Homemade Mayonnaise
Mayonnaise is less a recipe than a piece of physics. Oil and water do not mix, but egg yolk carries lecithin and lipoproteins that wrap every droplet of oil and stop them merging back together. The whole technique comes down to one thing: the oil has to reach the yolk gradually, so that each droplet is sheared small. A stick blender does this by itself — the blade on the bottom draws the oil down a little at a time.
- Prep
- 10 min
- Total
- 10 min
- Servings
- 12
- Level
- Medium
- Per serving
- 182 kcal
Ingredients
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What to use instead
Extra virgin olive oil turns bitter when whipped — use refined sunflower or grapeseed oil and stir in a spoonful of olive oil at the end.
Makes: about 300 ml
Shopping list
The ingredients for the servings you chose — copy them or send them to a messenger. Tick what you already have at home: only the rest goes on the list.
Method
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Step 1: Everything in one narrow jar
Use a tall, narrow glass or jar that a stick blender only just fits into. Crack the egg onto the bottom and add the mustard, salt and sugar. The mustard is an emulsifier in its own right and backs the yolk up. Use Dijon, which is sieved smooth; wholegrain mustard (à l’ancienne) will not do here.
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Step 2: All the oil at once
Pour all the oil on top and let it settle for a few seconds: the egg should stay on the bottom under the oil. Lower the blender right to the bottom and press it down over the egg.
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Step 3: Blend without lifting
Switch the blender on and keep it on the bottom. Within 10–15 seconds a thick white mass starts rising from below: the blade draws the oil in a little at a time, so there is no need to add it drop by drop. When the white cap reaches about halfway, slowly lift the blender and lower it again until all the oil is taken up and the mayonnaise is thick.
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Step 4: The acid goes in last
Once the mayonnaise has thickened, add the vinegar or lemon juice and blend everything once more. It turns paler and the taste brightens. If it is too stiff, add the spoonful of warm water — it restores flow and stabilises the emulsion.
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Step 5: If it splits
Pour the mixture into another container. Put a fresh yolk or a teaspoon of mustard into a clean jar and, blending, pour the broken mixture in a thin stream. It comes back together; nothing needs throwing away.
Watch it made
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Tips & variations
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Tip
One whole egg comfortably holds these 250 ml of oil: it brings both yolk and white, and the white helps the emulsion too. Push past that and the emulsion turns fragile and breaks at the slightest knock.
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Variation
Without a blender, use a whisk and a deep bowl, and then 2 yolks work better than a whole egg: add the first 50 ml of oil literally drop by drop, then in a thin stream, whisking all the time. Add the vinegar at the end, as with the blender. For this method the eggs and oil are better at room temperature: cold ones break into droplets less readily.
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Swap
Extra virgin olive oil turns bitter when whipped — use refined sunflower or grapeseed oil and stir in a spoonful of olive oil at the end.
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Storage
Three to four days in a sealed jar in the fridge. The egg is raw, so use the freshest eggs, and pasteurised ones for children or during pregnancy.
Nutrition
| 1 serving | Whole dish 12 servings | |
|---|---|---|
| Energy | 182 kcal | 2,184 kcal |
| Protein | 1 g | 12 g |
| Fat | 20 g | 240 g |
| Carbohydrates | 1 g | 12 g |
Approximate values calculated from standard ingredient data.
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