perfect hollandaise

This is a cheat.
I didn't take step-by-step pictures.
But, again, this is just a journal for me so I want to record my favorite (and easiest!) hollandaise recipe ever.

I made it just the other day for my sweetie's birthday breakfast in bed.
It's our splurge food.
We adore it.
I can totally eat it out of the bowl with a spoon.
I don't.
Very often.

But, hollandaise sauce is so so versatile!  (Besides just a spoon...)
My next favorite, besides over poached eggs, Canadian bacon, and English muffins (as seen above), is smothering steamed asparagus, next to poached halibut fillet.
Yum.
Or over smoked salmon.
Or over smoked salmon omelet!
Oh, the possibilities.

Anyway, the recipe is super easy and doesn't require the typical hollandaise "fuss".
Enjoy!

Hollandaise Sauce
Makes about a cup or so.
2 egg yolks
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 stick, unsalted butter, melted and cooled just slightly
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 tablespoon dijon mustard (optional)
Hot sauce, to taste (optional)

Get a small saucepan of water simmering.  This will serve as your double boiler.
In the (stainless steel or glass) bowl of a stand mixer, with the whisk attachment, whisk the egg yolks.  Add the lemon juice and whisk until well combined.  With the mixer running, slowly drizzle in the melted butter (it works best if pouring from a spouted container).  If it starts to separate, you are drizzling too quickly!  (Or your mixer isn't whisking fast enough).  *You can absolutely do this without a mixer.  Just use a stainless steel bowl and whisk by hand and drizzle the butter in with the other hand.  It's tricky, but do-able for sure.* Once all incorporated, place the bowl over simmering water and whisk by hand for 5 minutes.  Do not stop whisking.  If it starts to break, lower your heat and whisk faster!  It should start to look very creamy after a couple minutes and continue to thicken as the 5 minutes end.  Once 5 minutes are up, turn off heat and add salt, pepper, and mustard or hot sauce, if using.  Taste and adjust seasonings, as necessary.  You can leave the sauce on the warm water for up to about 10 minutes (while you get the rest of the meal ready), but you'll have to whisk occasionally to prevent separation and breaking.  Serve while warm and enjoy!