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BECHAMEL SAUCE, CLASSIC

 

Tricks
• To prevent lumps forming when making bechamel, remove the pan from the heat when stirring in the flour. Stir briefly with a wooden spoon return the pan to the heat, and proceed as normal.
• To avoid a skin forming on top of a bechamel sauce prepared in advance, cover the surface with a disk of waxed paper lightly greased with butter. Bechamel sauce can be stored in the refrigerator for a few days or frozen.
• To reheat, put it into a heatproof bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water.

CLASSIC BECHAMEL SAUCE
Serves 6

• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
• 2 tablespoons sunflower oil
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 3 cups milk
• salt

Melt the butter with the oil in a pan and stir in the flour. Gradually stir in the milk, a little at a time, and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Add salt to taste and simmer over medium heat, stirring constantly, for 8-10 minutes. If a thinner sauce is required, add more milk. If the bechamel needs to be thicker, simmer the sauce longer, until it reaches the required consistency.


BECHAMEL SAUCE WITH EGG YOLKS
• 2 egg yolks
• 1 quantity Classic Bechamel Sauce (see recipe above)

Put 2 egg yolks in a bowl and gradually add a little of the bechamel sauce, stirring constantly to prevent the eggs curdling. Then return the mixture to the sauce in the pan and reheat gently but do not allow it to boil.