Easy homemade Hollandaise sauce

Delicious with asparagus, eggs and so much more!

If you’re not a fan of asparagus, note that Hollandaise sauce is super delicious on many other vegetables as well – some of my favourites include roasted potatoes, cauliflower, broccoli, green beans, zucchini and sliced or roasted tomatoes. Hollandaise sauce can be enjoyed hot, warm or even at room temperature, though the warmer it is, the easier it will be to drizzle.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup (113 g) butter, heated
• 3 egg yolks
• 1 tablespoon (15 mL) freshly squeezed lemon Juice
• 1/2 teaspoon Dijon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Pinch cayenne pepper

Method

• Melt the butter in a microwave or a small pot on the stove until hot (not just melted)
• In a blender or a vessel suitable for use with an immersion blender, combine the egg yolks, lemon juice, Dijon, salt and cayenne – blend for about 5 seconds, until smooth.
• With the blender running, very slowly pour the hot butter into the egg yolk mixture. You should see the sauce become creamy and emulsified (so the butter is completely incorporated into the sauce, with no visible droplets).
• If you do run into problems (i.e., the sauce does not emulsify – or bind together – properly), the two most likely causes are that the butter was not hot enough or you did not drizzle it slowly enough into the egg yolks while blending. To remedy the problem, slowly add in 1-2 tablespoons (15 – 30 mL) of very hot water, a little bit at a time, with the blender running. Only add as much water as needed until the consistency is right. Alternatively, you can also add one additional egg yolk with a teaspoon of hot water, while the blender is running.
• Note that the sauce can be prepared in advance and refrigerated. It is best served hot or warm; to reheat it, place the Hollandaise sauce in a glass bowl, and microwave it in 15 second increments. Repeat this process until your sauce is fully warmed up.
• Alternatively, you can reheat it in a small pot, placed over low heat. If needed, at a few drops of very hot water to help it regain its smooth texture.
• Leftover sauce can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.

Makes approximately 1 cup (250 mL) of sauce.