Back to Sauce Savory
Mousseline Sauce
Serves 6 Prep 15 min Cook 15 min Total 30 min

Mousseline Sauce

This variation of a classic hollandaise is excellent served with fish en croûte.

Serves 6 Prep 15 minutes Cook 15 minutes Units Rate

Overview

An ethereal refinement of classic hollandaise, where whipped cream is folded into the emulsified butter sauce. The result is an airy, luxuriously light accompaniment with subtle peppery notes and delicate texture, elevating elegant fish preparations to restaurant-quality presentations.

Ingredients

Base & reduction

  • 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
  • 4 tablespoons cold water
  • 1 teaspoon white peppercorns (crushed)
  • 4 egg yolks

Emulsion & finishing

Method

Stage 1 - Prepare reduction

  1. In a thick-bottomed stainless steel or copper saucepan, mix the wine vinegar with 4 tablespoons of cold water and the crushed peppercorns.
  2. Heat and allow to bubble so it reduces by one third, then leave to cool completely.

Stage 2 - Create egg base

  1. Add the egg yolks to the cold reduction and mix with a whisk.
  2. Put the saucepan on a heat diffuser over a very low heat and continue whisking, making sure that the whisk remains in contact with the bottom of the pan.
  3. Gradually increase the heat so that the sauce emulsifies progressively, becoming very smooth and creamy after 8-10 minutes. DO NOT allow the temperature of the sauce to rise above 65°C.

Stage 3 - Emulsify with butter

  1. Remove from heat and still whisking, pour in the tepid clarified butter in a steady stream.
  2. Season with salt to taste.

Stage 4 - Add cream & finish

  1. Whip the cream to soft peaks and fold gently into the hollandaise sauce.
  2. At the very last moment, stir in the lemon juice (if using).
  3. Pass the sauce through a muslin-lined conical strainer to eliminate the crushed pepper if required, then serve immediately.

Notes

  • Temperature control: Like hollandaise, this sauce breaks if it gets too hot (above 70°C). Use a heat diffuser and low heat.
  • Cream folding: Fold the whipped cream gently to maintain airy texture; do not overmix.
  • Timing: Must be served immediately after folding in cream; the sauce will deflate if held.

Serving

Serve with delicate fish preparations (sole, turbot, en croûte), asparagus, or other elegant dishes requiring refined sauce.

Storage

  • Best served immediately due to cream and emulsion instability.
  • Can be held in a bain-marie at 50-55°C for no more than 15 minutes.
  • Does not freeze; emulsion and airy texture both break upon thawing.

Recipes mentioned here

1 / 1

More like this

1 / 4
Matzo Brei

Matzo Brei

The eight-day Passover diet rests on matzo, and matzo brei is the dish that turns yesterday's plain matzo crackers into a proper hot breakfast. Pieces of matzo go briefly under warm water until they soften (but don't disintegrate), then drain. They get folded into beaten salted eggs, sit a minute so the matzo drinks in the egg, and then go into hot foaming butter. Two finishes: cook flat as a thick pancake and flip, or break up and scramble. Eaten immediately with whichever topping the household votes for.

Snacks 12 minutes Serves2