Why is my hollandaise a lighter yellow color than the one in the photos?

In these photos, we used organic brown eggs with very yellow yolks. The result is a bright, vibrant yellow hollandaise. When we tested this recipe with cage-free white eggs from the grocery store - which had much lighter yolks - the hollandaise sauce was a very pale yellow. Egg yolks vary in color quite a bit, which will impact the final color of your hollandaise. Don't worry if yours is more pale (or more saturated!) it'll still taste great.

Why didn't my hollandaise thicken?

If your hollandaise is runny, the butter may have been added too quickly. Let the sauce cool for 10-15 minutes, then blend again and see if it thickens up.

What should I do if my sauce starts to separate?

Add a Tablespoon of COLD water to the sauce and blend again - sometimes the temperature shock is enough to save it.

Can I make this sauce in a regular blender?

Yes. Because it's such a small quantity of sauce, we find this hollandaise works best in smaller blenders that have the blades at the bottom (as opposed to a blender that has blades running all the way up and down a tall center piece). Make sure your blender has a top cap that can be removed to allow you to stream the butter in. If you have a larger blender, you may want to double this recipe to give the blender blades more sauce to "grab". This recipe does not work with bullet-style blenders.

Is immersion blender hollandaise safe to eat?

While fact-checking this recipe, we consulted food safety experts from the USDA, FDA, and Michigan State University Extension for Safe Food & Water, as well as multiple cookbooks and culinary textbooks. Food safety organizations tend to agree that unpasteurized eggs must reach an internal temperature of at least 160°F to be considered generally safe to eat. Note that many popular egg preparations - including sunny-side up, over easy, poached, or soft boiled eggs - do not meet this temperature requirement. Raw egg sauces like mayonnaise and caesar dressing also fail this safety test. In our testing, this immersion blender hollandaise reached an average of 110°F when made with cold, straight-from-the-fridge egg yolks; it reached between 140-160°F when made with room temperature egg yolks. If you want to ensure your hollandaise reaches 160° F: Use a kitchen thermometer to check the temperature of your hollandaise once it's blended. If it's below 160°F, pour it into the same small saucepan or skillet you used to melt your butter. Cook, whisking constantly, over low heat until the sauce reaches a temperature of 160° Fahrenheit. Comfort level: Our team of professional recipe testers considers homemade hollandaise to be in a similar category of risk as things like poached or over-easy eggs, homemade mayonnaise, or a rare steak. The food safety organizations we talked to declined to comment on the accuracy of this risk assessment, and instead reiterated their standard advice to cook all eggs to 160°F. Egg processing standards vary by country. These food safety notes apply to eggs processed and sold within the United States. If you're outside the US, we encourage you to check with your own national health and food safety organizations about safe egg practices. The bottom line: It is impossible to guarantee that a recipe made with raw egg products is free and clear of any food borne pathogen. Each person needs to determine their own risk assessment and comfort level, and act accordingly.

Immersion Blender Hollandaise Sauce

Name: Immersion Blender Hollandaise
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 10 min
Cuisine: French
Ingredients: 2 egg yolks, at room temperature; 2 Tablespoons warm water (use tap water that's warm to the touch: about 90-110° F); 1 Tablespoon lemon juice; pinch of kosher salt; 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter

Description

This easy, creamy hollandaise sauce is perfect over eggs Benedict or a cozy breakfast hash!

Ingredients

Scale

2 egg yolks, at room temperature
2 Tablespoons warm water (use tap water that's warm to the touch: about 90-110° F)
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
pinch of kosher salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter

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Instructions

Add egg yolks, warm water, lemon juice, and a pinch of kosher salt to a tall, narrow cup that fits the head of your immersion blender. Blend for about 30 seconds, until you have a smooth mixture that's slightly lightened in color.
Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat until it reaches a low simmer (about 180-185°F; bubbling, but not browning). Transfer melted butter to a small measuring cup with a spout to make it easier to pour.
With the immersion blender running, add hot butter to egg mixture a tiny bit at a time. Blend for a few seconds in between each addition to fully incorporate the butter and let the eggs heat up slowly (if you add the hot butter too fast, the eggs can curdle). Continue adding butter a little at a time, blending well between each addition, until all butter has been incorporated and the hollandaise is thick and fluffy.
Blend in additional warm water a teaspoon at a time until the hollandaise reaches a drizzle-able consistency. Serve immediately.

Notes

Additions and Substitutions. Add a pinch of your favorite spices (cayenne, paprika, black pepper, or nutmeg) or a teaspoon of dijon mustard to your hollandaise for extra flavor, or blend in a handful of fresh herbs (tarragon, basil, chives, parsley, or dill).

Hollandaise and food safety. Consuming raw or undercooked eggs may increase your risk of food borne illness. The USDA recommends heating all eggs to a minimum internal temperature of 160°F (note: many popular egg preparations, including poached eggs, over-easy eggs, and soft boiled eggs, do not meet this temperature requirement). To ensure your hollandaise reaches a recommended temperature of 160°F, be sure to use room temperature egg yolks and very hot butter. Use a kitchen thermometer to check the final temperature; if your hollandaise has not yet reached 160°F, you can place it in a small saucepan or skillet and cook, whisking constantly, over medium-low heat until it reaches the correct temperature. For more information on raw eggs and food safety, be sure to read through the full post above.