Page 565 - YC Cooking School

The steam generated from the simmering water must be locked in

Whisk until the mixture looks like ribbons
Once you’ve set up your double boiler, it’s time to add the eggs and reduction to the bowl.
This is another important stage in the Hollandaise-making process where you need to give
the stove your full attention. The eggs need to be whisked continuously to distribute the

heat because if they get too hot, you run the risk of them scrambling.

You’ll know the eggs have reached 'ribbon stage' when they resemble a soft peak meringue
consistency or when the mixture looks a little like mayonnaise. Now it’s time to remove the
bowl from the heat and add the butter gradually in a thin stream. Make sure the butter is

not too hot as this can cause the Hollandaise to split.

Keep it snug
You can’t reheat a Hollandaise sauce so to keep it snug while you poach the eggs, place it
back on the pot of warm water and cover it with a plate.

Get creative with traditional Eggs Benedict

There are a number of variations to play with when it come to Eggs Benedict. Break from

tradition and whip up one of these tasty eggy options instead:

Eggs Florentine: Substitute spinach for ham
Eggs Mornay: Cover the poached eggs with cheese sauce instead of Hollandaise
Eggs Royale: Trade in the ham for more luxurious smoked salmon
Huevos Benedictos: With this Mexican version, you’ll use avocado and chorizo instead

of ham and top the Hollandaise with tomato salsa. Olé!

Cheat sheet for this lesson’s recipes

Ingredient substitutions, shortcuts and time-saving tips

1. Make more reduction than you’ll need. It keeps for a good couple of weeks in a jar in
the fridge, which means that next time you feel like some Hollandaise sauce, you’re
already halfway there. Too easy.

2. If your Hollandaise sauce splits all is not lost. To rescue it, whisk an egg yolk and a little
reduction over a double boiler until it reaches ribbon stage, then slowly incorporate
the split mixture into your new mixture.
3. When you need to separate lots of eggs, save time by using your hands as a strainer.

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