Whenever making any type of emulsion, always add the fat or oil slowly at first, a couple drops at a time. If your clarified butter is too hot it will instantly curdle your egg yolks. When adding your butter to the egg yolks, make sure that it is warm (about 130☏/55☌) but not hot. The round bottom will make it easier for you to beat the egg yolks evenly and the stainless steel will not react to the acid and discolor your hollandaise. Use a stainless steel, round bottom bowl. The fresher your egg yolks, the easier it is for you to make your emulsion. Make sure your acid reduction is cool before the egg yolks are added or they may curdle. Because of its water content, more whole butter is needed to thicken a hollandaise then just straight clarified butter. Although it really comes down to personal preference, just remember that whole butter is about 15% water whereas clarified butter is straight butter fat. When making hollandaise, some chefs use whole butter while others use clarified. This is why most classical version of hollandaise call for the addition of a vinegar reduction to be cooked with the yolks. If the PH in you egg mixture is around 4.5, then the curdling temperature of the yolks is raised to about 195☏/90☌. The trick is to heat your egg yolks enough to get them thick, but stop right before they reach this temperature.Īcid (usually in the form of lemon juice and/or vinegar) will help to keep your egg yolks from coagulating. With that said, lets go over a couple guidelines.Įggs start to curdle at around 160-170☏/71-76☌. The gentle heat of the steam is much more forgiving than a direct flame. To prevent their eggs from scrambling, a lot of less experienced cooks will heat their egg yolks in a stainless steel bowl placed over a pot of gently simmering water (aka double boiler). However, the more you cook your egg yolks, the more chance you have of ending up with scrambled eggs instead of sauce. The more you cook the egg yolks, the thicker your hollandaise will be. The final viscosity of your sauce will be determined by how much fat is emulsified in and to what degree the egg yolks are cooked. However, if you understand the underlying principles of hollandaise, then it really isn’t that scary.įirst and foremost, hollandaise is an emulsified sauce in which egg yolks not only serve as the emulsifier, but also as a thickening agent. Many cooks allow this sauce to frighten and intimidate them. Numerous things can go wrong when making this sauce whether your emulsification breaks, the eggs start to curdle, etc. Hollandaise is by far the most finicky of all the French Mother Sauces.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |