Why Mary Berry Always Makes Hollandaise Sauce With A Hand Whisk

Mary Berry, the beloved former co-host of "Great British Baking Off", may be best known for her delectable desserts, but she's also learned a trick or two about savory cooking in her long career. She recently revealed to Love Food her technique for achieving the perfect Hollandaise texture: whisking it together by hand. Although other chefs may advise using electric kitchen tools to speed the sauce-making session, the use of a hand blender or beater poses a risk of over-whipping the delicate emulsion, leading to a thick texture rather than the desired perfectly pourable sauce.

The slower hands-on approach of whisking lets you maintain precise control over the sauce as it comes together. Keeping an eye on the heat and taking your time is key to eliminating any risk of unsightly scrambled egg particles marring the impeccable, glossy liquid masterpiece. Mary should know — she's been teaching us to succeed in the kitchen for six decades!

The Tasting Table team has created a recipe for you to create an unbeatable hand-whisked Hollandaise at home for your next breakfast or brunch Eggs Benedict. As Berry recommends, start by whisking egg yolks over low heat with a hint of lemon juice until they double in volume, adding air and texture. Then, drizzle melted butter slowly into the egg, whisking continuously to incorporate it into the mixture. Keeping the heat low and constant prevents the butter from breaking out of the sauce – if beads of melted butter appear, whisk a bit more to cool the sauce. With the right technique and patience, you'll find you can create Hollandaise perfectly every time.

Once you've mastered basic Hollandaise with a whisk in hand, you're on the road to rosy Maltaise sauce – the version that substitutes lemon juice for blood orange juice — and even Bernaise, the most decadent of all steak sauces. Just keep Mary's advice in mind: be patient!