Authentic French Mayonnaise
Difficulty Level: Intermediate
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Prep Time:10 Minutes
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Yield:1 Cup
Ingredients
- 1 large egg yolk, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar (or good quality cider vinegar)
- Pinch of fine sea salt
- Freshly ground white pepper, to taste
- ¾ - 1 cup neutral vegetable oil (such as grapeseed, sunflower, or light olive oil)
- 1 large egg yolk, at room temperature
- 4.26g Dijon mustard
- 12.78g white wine vinegar (or good quality cider vinegar)
- Pinch of fine sea salt
- Freshly ground white pepper, to taste
- ¾ - 1 cup neutral vegetable oil (such as grapeseed, sunflower, or light olive oil)
Homemade mayonnaise is simple to make if you follow a few key steps. Room temperature egg yolk, adding oil very slowly, and constant whisking are essential! Not up for the whisk? Try making it in a blender.
Preparation
STEP 1
To a mixing bowl add egg yolk, Dijon mustard, vinegar, salt, and pepper. Whisk vigorously until well combined and slightly pale yellow. (This helps to start the emulsification process).
STEP 2
Start adding the oil very slowly at the beginning. Slow is critical! Add drop by drop while whisking continuously and energetically. The mixture should start to thicken and emulsify. If you add the oil too quickly at this stage, the mayonnaise is likely to break (separate).
STEP 3
Once the emulsion has started and the mixture is visibly thicker, you can begin to add the oil in a very thin, slow stream while still whisking constantly. Ensure each addition of oil is fully incorporated before adding more.
STEP 4
Continue whisking and slowly adding the oil until the mayonnaise reaches your desired thickness. You may not need all the oil. The more oil you add, the thicker the mayonnaise will become.
STEP 5
Once the mayonnaise is thick, taste it and adjust the seasoning with more salt, pepper, or a tiny drop more vinegar if needed.
STEP 6
Transfer the mayonnaise to a clean jar or container and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to combine. Homemade mayonnaise is best used within 3-4 days.
Options
You can easily turn this mayonnaise recipe into aioli by adding garlic and lemon.
Garlic Aioli: Add 3 finely grated garlic cloves, 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Lemon Aioli: Add 1 finely grated garlic clove, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 2 teaspoons lemon zest