Hollandaise can be very finicky and there are several reasons why this particular sauce can curdle or split. If the heat is too high, the egg yolks will curdle and the sauce will become grainy. When a sauce splits, this means that the fat has separated from the egg foam (the sauce has lost its emulsion). The result will look thin, greasy, and lumpy.
The list below identifies some troubleshooting tips if you encounter problems when making this sauce. If the:
sabayon curdles/coagulates: the sabayon was too hot. Start over. Curdled eggs cannot be salvaged. Do not attempt to add any butter.
sabayon is not fluffy: you may be whisking too slow. Whisk faster.
sauce is too hot: try whisking in a few drops of cold water or let the sauce cool before trying to fix it as show in Topic 7 in the lesson on How to Make Hollandaise.
sauce is too cold: try whisking in a few drops of warm water; or, warm the sauce over a bain marie.
butter was added too quickly: try to fix it as shown in Topic 7 in the lesson on How to Make Hollandaise.
sauce is on the verge of breaking: slowly whisk in 1 tbsp of cold water or heavy cream; or, place the bowl over an ice bath, whisk constantly until you can’t see the butterfat and the sauce is smooth.
final sauce is too thin: the sabayon may not have been cooked enough; or, you may need to add more butter.
final sauce is too thick: thin the sauce down with a bit of water or lemon juice. Thick sauces can easily split; thinning them down with a bit of liquid will help to stabilize the emulsion.
sauce tastes eggy: this can mean the sabayon was not cooked enough or not enough butter was added to the sabayon.
FAQs
Why Does Hollandaise Sauce Break? Over-heating or overcooking the egg yolks is one culprit. Next time, be sure to use a double boiler and heat the yolks gently to avoid overcooking them. The second cause is either adding too much butter or adding it too quickly.
What are common mistakes hollandaise? ›
The most common mistake people make with Hollandaise is adding melted butter that is too hot, or adding too much too soon. When this happens, the emulsion breaks — it becomes thin and grainy. If your butter is too hot, just stop making the Hollandaise for a minute or two to allow the butter to cool.
What are 2 ways a broken hollandaise can be repaired? ›
In a fresh bowl, start with an egg yolk or 1/2 cup pasteurized egg product. Slowly whisk or blend in your separate sauce into the egg. If either of these methods isn't able to salvage your hollandaise, you'll have to restart. Likely something other than the thickness of your sauce is the cause of its separation.
Why is hollandaise sauce difficult? ›
Traditional hollandaise, made by emulsifying melted clarified butter into egg yolks and lemon juice, is notoriously difficult to make. You not only have to take the same care in its construction as you take for oil-in-egg-yolk mayonnaise, but you also have to deal with the fickle nature of hot eggs and butter.
What can go wrong when making hollandaise sauce? ›
Hollandaise can be very finicky and there are several reasons why this particular sauce can curdle or split. If the heat is too high, the egg yolks will curdle and the sauce will become grainy. When a sauce splits, this means that the fat has separated from the egg foam (the sauce has lost its emulsion).
How to fix runny hollandaise sauce? ›
How do you fix a runny hollandaise? Blenders tend to make runny hollandaise - it's usually because the butter was too cold and hasn't cooked the eggs enough to thicken them. To thicken a runny hollandaise, tip the mixture into a heatproof bowl set over simmering water and whisk over the heat until thickened.
How to stabilize hollandaise sauce? ›
Adding some chopped herbs at the end makes for an herbed hollandaise that's perfect for saucing poached seafood such as salmon, shrimp, or lobster. Because of the precarious nature of emulsions, I like to add a stabilizer like xantham gum to help the emulsion hold.
What is the thickening agent in hollandaise sauce? ›
Hollandaise is a tangy, buttery sauce made by slowly whisking clarified butter into warm egg yolks. So the liquid here is the clarified butter and the thickening agent is the egg yolks.
How to fix too much lemon in hollandaise sauce? ›
Thankfully, there are a few ways to fix a dish if you have added too much lemon juice. One option is to balance out the acidity by adding a sweetener such as sugar or honey. Another option is to dilute the lemon juice by adding more of the other ingredients in the recipe.
Do you use vinegar or lemon juice for hollandaise? ›
Lemon juice or vinegar helps keep the hollandaise from separating and also adds a touch of acidity for flavour. I much prefer white wine vinegar for its flavour. The eggs need to be cooked, so as you'll see, we'll be heating up the butter so it's bubbling (but not burnt).
Some of the Hollandaise sauce derivatives are:
- Maltaise – Hollandaise, juice, and zest of blood orange (late-season fruit is best).
- Mousseline – Hollandaise, whipped cream.
- Béarnaise – Tarragon, white wine, and vinegar reduction, fresh chervil, and tarragon.
- Foyot – Béarnaise, reduced Espagnole, and brandy.
In a small bowl, whisk together egg yolks, lemon juice, cold water, salt and pepper. Melt butter in a saucepan over low heat. Gradually whisk yolk mixture into butter. Continue whisking over low heat for 8 minutes, or until sauce is thickened.
How hot should butter be for hollandaise? ›
Make sure the butter is between 130-140 degrees Fahrenheit (55-60 degrees Celsius). While constantly whisking, add the butter to the sabayon in a steady stream. Add enough butter until you achieve a somewhat thick consistency.
What is the secret of eggs Benedict? ›
Hollandaise can break, which means the butter and eggs will separate. The secret is all in the butter–make sure the butter is hot, but not too hot, add it slowly, and don't add too much!
How do you fix hollandaise with too much lemon? ›
What do I do if my hollandaise sauce is too lemony? You can either start again, or try adding another egg yolk and a bit more melted butter.
How do you know when hollandaise sauce is done? ›
Hollandaise should be held between 120F to 145F (49 to 63C) so it does not split or curdle. If the sauce is heated above 150F, the eggs can overcook, become grainy and the sauce can potentially split.
How can you prevent eggs from scrambling in hollandaise sauce? ›
The eggs will scramble when they are exposed to too much heat. When making hollandaise over a double boiler, you have to pull the bowl of sauce off of the heat occasionally, so it can cool down a little. This will prevent the eggs from scrambling.
