The hollandaise sauce is the crowning glory of the asparagus, but it can also easily go wrong. Grandma's tricks and tips save a curdled sauce and enjoyment.
It's asparagus season! What would the king of vegetables be without his noble accompaniment, hollandaise sauce? But the preparation of the creamy butter and egg yolk sauce, which, along with beurre blanc (white wine butter sauce) and a béchamel, is one of the basic sauces in French cuisine, can frighten even experienced chefs. The sauce curdles too quickly, separates or becomes too runny. But don't panic! With Grandma's tricks and a little know-how, even a failed sauce can be turned into a delicious topping for asparagus or Eggs Benedict.
Preparing a hollandaise sauce requires sensitivity
As soon as you weren't paying attention, it happened: the buttery hollandaise sauce, which was laboriously whipped over the water bath, has flocculated. That can have several reasons. For example, a hollandaise sauce will curdle if the temperature is too high when preparing it. The egg yolk sets and the sauce becomes flaky - you have scrambled eggs. But this can also happen if the melted butter is added too quickly.
To avoid this, it is important to add the butter slowly and in a thin stream to the egg yolk mixture, stirring constantly. The water bath should not boil, just simmer gently.
Grandma's SOS tip: Ice cubes keep your head cool
And if things still went wrong? Then Grandma has some advice! The most well-known trick against curdled hollandaise sauce is the ice cube. To do this, beat an ice cube vigorously into the butter sauce and stir until it has dissolved. The low temperature of the ice cube helps stabilize the sauce and re-emulsify the butter. It is important to use small ice cubes so as not to water down the sauce - and stir vigorously.
Good to know: this is how you can save any form of hollandaise sauce in no time
Whether it's curdled, too thick or too runny, with grandma's tricks and our tips you can save even the most unsuccessful hollandaise sauce and bring the perfect asparagus delight to the table:
Puree:
If the sauce is too thick, you can save it with a hand blender or blender. Add some cold water or white wine and puree until it is creamy again.
Butter:
If the sauce is too runny, you can stir in some cold butter to improve the consistency.
Temperature:
The most important thing when preparing hollandaise sauce is the right temperature. The sauce should not get too hot, otherwise it may curdle. Do this well over a water bath.
Ingredients:
The hollandaise sauce is best prepared with fresh, good quality ingredients. The egg yolk should be at room temperature and the melted butter should not get too hot.
Practice:
Practice makes perfect! The more often you prepare the hollandaise sauce, the better it will turn out.
And not only Grandma has advice, but also Simply Tasty, because if the classic preparation over a water bath seems too time-consuming, you can use the simple recipe for a flash hollandaise made from five ingredients.
Always looking for new and delicious recipe ideas? The weekly Simply Tasty newsletter provides inspiration with attractive and simple dishes.
Whether in the quick version, whipped over a water bath or vegan and without eggs, the basic recipe for hollandaise sauce can be easily modified and pimped. So nothing stands in the way of enjoyment, because there is something for every taste.