Mayonnaise
One egg yolk binds a quarter liter of oil, provided it is added drop by drop and everything is at the same temperature.
- Preparation
- 10 min
- Cook/bake time
- –
- Total
- 10 min
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
One egg yolk binds a quarter liter of oil, provided it is added drop by drop and everything is at the same temperature. Homemade mayonnaise is ready in five minutes, tastes like the oil you choose, and is the starting point for remoulade, aioli, and any sandwich worth its salt.
Why this works
Mayonnaise is an emulsion of around 80 percent oil in 20 percent water, meaning the oil is the main component and yet the dispersed phase. This is made possible by the lecithin in the egg yolk: it wraps around each individual oil droplet with one water-loving and one fat-loving end. For this to succeed, the oil must be added slowly enough so that each droplet gets its coating before the next one arrives. If added too quickly, the droplets flow together and the mayonnaise curdles. The second condition is the temperature: cold egg yolk from the fridge and room-temperature oil have different viscosities, and the whisk cannot manage to combine them. Therefore, both must be at room temperature.
Step-by-step instructions
- 1
Bring everything to room temperature
Take the egg and oil out of the fridge at least thirty minutes beforehand. This is the most common source of error of all: cold egg yolk and room-temperature oil have different viscosities, and then nothing will bind, no matter how long you whisk.
- 2
Mix the egg yolk, mustard, and acid
Whisk the egg yolk, mustard, vinegar, and salt in a narrow, tall bowl for thirty seconds until smooth. The mustard is not a spice here, but a second emulsifier. It gives the emulsion a backup in case the oil is added too quickly.
- 3
Add oil drop by drop at first
Add the oil truly drop by drop at the beginning and whisk continuously. The first fifty milliliters decide everything. As soon as the mixture has become visibly lighter and thicker, you can continue pouring in a thin stream, as the emulsion will then hold.
- 4
Season to taste
Season to taste with salt, pepper, and a little more acid. If the mayonnaise is too firm, stir in a teaspoon of warm water. This does not dilute it, but gives the emulsion more water phase and makes it smoother.
Our best tips
- Use a tall, narrow vessel instead of a bowl. The whisk or immersion blender reaches the entire volume in it, and the emulsion gets going faster.
