For me, there's no flavor that says Sunday brunch more than hollandaise.  It lends so many delightful characteristics to a plate of food.  First, there's that brilliant yellow color from the egg yolk.  For a chicken keeper like me, the brighter the color, the more proud I can be of our happy, healthy hens.

Once we move past that beautiful color, there's the silky, velvety texture that can make anything it touches seem like a special meal. The flavor is rich and acidic and I am never sorry for having it on my plate.

However, I will admit that I do not enjoy the painstaking process required to make traditional hollandaise. It's not overly difficult, but the timing, temperature, and proportions need to be exact. Otherwise, you can end up with a lumpy, broken sauce that is anything but decadent.

I'm not a morning person, so being precise first thing in the morning can be a struggle.  While I'd love to whip up a plate of toasted bread or English muffins topped with poached eggs and a generous blanket of Hollandaise, I'd rather get to the eating part of that meal than the making of it.

It was my want to eat such a delicious meal without spending an hour making it followed by an hour cleaning up the mess I'd made that led me to look for ways to simplify the process.  I discovered years ago that eggs can be easily and beautifully poached in the oven by using a muffin pan.  The process is so simple and allows me to put a dozen eggs in the oven to poach at the same time. It's a lifesaver when you're trying to make enough poached eggs for everyone at once.

Once I mastered the poached eggs, I just needed to simplify the hollandaise sauce. I was hoping for a method that would allow me to easily prepare the hollandaise while the eggs were poaching in the oven and the bread was toasting. Enter the microwave.

Yes, I know that it is difficult to accept that the microwave could ever make a hollandaise sauce that would remotely resemble hollandaise that has been whisked precisely into beautiful silky submission on a double boiler. Yet I know that it is true because I have made it this way so often that I no longer need the recipe. I am amazed every time I make this simple preparation and find that it has indeed turned into that luscious, delicious hollandaise sauce I hoped for.

While this microwave hollandaise looks and tastes just as beautiful and decadent as the classic version, you'll find that it is as simple as melting butter in the microwave. It really is like the most delicious shortcut I have ever taken in the farmhouse kitchen. I hope that you'll find it as easy and delicious as I do and that you'll make it in your kitchen soon.

Hollandaise Sauce – Easy Microwave Recipe

This recipe makes enough to serve two and can be doubled. Increasing it beyond that might prove troublesome and lead to unwelcome results. Instead, I would create multiple batches if needed. The sauce holds very well at room temperature and will remain warm and spoonable for several minutes. If you prefer a bit of spice in your hollandaise, you can add a pinch of cayenne pepper or a bit of your favorite hot sauce with the salt and pepper.

Author: Jennifer from 1840 Farm

  • 2 Tablespoons butter
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • 2 teaspoons lemon juice
  • salt and pepper
  • cayenne pepper or hot sauce optional

  • Place the butter in a small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 20 seconds or until fully melted.

  • Place the egg yolk and lemon juice in another microwave-safe bowl. Use a small whisk or a fork to break up the egg yolk and mix it with the lemon juice. Add the melted butter in a slow stream to the yolk while mixing with the whisk or fork constantly. The hot butter and brisk mixing will temper the egg yolks, warming them without scrambling. Continue to mix for 30 seconds. The mixture should be a beautiful pale yellow with a slightly thickened, satiny texture.

  • Place the bowl in the microwave and cook for 10 seconds. Remove the bowl from the microwave. Stir it briskly for another 30 seconds. It should become a thick, smooth sauce. If it seems lumpy, continue stirring. It should smooth out and create a thick, velvety sauce. If needed, you can microwave in 5 second increments until it can be stirred into the thick, velvety sauce.

  • Season the hollandaise with a bit of salt and pepper. Taste for seasoning, adding more if necessary along with a pinch of cayenne pepper or a few drops of your favorite hot sauce if desired. Serve by spooning over eggs, steamed asparagus, or fish.

This hollandaise sauce can be held for several minutes at room temperature. If you need to hold it longer, simply place the bowl in a pie plate or other shallow container filled with warm water. Stir before serving.

Mention @1840Farm or tag #1840FarmFood! We can't wait to see what you make!

  • English Muffins at 1840 Farm
    English Muffins
  • Oven Poached Eggs at 1840 Farm
    Oven Poached Eggs

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