Easy & Foolproof Hollandaise Sauce

You want to impress the heck out of folks? Use this Hollandaise sauce recipe. It is quick and easy and totally delicious.

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
3 egg yolks
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 pinch cayenne pepper (optional

1. In a small saucepan, heat butter until melted and bubbling, but don't let it brown.

2. Warm the bowl of a blender by filling with hot tap water and then draining and drying it.

3. Working quickly, blend egg yolks, lemon juice, salt, and cayenne pepper together until the mixture turns light yellow, about 30 seconds.

4. With the blender running, start adding hot butter at no more than a trickle, until sauce starts spattering in the blender, indicating that an emulsion has formed.

5. Continue trickling butter at a slightly faster rate, pausing briefly every 5 seconds or so, until incorporated.

6. The mixture will thicken considerably.

7. Scrape down the walls of the blender bowl and blend 5 seconds longer; cover.

8. Serve immediately, or keep sauce warm by immersing the covered blender bowl in warm water or pouring sauce into a warmed thermos.