Step 1

Cut the 6 to 8 ounces butter into pieces and melt it in the saucepan over moderate heat. Then set it aside.

Step 2

Beat the egg yolks for about 1 minute in the saucepan, or until they become thick and sticky.

Step 3

Add the water, lemon juice, and salt, and beat for half a minute more.

Step 4

Add 1 Tb of cold butter, but do not beat it in. Then place the saucepan over very low heat or barely simmering water and stir the egg yolks with a wire whip until they slowly thicken into a smooth cream. This will take 1 to 2 minutes. If they seem to be thickening too quickly, or even suggest a lumpy quality, immediately plunge the bottom of the pan in cold water, beating the yolks to cool them. Then continue beating over heat. The egg yolks have thickened enough when you can begin to see the bottom of the pan between strokes, and the mixture forms a light cream on the wires of the whip.

Step 5

Immediately remove from heat and beat in 1 Tb cold butter, which will cool the egg yolks and stop their cooking.

Step 6

Then beating the egg yolks with a wire whip, pour on the melted butter by droplets or quarter-teaspoonfuls until the sauce begins to thicken into a very heavy cream. Then pour the butter a little more rapidly. Omit the milky residue at the bottom of the butter pan.

Step 7

Season the sauce to taste with salt, pepper, and lemon juice.