Hollandaise Sauce
Hollandaise is a warm, buttery sauce built on egg yolks, and this version stays simple with lemon juice, salt and two kinds of pepper. Half a stick of butter at a time is not the rule here; you add it gradually while whisking, which is what makes the sauce emulsify and swell. The white pepper keeps the color clean, and the cayenne adds a quiet warmth. A few drops of hot water can rescue it if it splits.
Instructions
Melt the butter in a small saucepan on the stovetop, or in a bowl in the microwave. Set it aside while you prepare the yolks.
Pour a small amount of water into the bottom of a medium double boiler, keeping the level low enough that it will not touch the bowl that sits above it. Bring the water to a simmer over medium heat, then turn the heat down so it stays at a gentle simmer. Keep the bowl off to the side for now.
Put the egg yolks, the water, the salt, the lemon juice, the cayenne and the white pepper into the bowl. Whisk for 1 to 2 minutes until combined.
Add the melted butter a little at a time, whisking constantly. Keep going until the butter is fully worked in and the mixture has expanded in volume.
Set the bowl over the simmering water and whisk for 3 to 5 minutes. The sauce is ready when it is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
If the sauce gets too thick or begins to separate, whisk in very small amounts of hot water until it comes back together.
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