1.8: Hollandaise Based Sauces

The Hollandaise Family

Hollandaise is a sauce that is made by the emulsification of clarified butter into a sabayon or fluffy cooked egg yolks sauce.

It gets its name because when butter production slowed in France due to WWI it was imported from Holland. The name was changed to reflect the country of origin of the butter and never changed back.

Sauce hollandaise is French for "Dutch sauce". The name implies Dutch origins, but the actual connection is unclear. The name "Dutch sauce" is documented in English as early as 1573, though without a recipe showing that it was the same thing. The first documented recipe is from 1651 in La Varenne's: Le Cuisinier François for "asparagus with fragrant sauce":

"make a sauce with some good fresh butter, a little vinegar, salt, and nutmeg, and an egg yolk to bind the sauce; take care that it doesn't curdle"

Hollandaise and the small sauces derived from it are emulsified sauces. Egg yolks, which contain large amounts of lecithin, a natural emulsifier, are used to emulsify warm butter and a small amount of water, lemon juice or vinegar. When the egg yolks are vigorously whipped with the liquid while the warm butter is slowly added, the lecithin coats the individual fat droplets and holds them in suspension in the liquid.

A properly made hollandaise is smooth, buttery, pale non-yellow-colored and very rich. It is lump-free and should not exhibit any signs of separation. The buttery flavor should dominate but not mask the flavors of the egg, lemon and vinegar. The sauce should be frothy and light, not heavy like a mayonnaise.

Temperatures and Sanitation Concerns

Temperatures play an important role in the proper production of a hollandaise sauce. As the egg yolks and liquid are whisked together, they are cooked over a bain marie until they thicken Lo the consistency of slightly whipped cream. Do not overheat this mixture, because even slightly cooked eggs lose their ability to emulsify. The clarified butter used to make the sauce should be warm but not so hot as to further cook the egg yolks. Although hollandaise sauce can be made from whole butter, a more stable and consistent product will be achieved by using clarified butter.

Handling Emulsified Butter Sauces

• Emulsified butter sauces must be held at the specific temperatures most conducive to bacterial growth: 41°F- 135°F (5°C-57°C).
• If the sauce is heated above 150°F (65°C), the eggs will cook and the sauce will break and become grainy. If the sauce temperature falls below 45°F (7°C), the butter will solidify, making the sauce unusable. In order to minimize the risk of food-borne illnesses:
• Always use clean, sanitized utensils.
• Schedule sauce production as close to the time of service as possible. Never hold hollandaise-based sauces more than 1½ hours.
• Make small batches of sauce.
• Never mix an old batch of sauce with a new one.

Rescuing a Broken Hollandaise

Occasionally, a hollandaise will break or separate and appear thin, grainy or even lumpy. A sauce breaks when the emulsion has not formed or the emulsified butter, eggs and liquid have separated. This may happen for several reasons: The temperature of the eggs or butter may have been too high or too low; the butter may have been added too quickly; the egg yolks may have been overcooked; too much butter may have been added or the sauce may not have been whipped vigorously enough.

To rescue and re-emulsify broken hollandaise you must first determine whether it is too hot or too cold. If it is too hot, allow the sauce to cool. If it is too cold, reheat the sauce over a double boiler before attempting to rescue it.

For 1-quart (1 liter) of broken sauce, place 1 tablespoon 05 milliliters) water in a clean stainless steel bowl and slowly beat in the broken sauce. If the problem seems to be that the eggs were overcooked or too much butter was added, add a yolk to the water before incorporating the broken sauce.

Tips for Hollandaise

• The general rule is that an egg yolk can hold 8 ounces of clarified butter (or oil for mayo)
• You should whip the sabayon to ribbon stage
• The sauce must be held at below 150 degrees F (45-145) (If the yolks or the butter get too hot the eggs will curdle and cook and if below 45 the butter will start to solidify and your sauce will break
• If the yolks or clarified butter gets too cold your sauce will break when you place it on your hot food product.
• You can make a perfect hollandaise then put it in a place that is too hot or too cold and it will break
• Also because it is held at less than 150 degrees F. it by definition sits in the “Danger Zone” and should be only held for 2 hrs max.
• Flavoring agents or added ingredients need to be within proper temperatures
• If you add extra yolks to make it more stable it can become too heavy
• If you don’t have enough yolks for the amount of clarified butter it can break
• If you don’t slowly add the butter it will break
• If you add it too slowly it will break
• There are two schools of thought on a broken hollandaise. You can fix it or start over. Your choice usually depends on how seriously you take your sauce making and how quickly you need it.

Ingredients

1. Egg yolks - contain lecithin, a natural emulsifier. When egg yolks are whisked vigorously with a liquid (water and acid) while warm butter is added slowly, lecithin coats the fat droplets and holds them in a suspension.
2. Clarified butter - although whole butter can be used, clarified will provide a more stable sauce and traditionally is used.
3. Acid - Balances flavor and cuts through the fat
4. Water - helps stabilize the emulsion
5. Seasoning - flavor

Emulsification

• The process by which generally unmixable liquids, such as oil and water, are forced into a uniform distribution.
• Permanent - Mayonnaise (lasting several days or longer)
• Semi-permanent - Hollandaise (lasting a few hours)
• Temporary - Vinaigrette with no emulsifier in it (lasting briefly)

Techniques

• Double Boiler - heating with water that cannot exceed 212 degrees, instead of directly over the stove which can exceed 212 degrees. Used in temperature sensitive cooking.
• Tempering - gradually raising the temperature of a cold liquid such as eggs by slowly stirring in a hot liquid.
• Sabayon stage - actually a dessert sauce of egg yolks, sugar, and wine. It resembles a light fluffy sauce that when thick enough to form a ribbon when the whisk is lifted while whipping. The sabayon stage will be what you are looking for before adding clarified butter.

Hollandaise Sauce Recipe

Yield: 24 fl. oz. (750 ml)

• White peppercorns, crushed ½ tsp. (2 ml)
• White wine vinegar 3 fl. oz. (90 ml)
• Water 2 fl. oz. (60 ml)
• Egg yolks, pasteurized 6 (6)
• Lemon juice 1½ fl. oz. (45 ml)
• Clarified butter, warm 1 pt. (450 ml)
• Salt and white pepper TT (TT)
• Cayenne pepper TT (TT)

1. Combine the peppercorns, vinegar and water in a small saucepan and reduce by one-half.
2. Place the egg yolks in a stainless steel bowl. Strain the vinegar-and-pepper reduction through a chinois into the yolks. There should be ½ fluid ounce (15 milliliters) acidic reduction for each egg yolk used.
3. Place the bowl over a double boiler whipping the mixture continuously with a wire whip. As the yolks cook, the mixture will thicken. When the mixture is thick enough to leave a trail across the surface when the whip is drawn away, remove the bowl from the double boiler. Do not overcook the egg yolks.
4. Whip in 1 fluid ounce (30 milliliters) lemon juice to stop the yolks from cooking.
5. Begin to add the warm clarified butter to the egg yolk mixture a few drops at a time, while constantly whipping the mixture to form an emulsion. Once the emulsion is started, the butter may be added more quickly. Continue until all the butter is incorporated.
6. Whip in the remaining lemon juice. Adjust the seasonings.
7. Strain the sauce through cheesecloth if necessary and hold for service in a warm (not simmering) bain marie. This sauce may be held for approximately l to 1½ hours.

Hollandaise Blender Method

Yield: 1 qt. (1 lt.)

• Egg yolks, pasteurized 9 (9)
• Water, warm 3 fl. oz. (90 ml)
• Lemon juice l fl. oz. (30 ml)
• Cayenne pepper TT (TT)
• Salt 1 tsp. (5 ml)
• White pepper ¼ tsp. (1 ml)
• Tabasco sauce TT (TT)
• Whole butter 24 oz. (750 g)

1. Place the egg yolks, water, lemon juice, cayenne pepper, salt, white pepper and Tabasco sauce in the bowl of the blender. Cover and blend on high speed for approximately 5 seconds.
2. Heat the butter to approximately 175°F (80°C). This allows the butter to cook the yolks as it is added to them.
3. Turn the blender on and immediately begin to add the butter in a steady stream. Incorporate all the butter in 20 to 30 seconds. Adjust the seasonings.
4. If any lumps are present, strain the sauce through a mesh strainer. Transfer the sauce to a stainless steel container and adjust the seasonings. Hold for service in a bain marie, remembering the sanitation precautions discussed earlier.

Small Hollandaise Sauces

The following small sauces are easily made by adding the listed ingredients to 1-quart (l liter) hollandaise. The final step for each recipe is to season to taste with salt and pepper. Bearnaise is presented here as a small sauce although some chefs consider it a leading sauce.

BEARNAISE - Combine 2- ounces (60 grams) chopped shallots, 5 tablespoons (75 milliliters) chopped fresh tarragon, 3 tablespoons (45 milliliters) chopped fresh chervil and 1-teaspoon (5 milliliters) crushed peppercorns with 8 fluid ounces (250 milliliters) white wine vinegar. Reduce to 2 fluid ounces (60 milliliters). Acid this reduction to the egg yolks and proceed with the hollandaise recipe. Strain the finished sauce and season to taste with salt and cayenne pepper. Garnish with additional chopped fresh tarragon.

CHORON - Combine 2-ounces (60 grams) tomato paste and 2 fluid ounces (60 milliliters) heavy cream; acid the mixture to a bearnaise.

FOYOT - Add to bearnaise 3 fluid ounces (90 milliliters) melted glace deviande.

GRIMROD - Infuse a hollandaise sauce with saffron.

MALTAISE - Add to hollandaise 2 fluid ounces (60 milliliters) orange juice and 2 teaspoons (10 milliliters) finely grated orange zest. Blood oranges are traditionally used for this sauce.

MOUSSELINE (CHANTILLY SAUCE) - Whip 8 fluid ounces (250 milliliters) heavy cream until stiff. Fold it into the hollandaise just before service. Mousseline sauce is also used as a glaze coating.

Beurre Blanc and Beurre Rouge

Beurre blanc and beurre rouge are emulsified butter sauces made without egg yolks. The small amounts of lecithin and other emulsifiers naturally found in butter are used to form an oil-in-water emulsion. Although similar to hollandaise in concept, they are not considered either classic leading or compound sauces. Beurre blancs are thinner and lighter than hollandaise and bearnaise. They should be smooth and slightly thicker than heavy cream.

Beurre blanc and beurre rouge are made from three main ingredients: shallots, white (Fr. blanc) wine or red (Fr. rouge) wine and whole butter (not clarified). The shallots and wine provide flavor, while the butter becomes the sauce. A good beurre blanc or beurre rouge is rich and buttery, with a neutral flavor that responds well to other seasonings and flavorings, there by lending itself to the addition of herbs, spices and vegetable purees to complement the dish with which it is served. Its pale color changes depending on the flavorings added. It should be light and airy yet still liquid, while thick enough to cling to food.

Preparing Beurre Blanc or Beurre Rouge

1. Use a non-aluminum pan to prevent discoloring the sauce. Do not use a thin-walled or nonstick pan, as heat is not evenly distributed in a thin-walled pan and a nonstick pan makes it difficult for an emulsion to set.
2. Over medium heat, reduce the wine, shallots and herbs or other seasonings, if used, until au sec (that is, nearly dry). Some chefs add a small amount of heavy cream at this point and reduce the mixture.
3. Although not necessary, the added cream helps stabilize the finished sauce.
4. Whisk in cold butter a small amount at a time. The butter should be well chilled, as this allows the butterfat, water and milk solids to be gradually incorporated into the sauce as the butter melts and the mixture is whisked.
5. When all the butter is incorporated, strain and hold the sauce in a bain-marie.

Temperature

Do not let the sauce become too hot. At 136°F (58° C), some of the emulsifying proteins begin to break down and release the butterfat they hold in emulsion. Extended periods at temperatures over 136°F (58°C) will cause the sauce to separate. If the sauce separates, it can be corrected by cooling to approximately J10°F - 120 °F (43°C-49°C) and whisking to re incorporate the butterfat.

If the sauce is allowed to cool below 85°F (30°C), the butterfat will solidify. If the sauce is reheated, it will separate into butterfat and water; whisking will not re-emulsify it. Cold beurre blanc can be used as a soft, flavored butter, however, simply by whisking it at room temperature until it smooths out to the consistency of mayonnaise.

Beurre Blanc Recipe

Yield: 1 qt. (1 lt)

• White wine 1 fl. oz. (30 ml)
• White wine vinegar 4 fl. oz. (120 ml)
• Salt l ½ tsp. (7 ml)
• White pepper 1/8 tsp. (2 ml)
• Shallot, minced 1 oz. (30 g)
• Whole butter, chilled 2 lb. (1 kg)

1. Combine the white wine, white wine vinegar salt, white pepper and shallot in a small saucepan. Reduce the mixture until approximately 2-tablespoons (30 milliliters) of liquid remain. If more than 2-tablespoons of liquid are allowed to remain, the resulting sauce will be too thin. For a thicker sauce, reduce the mixture au sec.
2. Cut the butter into pieces approximately 1 ounce (30 grams) in weight. Over low heat, whisk in the butter a few pieces at a time, using the chilled butter to keep the sauce between 100°F and 120°F (38°C and 49°C).
3. Once all the butter has been incorporated, remove the saucepan from the heat. Strain through a chinois and hold the sauce at a temperature between 100°F and 130°F (38°C and 54°C) for service.

Variations

Beurre Rouge - Substitute a dry red wine for the white wine and red wine vinegar for the white wine vinegar.

Lemon-Dill - Heat 2-tablespoons (30 milliliters) lemon juice and whisk it into the beurre blanc. Stir in 4 tablespoons (60 milliliters) chopped fresh dill.

Pink Peppercorn - Add 2-tablespoons (30 milliliters) coarsely crushed pink peppercorns to the shallot-wine reduction when making beurre rouge. Garnish the finished sauce with whole pink peppercorns.

Compound Butters

A compound butter is made by incorporating various seasonings into softened whole butter. These butters, also known as beurres composes give flavor and color to small sauces or may be served as sauces in their own right. For ex ample, a slice of maître' D’ hotel butter (parsley butter) is often placed on a grilled steak or piece of fish at the time of service. The butter quickly melts, creating a sauce for the beef or fish.

Butter and flavoring ingredients can be combined with a blender, food processor or mixer. Using parchment paper or plastic wrap, the butter is then rolled into a cylinder, chilled and sliced as needed. It can be piped into rosettes and refrigerated until firm. Most compound butters will keep for two to three days in the refrigerator, or they can be frozen for longer storage.

Recipes for Compound Butters

For each of the following butters, add the listed ingredients to 1 pound (500 grams) of softened, unsalted butter. The compound butter should then be seasoned with salt and pepper to taste.

BASIL BUTTER - Mince 2 ounces (60 grams) basil and 2 ounces (60 grams) shallots; add to the butter with 2-teaspoons (10 milliliters) lemon juice.

HERB BUTTER - Add to the butter up to 1-cup (250 milliliters) mixed chopped fresh herbs such as parsley, dill, chives, tarragon or chervil.

LOBSTER OR CRAYFISH BUTTER - Grind 8 ounces (250 grams) cooked lobster or crayfish meat, shells and/or coral with 1-pound (500 grams) butter. Place in a saucepan and clarify. Strain the butter through a fine chinois lined with cheesecloth. Refrigerate, and then remove the butterfat when firm.

MAITRE D'HOTEL BUTTER - Mix into the butter 4-tablespoons (60 milliliters) finely chopped parsley, 3 tablespoons (45 milliliters) lemon juice and a dash of ,white pepper.

MONTPELIER BUTTER - Blanch 1-ounce (30 grams) parsley, 1-ounce (30 grams) chervil, 1-ounce (30 grams) watercress and 1-ounce (30 grams) tarragon in boiling water. Drain thoroughly. Mince two hard-boiled egg yolks, 2 garlic cloves and 2 gherkin pickles. Blend everything into the butter.

RED PEPPER BUTTER - Puree 8-ounces (250 grams) roasted, peeled reel bell peppers until liquid, then acid to the butter.

SHALLOT BUTTER - Blanch 8-ounces (250 grams) peeled shallots in boiling water. Dry and finely dice them and mix with the butter.

Hollandaise sauce plate up examples. Photo Credit: Amelie Zeringue