- 3 egg yolks
- 1 tablespoon hot water
- 1 cup unsalted butter, cut into chunks
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- Fill the bottom of a double boiler or a saucepan fit with a stainless steel bowl with 2 inches of water, making sure the water does not touch the top bowl. Whisk egg yolks and 1 tablespoon hot water together in the top bowl. Bring water to a gentle simmer and continue whisking egg yolks until they are thick and pale yellow, taking the bowl off the simmering water occasionally to keep the eggs smooth enough to blend into the sauce more easily, 3 to 4 minutes.
- Whisk butter into egg yolks 1 to 2 pieces at a time, whisking continuously until the butter is melted; repeat until all butter is incorporated.
- Remove sauce from heat. Stir lemon juice into the sauce and season with salt and pepper.