Bearnaise sauce

By vegar

Ingredients

• 10 black peppercorns
• 60 ml (1/4 cup) white wine vinegar
• 60 ml (1/4 cup) dry white wine
• 60 g (about 2 large) eschalots, peeled, finely chopped
• 3 tbs finely chopped fresh tarragon leaves and stems
• 2 tbs finely chopped fresh chervil leaves and stems
• 3 egg yolks, at room temperature
• 125 g butter, at room temperature, cubed
• 1 tbs finely chopped fresh tarragon leaves, extra
• Salt & ground black pepper, to taste

Details

Servings 2
Preparation time 15mins
Cooking time 40mins
Adapted from taste.com.au

Preparation

Step 1

The secret to bearnaise sauce is adding one liquid to another in a slow, steady stream while whisking vigorously. This method is necessary because its ingredients don't mix easily. The same is true of hollandaise sauce and mayonnaise - all three are known as emulsion sauces. A classic bearnaise sauce is flavoured with a concentrated reduction of white wine vinegar, white wine, eschalots, tarragon, chervil and peppercorns. The eschalots and herbs are finely chopped to extract the maximum flavour during the short cooking time. And, because a herb's flavour is most concentrated in the stem, these are used as well as the leaves. If chervil is unavailable, increase the amount of tarragon to 5 tbs. Use a mortar and pestle to coarsely crush the peppercorns. (Or, place the peppercorns on a board and crush them with the base of a heavy pan.) Place the crushed peppercorns, vinegar, wine, eschalots, tarragon and chervil in a small non-aluminium frying pan. Bring the mixture to the boil over high heat. Boil, uncovered, for 5 minutes or until the liquid reduces by about half (you will need 2 1/2 tbs).

Strain the eschalot mixture through a fine sieve into a small heatproof bowl or jug, pressing with a spoon to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard the eschalots, herbs and peppercorns.

Bearnaise sauce must be cooked over gentle, even heat because the egg yolks will curdle if the temperature is too high. The best way to ensure gentle, even heat is to cook the sauce in a bowl over a saucepan of barely simmering water. Quarter fill a saucepan with water and place a large heatproof bowl on top. The bowl should fit snugly in the pan and its base should reach halfway into the pan. If the base of the bowl touches the water, the sauce may overcook and curdle. Remove the bowl from the saucepan. Place the pan over high heat and bring the water to the boil. Reduce heat to low so the water is barely simmering. Place the egg yolks and 2 tbs of the strained liquid in the heatproof bowl. Reserve the remaining strained liquid. Place a bowl of cold water near the cooktop in case the sauce curdles (see note). Use a balloon whisk to whisk the egg yolk mixture until combined. Place over the simmering water and whisk constantly for 5-7 minutes or until a ribbon trail forms and holds its shape for about 15 seconds when the whisk is lifted. The bowl should be warm, but not too hot to handle. If you think it is overheating, lift it out of the pan - if the base is too hot to touch, sit it briefly in the cold water, then whisk away from the heat until it cools slightly. Return the bowl to the pan.

Add the butter to the sauce a cube at a time, whisking constantly and adding each cube only when the one before melts and is thoroughly combined (this process should take up to 10 minutes). The sauce will lose some volume, but should still have a thick, aerated texture. If the butter is added too quickly, the sauce may lose too much volume. As you add the butter, keep checking that the bowl is not overheating. If the sauce begins to curdle or separate, see note. As long as the egg yolks haven't set firmly and the mixture isn't grainy, it can be saved.

When all the butter is added, remove the bowl from the pan and stir in the extra tarragon. Season with pepper, and taste before seasoning with salt. If you would like a stronger flavour, add a little reserved strained liquid until it is to your liking. Serve immediately. Bearnaise sauce is not a hot sauce - it is usually served warm. The sauce can be kept warm for up to an hour before serving. Pour it into a sauce boat, jug or clean bowl and cover the surface with plastic wrap to prevent a skin forming. Place in a larger heatproof bowl and add enough warm water to the larger bowl to reach the same height as the sauce. It is important to use water as close to the sauce's temperature as possible (if it is too hot, the sauce may curdle; too cold and it may become too thick). You'll need to change the water once or twice as it will begin to cool.

Variations: Lemon & dill bearnaise sauce: omit all the tarragon and chervil. Use 1/2 cup finely chopped fresh dill leaves and stems in step 1. Stir 1 tbs finely chopped fresh dill leaves, 2 tsp finely grated lemon rind and 1 tsp lemon juice through the sauce in step 5. Serve with fish or shellfish. Ginger & lime bearnaise sauce: omit all the tarragon and chervil. Stir 2 tsp finely grated lime rind, 1 tsp lime juice and 2 tsp finely grated fresh ginger through the sauce in step 5. Season the sauce with a pinch of cayenne pepper instead of ground black pepper, and serve with fish, chicken or vegetables. Rosemary & balsamic bearnaise: replace the white wine vinegar with balsamic vinegar, and the dry white wine with dry red wine. Omit all the tarragon and chervil. Use 2 tbs finely chopped fresh sage leaves and stems and 1/3 cup finely chopped fresh rosemary leaves in step 1. Stir 1 tbs rosemary leaves through sauce in step 5. Serve with lamb or beef. Using an electric whisk: An electric whisk, while saving your wrist, incorporates more air into the sauce, resulting in more volume and a lighter, thinner sauce. Use the whisk on low speed so the sauce doesn't become too frothy. If using an electric whisk, this recipe will make about 300ml bearnaise sauce and the cooking time will be about 4 minutes less. Saving a bearnaise sauce: If the sauce curdles, remove the bowl from the pan immediately. Quickly place the base of the bowl in cold water to halt the cooking process. Keep whisking the sauce to cool it down and add an ice cube. Cooling the sauce quickly will help to bring the sauce ingredients back "together". If this doesn't work, whisk an egg yolk with 1 tbs of water in a clean heatproof bowl over the pan of barely simmering water until frothy and a ribbon trail forms and lasts for about 15 seconds when the whisk is lifted. Remove from the heat and gradually whisk in the curdled sauce, 1 tsp at a time, until the sauce begins to thicken and come together. Add the curdled sauce in larger amounts towards the end. Strain the sauce before adding the final seasonings.

Make the most of summer produce with our

Add this recipe to:

How to make perfect bearnaise sauce

+ Add to my notes

added this comment at

whisks

added this comment at

under normal circumstances, this is a really difficulkt sauce to make in that it is fiddly, but i made it using my thermomix, and it was so easy; i don't think i could be bothered with all the utensils if i had to make it conventionally. i erred on the side of caution and heated the bowl to 80 degrees and that was fine.

added this comment at

added this comment at

Mixers

Healthy makeover recipes

Garlic marinated tofu & vegetable stir-fry

Just Added - our freshest

Fluffy meringue frosting

How to beat back-to-work blues