Put the water and egg yolks into a stainless-steel or glass bowl set over a pan of simmering water, making sure that the base of the bowl is not touching the water. Whisk until voluminous and creamy.

Remove the bowl from the pan and gradually whisk in the clarified butter until thick. Then whisk in the lemon juice, cayenne pepper and salt.

Place the vinegar, water and peppercorns in a small heavy-based pan and bring to the boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 1 minute, or until reduced by one-third (to about 2½tbsp).

Remove from the heat and leave until cold, then strain the liquid into a heatproof bowl. Add the egg yolks to the liquid and whisk together.

Set the bowl over a pan of simmering water: the base should be just above the water. Whisk the mixture for 5-6 minutes, or until it thickens and is riboon-like, creamy, and smooth in texture.

Place the bowl on a dampened tea towel. Slowly add the clarified butter, the butter should be melted and warm - above body temperature - but not too hot pouring it into the mixture in a thin stream and whisking until the sauce is thick and glossy.

Add the lemon juice, then season with salt and white pepper, and cayenne pepper. Serve at once. If you need to keep the hollandaise warm, use a bain-marie or transfer it to a thermos flask.

Melt the butter in a small pan and add the shallot, garlic, crushed pepper and herbs. Cook for 5 minutes, without colouring. Add the wine vinegar and boil until totally reduced, then add the wine and reduce until syrupy. Strain and set aside.
Whisk the egg yolks with 1½ tsp water in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water until thick. Slowly whisk in the clarified butter, then add the wine and shallot reduction, whisking to a smooth, thick sauce. Season with a little salt and cayenne and add the lemon juice, to taste. Serve warm, as soon as possible; do not reheat.

Melt the butter, juice the lemon, and separate the egg yolks.

Mix the egg yolks with the lemon juice in a bowl. Beat the egg yolks either over simmering water, or directly over the low! heat if the bowl is metal and you're brave.
Warm the eggs, beating, until they thicken and start to coat the bottom of the bowl when it is tilted. When you lift the whisk out the mixture will stick to it and fall back in ribbons.
A particularly good indication is steam: the moment you see a small whisp of steam coming from the eggs take them off the heat.

Keep whisking now - there will still be residual heat in the bowl, and gradually whisk in the butter: starting very slowly with a thin drizzle, stopping after each teaspoonful to start with. You can speed up slightly once you've got the emulsion going.

Season with salt and cayenne pepper and that's it. Serve the sauce immediately.
It should be made and served lukewarm, and won't reheat, but you can keep it in a warmed thermos for an hour or two if necessary.

Melt the butter, put the egg yolks, salt, pepper and lemon juice in a bowl and beat, standing over a pan of simmering water The bowl, silly, not you! until frothy.
Take care not to let the mixture boil, otherwise the egg yolks will curdle. Fold the warmed butter slowly into the mixture, a little at a time, adding more butter once the previous amount has been completely absorbed. If the sauce should curdle, add a few drops of iced water and beat vigorously until smooth again. Whisk in the orange juice then serve immediately with e.g. asparagus.