Ingredients

1 teaspoon Lemon Juice

Method

Combine lemon juice, water, salt and white pepper in the top of a double boiler or bain-maire. Divide butter into 4 equal pieces. Add the egg yolks and a quarter of the butter to the liquid in the saucepan and stir the mixture rapidly and constantly with a wire whisk over hot, but not boiling, water until butter is melted and the mixture begins to thicken. Add the second piece of butter and continue whisking. As the mixture thickens and the second piece of butter melts, add the third piece of butter, stirring from the bottom of the pan until it is melted. Be careful not to allow the water over which the sauce is cooking to boil at any time. Add rest of butter, beating until it melts and is incorporated in the sauce.

Now remove top part of the saucepan from the heat and continue to beat the sauce for 2 to 3 minutes longer. Replace the saucepan over hot, but not boiling, water for 2 minutes more, beating constantly. By this time the emulsion should have formed and your sauce will be rich and creamy. Finish sauce with a few drops of lemon juice, strain and serve. If at any time in the operation the mixture should curdle, beat in 1 or 2 tablespoons cold water to rebuild the emulsion.