Bill's Hollindaise Sauce

Bill’s hollandaise is made with crème fraîche instead of olive oil. Purists may sneer, but it is less costly than olive oil and has all the taste and smoothness we’re looking for.

Bill says “Buttery, lemony, rich and light all at the same time, hollandaise is a delicious and luxurious sauce, made with expensive ingredients. Which is why it’s so upsetting when it all goes pear-shaped or, to be precise, curdles.

I reckon as many attempts at hollandaise sauce end up being poured down the kitchen sink as make it to the table, with crestfallen and harried cooks fuming about the wasted ingredients, throwing down their aprons and abandoning their Masterchef dreams. But, if you take it slowly and are careful not to overheat at any stage, there should be a happy ending."

 

Ingredients

• 4 egg yolks

• the juice of half a lemon

• 2 tbsp white wine vinegar

• 125g salted butter

• 2 tbsp crème fraîche

Makes roughly 250ml

Put the egg yolks, lemon juice and vinegar in a food processor and whizz for 5 minutes.

Shortly before the end of the 5 minutes, put the butter in a small pan and melt it, making sure it just begins to sizzle but not burn. Pour the melted butter into the food processor, keeping blitzing all the while until fully blended.

Pour the mixture back in the small pan, stir in the crème fraîche and put on to heat for 30 seconds, whisking continuously. Remove from the heat and ideally serve immediately.

Or you can keep it warm for a while in a covered heatproof bowl over very gently simmering water or in a Thermos flask until you’re ready to serve up.