg yolks to the bowl with the reduction.

10sHeatproof bowlEgg yolks · 4 piece

Whisk the yolks and reduction together vigorously until the mixture is smooth and slightly paler.

30sHeatproof bowl, Whisk

Pour water into the saucepan to a depth of about 5 cm to make a bain-marie.

10sSaucepanWater · 500 ml

Bring the water to a gentle simmer over a medium heat, then reduce to low so it barely trembles.

2 minSaucepan

Set the heatproof bowl over the saucepan of simmering water, making sure the base of the bowl does not touch the water.

5sHeatproof bowl, SaucepanSimmering water · step 13

5 minHeatproof bowl, Whisk

Lift the bowl off the pan and set it on the counter to hold it steady.

5sHeatproof bowl, Saucepan

3 minHeatproof bowl, SpoonMelted butter · step 2

Squeeze the lemon and add the juice to the sauce, tasting as you go.

15sHeatproof bowl, Citrus juicerLemon · 0.5 piece

Season the sauce with a pinch of salt and stir gently to combine.

10sHeatproof bowlSalt · 1 pinch

Pour the hollandaise into a warm jug and serve straight away; don't let it boil or it will split.

10sSauce jugSeasoned hollandaise · step 19

Dust a pinch of cayenne over the surface of the sauce in the jug.

Result · Hollandaise Sauce

5sSauce jugCayenne pepper · 1 pinch

Printed 11 October 2026