Blake Makes

Hollandaise can be tricky. Hollandaise can also be scary, but it doesn’t have to be. I’ve developed a way to make luxurious, velvety hollandaise in a blender. So, no more whisking constantly for half-an-hour, worrying if the eggs will scramble. This method is fast, simple, easy and makes the world’s best hollandaise sauce.

Ingredients:

• 2 sticks unsalted butter
• 2 egg yolks
• 2 tblsp. heavy cream
• 2 tblsp. lemon juice
• Hot water
• Pinch of Cayenne pepper
• Kosher salt to taste

Setup:

I make this hollandaise in a blender. I setup my blender right next to my range top. This way, I can ladle (I use a small gravy ladle) the butter into the blender without making a huge mess. Plus, keeping the butter hot (boiling) will ensure that the egg yolks cook. We keep our house quite chilly at night, and since I so often make this for breakfast, the blender is always very cold on “Eggs Benedict Mornings.” So, I run the blender’s pitcher under hot tap water to heat it up.

To Make:

Melt the butter over medium heat. Blitz the egg yolks and heavy cream in the blender for a couple of minutes. You’re going to add the butter through the lid of the blender, and it will be a little messy at first, so use a towel to fight the splatter. Ladle in the boiling butter (sometimes I even let the butter brown for extra flavor).

After you’ve added about half the butter, add the lemon juice and then add the rest of the butter.

If the hollandaise gets too thick, add a little hot water to loosen it. You’ll want to keep the sauce swirling in a thick vortex - not too thin, but not too thick. Therefore, add the water sparingly (you can always add more, but if it gets too thin, you’ll have to melt more butter).

At the very end, add a pinch of Cayenne pepper and Kosher salt to taste. You’ll know when the seasoning’s right, because you’re eyes will roll back in your head. I always make this for company that stays for breakfast. My in-laws love it, and I’ve been known to make this more than once on weekends when they’re in town. Bridget and I even have it for dinner every now and then.

Blake Makes Eggs Benedict:

Once you’ve mastered the sauce, eggs benedict is really more about assembling than cooking. Start with a plate, then a toasted English muffin. Next, bacon, ham, sausage, or Pancetta (pictured above). A poached egg is next, followed by a smothering of hollandaise. Crack some black pepper on top and dash on a bit of hot sauce (if you’re from New Orleans).

You’re guests will feel pampered. I wonder if this is why my in-laws keep coming back?