Hollandaise Sauce and its Cousins

A well-made hollandaise is an airy sauce made by combining egg yolks with a small amount of water and then whisking the mixture over medium heat until the egg yolks trap air and become frothy and eventually stiffen slightly into a sabayon. Butter—in cold cubes, melted, or clarified—is then gently whisked into the airy egg yolk mixture and the sauce is seasoned with salt and pepper and a little lemon.

When the egg yolks froth up and start to stiffen, immediately take the pan off the