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Hollandaise Sauce

Vegetarian
Gluten free

A rich, buttery sauce with a gentle sharpness from lemon and a little warmth from cayenne. It comes together quickly over gentle heat and turns simple things like poached eggs or steamed vegetables into something special. Best made just before serving.

An original recipe by Jamie, created in collaboration with AI. The drawing is AI too.

Time: 15 min
Effort: Low
Steps: 5

2 of the steps have a timer you can start with one tap.

Pencil drawing of Hollandaise Sauce

Ingredients

4 to feed

3 whole egg yolks
15 g water
15 g lemon juice
200 g unsalted butter
2 g flaky sea salt
1 g white pepper
0.5 g cayenne pepper

Worked out from the ingredients as written. Packets vary, so check the labels if it matters to you.

How it goes

PrepSet up the double boiler · Separate and melt
CookBuild the emulsion base · Stream in the butter
FinishSeason and serve

Method

Set up the double boiler
Fill your medium saucepan with about 4–5 cm of water and bring to a gentle simmer. Prepare your heatproof bowl so it sits over the saucepan without the base touching the water.
Separate and melt
Separate 3 egg yolks into your heatproof bowl — discard whites or save for another use. Melt 200g butter gently in a small saucepan over low heat. Once melted, set aside to cool slightly — you want it warm, not boiling hot. Squeeze and measure out 15g total lemon juice (10g for the base, 5g for finishing).
Build the emulsion base
Place the heatproof bowl over the gently simmering water. Add the 3 egg yolks, 15g cold water, and 10g lemon juice. Whisk continuously for 3–4 minutes until the mixture is pale, thick, and has doubled in volume — it should leave a ribbon trail when you lift the whisk.
Stream in the butter
Remove the bowl from the heat. Very slowly — drop by drop at first — pour in the warm melted butter (200g) while whisking constantly. Once the sauce begins to thicken and emulsify (after the first quarter is in), increase to a thin, steady stream. Keep whisking until all butter is incorporated and the sauce is thick and glossy — it should coat the back of a spoon and hold a trail from the whisk.
Season and serve
Season the hollandaise with 2g salt, 1g white pepper, and an extra squeeze of 5g lemon juice to taste. Add a pinch of cayenne if using. Serve immediately while warm — hollandaise is best fresh.