Why is my blender hollandaise not thickening?

How do you fix a runny hollandaise? Blenders tend to make runny hollandaise - it's usually because the butter was too cold and hasn't cooked the eggs enough to thicken them. To thicken a runny hollandaise, tip the mixture into a heatproof bowl set over simmering water and whisk over the heat until thickened .

What is the basic formula for hollandaise?

In a small bowl, whisk together egg yolks, lemon juice, cold water, salt and pepper . Melt butter in a saucepan over low heat. Gradually whisk yolk mixture into butter. Continue whisking over low heat for 8 minutes, or until sauce is thickened.

How do you make Ina Garten hollandaise sauce in a blender?

Melt the butter in a small sauce pan. Place the egg yolks, lemon juice, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, 3/4 teaspoon pepper and cayenne in the jar of a blender. Blend for 15 seconds. With the blender running, slowly pour the hot butter into the blender and blend for 30 seconds, until the sauce is thick.

How to make Gordon Ramsay's hollandaise sauce?

For the hollandaise sauce 3 large egg yolks. Squeeze of lemon juice, plus extra to taste. 200ml olive oil. 2 tbsp chopped tarragon. Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.

How do you fix sauce that is not thickening?

Add about 1 tablespoon of cornflour per cup of sauce but don't dump it straight in or it will clump. Instead, make a mixture with equal parts cornflour and cold water and whisk this into your sauce.

What is a sister sauce to hollandaise?

The sister sauces include: Béarnaise = hollandaise + shallots + tarragon + chervil + peppercorns + white wine vinegar. Chantilly = hollandaise + whipped heavy cream. The tomato sauce is classically served with pasta, fish, vegetables, polenta, veal, poultry, bread, and dumplings such as gnocchi.

Does butter thicken hollandaise sauce?

This can save the hollandaise sauce! Once all the butter is incorporated you should have a smooth, thickened sauce . Loosen the mixture with some white wine vinegar if needed.

What is the main ingredients and thickening agent in a hollandaise sauce?

Hollandaise is an emulsified sauce in which egg yolks serve as both the emulsifier, and the thickening agent. The finale consistency of your sauce will be determined by how much fat is emulsified in and how much the egg yolks are cooked. The more you cook the egg yolks, the thicker your hollandaise will be.

What is a common mistake with hollandaise sauce?

Hollandaise Sauce One common hollandaise mistake is overcooking the egg yolks , and there's no coming back from that. But the most common problem is that the emulsion breaks, and you see streaks of liquid butter instead of a uniformly creamy sauce.

What to avoid in cooking hollandaise sauce?

"But there are a lot of ways things can go wrong. If you don't whisk fast enough or pour in your butter too fast it'll turn greasy and broken. Don't cook the eggs enough and it won't thicken properly. If you cook the eggs too much and you'll end up with clumpy, greasy, scrambled eggs.

What are the 5 mother sauces of hollandaise sauce?

The five French mother sauces are béchamel, velouté, espagnole, hollandaise, and tomato .

How do you thicken sauce in a blender?

Blender Sauce Tips You can thicken a watery sauce by adding flour, a cornstarch slurry, tomato paste or butter depending on the recipe you're using, or heat the sauce to evaporate some of the excess liquid.

Why won t my hollandaise emulsify?

If the heat is too high, the egg yolks will curdle and the sauce will become grainy. When a sauce splits, this means that the fat has separated from the egg foam (the sauce has lost its emulsion). The result will look thin, greasy, and lumpy.

Julia Child's Easy Blender Hollandaise Sauce (2024)

April 30, 2021 by Tori Avey 97 Comments

Rich, creamy, decadent hollandaise sauce is simply irresistible. Hollandaise seems to brighten every dish it touches. It’s the perfect topping for eggs Benedict, poached eggs, and other brunch dishes. It’s lovely on salmon, artichokes, asparagus, and other poached vegetables. The trouble is, it can be tricky to make a proper hollandaise. Emulsified sauces take a certain touch (and a lot of upper arm strength) to get right. This hollandaise recipe, made in the blender using Julia Child’s classic technique, is as close to easy as it gets.

A few years ago, I bought myself a birthday present: Julia Child’s “Mastering the Art of French Cooking.” Julia wrote the book together with Louisette Bertholle and Simone Beck. There’s a terrific little recipe in Volume 1, a simple method for creating hollandaise sauce.

Emulsified sauces like hollandaise can be finicky. To emulsify means to combine two liquids that can’t normally be mixed together (like oil and lemon juice). For the liquids to combine, you need the proper technique. Hollandaise is no exception. It takes a lot of elbow grease and a skilled touch to create a proper hollandaise. Separation can easily occur, making the sauce a flop. Luckily, Julia and friends have given us a much easier method for making hollandaise using an electric blender.

I’ve shared Julia’s original recipe below, with my own notes and adaptations marked. The method is very simple. As she notes, “the technique is well within the capabilities of an 8-year-old child.” I love Julia’s recipe, but I do make a few minor adjustments. I use cayenne pepper (instead of black or white pepper). Cayenne is spicy and adds a nice little kick to the sauce. I also use more fresh lemon juice because I like a nice, bright, lemony flavor. Feel free to adjust to your own tastes.

Note: this sauce is made using raw egg yolks, which should only be consumed by certain individuals. See detailed note below.

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Julia Child's Easy Blender Hollandaise Sauce

Simple hollandaise sauce made with egg yolks, lemon juice, butter, salt and pepper. Inspired by Julia's recipe in Mastering the Art of French Cooking.

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COURSE: Breakfast

Kosher Key: Dairy

Servings: 4 servings

Prep Time: 2 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 3 minutes minutes

Total Time: 5 minutes minutes

Ingredients

3 large egg yolks
1/4 teaspoon salt
Pinch pepper (I use a small pinch of cayenne)
1-2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (I use closer to 2 tbsp)
1/2 cup unsalted butter

NOTES

RAW EGG NOTE: This sauce includes uncooked egg yolks, which does carry a small amount of risk. Please use caution in consuming raw and lightly cooked eggs due to the risk of salmonella or other food-borne illness. To reduce this risk, use only fresh, properly refrigerated, clean grade A or AA eggs with intact shells, and avoid contact between the yolks or whites and the shell. Immunocompromised people, babies, and other groups may need to avoid this sauce for the reasons stated above. If you're unsure of your risk, please consult a trusted physician.

Instructions

This sauce should be prepared immediately before serving-- it will only take you about 3 minutes to make. Place eggs yolks, salt, pepper, and 1 tbsp lemon juice in the blender jar. You can beat in more lemon juice to taste when your sauce is done, and then you will know which proportion you prefer for next time.
Cut the butter into pieces and place it in a small saucepan. Heat it till it's melted, hot and foamy.
Cover the jar of the blender and blend the egg yolk mixture at top speed for 2 seconds. Uncover, still blending at top speed, and immediately start pouring the hot melted butter in a thin stream of droplets. (You may need to protect yourself with a towel during this operation.)
By the time two thirds of the butter has gone in, the sauce will be a thick cream. Omit the milky residue at the bottom of the pan. Taste the sauce, and blend in more seasonings and lemon juice to taste.
If not used immediately, set the blender jar in tepid (lukewarm), but not warm, water. Use the sauce within a few minutes of blending; it will solidify if not used quickly.
Use hollandaise to top any number of delicious dishes. I like using it to top my Nova Lox Benedict - click here for recipe.

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Julia Child's Easy Blender Hollandaise Sauce

Amount Per Serving

Calories 245Calories from Fat 234

% Daily Value*

Fat 26g40%

Saturated Fat 15g94%

Cholesterol 199mg66%

Sodium 154mg7%

Potassium 13mg0%

Protein 2g4%

Vitamin A 895IU18%

Vitamin C 1.5mg2%

Calcium 23mg2%

Iron 0.3mg2%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

tried this recipe?
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Nutritional information should be considered an estimate only; please consult a registered dietician, nutritionist, or your physician for specific health-related questions. Read more here. Please note that the recipe above is published using a recipe card plugin, with preexisting software which can auto-calculate metric measurements, as well as change the number of servings. Metric conversions and changes to the number of servings (resulting in different ingredient amounts) will only appear in the ingredient list, and are not changed within the step-by-step directions of the recipe.

Julia Child's Easy Blender Hollandaise Sauce (2024)