Some time ago I asked my daughter if it would make sense to teach her some dishes so that she doesn’t have to order pizza every day once she moves out. Which would not only be expensive, but also not really healthy on the long run. She replied: “But why – I just go to your blog and find everything I need there.”
Honoring her boundless trust in me and this blog, I had the idea of creating a “how-to” series about very basic things; nothing fancy or difficult. Things that every amateur or hobby cook should be able to do, basic topics that make cooking and baking easier or even possible. You can find the first part here. Today, I would like to continue this and deal with the topic “How to make mayonnaise yourself”!
To make mayonnaise, you really don’t need that much – some fresh ingredients and a bit of fine flair. It tastes so much better than the one from the supermarket and is also free of preservatives and flavor enhancers. So grab a bowl and a blender and let’s start!
The basic ingredients
In fact we only need three basic ingredients for a good homemade mayonnaise:
- Eggs – since the yolk is used raw, freshness of the eggs is enormously important.
- Oil – Taste-neutral oils, such as sunflower or rapeseed oil, are the most commonly used ones. I love to add some good, high-quality olive oil at the end – be cautious, too much olive oil can make your mayonnaise taste bitter.
- Lemon juice – is necessary to give the mayonnaise acidity and to dilute it a bit. Stir it in carefully, otherwise the citric acid will become too dominant in taste.
The preferred method
Personally, I prefer to stir mayonnaise manually with the help of a whisk. In this way, I notice better when the cream begins to thicken and when I need to add oil or lemon juice. This method takes 10-15 minutes to achieve the perfect consistency.
However, you will be much faster with the blender – within a few minutes you will have a creamy and smooth sauce.
Tips and tricks for the perfect mayonnaise
As mentioned, homemade mayonnaise requires some sensitivity. Here are some tips to help you succeed straight away:
- Take all ingredients out of the refrigerator about an hour before preparation and let them warm up to room temperature.
- Add the oil slowly, stirring constantly; not too much at once! If the mayonnaise is too liquid, add a little more oil. This ensures a firmer consistency.
- If the mayonnaise breaks – i.e. eggs and oil separate from each other again – you can try to add 1 teaspoon of mustard and 1-2 tablespoons of hot water and mix well. If this doesn’t help, whip one egg yolk separately and try to mix it in slowly and gradually.
Homemade classic mayonnaise
Zutaten / Ingredients
- 1 fresh egg yolk size L
- 200 ml taste-neutral oil sunflower, rapeseed or corn oil
- 1-2 tbsp lemon juice freshly-squeezed
- 1 tsp mustard
- salt, pepper
Anleitung / Instructions
- Place the yolk in a mixing bowl – if you use a blender, choose a tall, narrow vessel (not much larger than the head of the blender).
- Add the mustard, the lemon juice and a little oil. Have the blender and the remaining oil ready.
- Turn on the blender to the highest level and stir the ingredients until a pale yellow, creamy mass is obtained.
- Gradually and slowly mix in the oil. Don’t rush! Let the blender slide through the sauce over and over again, so that the ingredients can merge well together.
- Mix until the perfect creamy consistency is achieved. Season with salt and pepper (and with other spices and ingredients if you want to). The finished mayonnaise can be stored in the refrigerator for about a week.
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