Any suggestions on how to make a good low-fat hollandaise sauce?

Question

I got some great recipes from all of you for the traditional sauce but my attempts to make it low-fat resulted in nothing even remotely close to the original. I realize you have to sacrifice some of the richness and flavor, but......anyone?

Answer 1

Monkiegirl is right: such is the nature of the sauce that you will only get something completely different if you try to use low-fat ingredients!

However, I have found a few recipes - you'll have to try them to see if they are palatable! -

http://www.drgourmet.com/recipes/breakfast/hollandaisesauce.shtml
http://fooddownunder.com/cgi-bin/recipe.cgi?r=11319
http://www.fatfree.com/recipes/sauces/hollandaise-sauce

I don't know that I would try them; substituting an alternative sauce might be better than adapting an original. However, I did give a lovely recipe earlier in this section that might help: it's the real hollandaise but with a twist. The sauce comes out much lighter, keeps well as there is stability, and it goes much further so you don't have to use as much!

Foaming Hollandaise: serves 4

2 large egg yolks (reserve the whites)
1 dssp lemon juice
1 dssp white wine vinegar
4 oz butter, chilled, and cut into small pieces
salt and freshly milled black pepper

Heat the lemon juice and vinegar in a small pan until reduced by half. Put the egg yolks in a heatproof bowl that will sit on a saucepan, and pour the liquid over. Put water up to about 2" into the saucepan and bring to a simmer: place bowl with eggs on top. Do not let the water in the pan touch the bowl, and remove the bowl from time to time to let the heat escape - it mustn't get too hot or the eggs will scramble.

Beat the eggs over the hot water until creamy, then whisk in the butter, a small amount at a time, until you get the rich sauce.

Whisk the egg whites (it would be good if someone else did this while you make the sauce!), then fold them into the hollandaise. Don't over-fold.

This way, it lightens the sauce, so not quite so many calories, and it will never curdle - you can keep it over the warm water. You can also re-heat it in the same way, so you can make it the day before. And it will even freeze, which means that anything left over can be stored for a rainy day!

You may be making the basic sauce in a food processor: just add the stiff egg whites when it's done.

Answer 2

Considering the ingredients of hollandaise sauce, you will never get a low-fat version that even remotely resembles hollandaise. It's not possible.

Answer 3

I've never made or eaten it, but I understand it has a lot of eggs. Have you tried using an egg substitute like Egg-Beaters?