Recipe: Never Fail Hollandaise Sauce (Joy of Cooking, 1970's)

NEVER FAIL HOLLANDAISE SAUCE

Melt slowly and keep warm:
1/2 cup butter

Barely heat:
1 1/2 tbsp lemon juice
dry sherry or tarragon vinegar

Have ready a small saucepan of boiling water and a tablespoon with which to measure it when ready.

Place in the top of a double boiler over-not in-hot water:
3 egg yolks
Beat the yolks with a wire whisk until they begin to thicken.

ADD:
1 tbsp boiling water
Beat again until the eggs begin to thicken.

Repeat this process until you have added:
3 more tbsp water
Then beat in the warm lemon juice.

Remove the double boiler from the heat. Beat the sauce well with a wire whisk. Beat constantly while adding the melted butter slowly and:
1/4 tsp salt
A few grains of ground cayenne pepper

Beat until the sauce is thick. Serve at once.

Source: The Joy of Cooking by by Irma S. Rombauer and Marion Rombauer Becker, 1974