Whilst you can whisk by hand, I always use my KitchenAid stand mixer, although I have also made mayonnaise in my food processor, and achieve great results.
The key is the slow flow of oil especially at the beginning of the mixing process.
Home made mayonnaise is a taste sensation, has so many uses and can be tweaked according to your needs or whim.
There are many options, egg yolk only, whole egg, using vinegar or lemon juice, adding mustard (I like Dijon), type of oil to be used. This is a basic recipe which yields about 160 mls.
My preferred oil is grapeseed oil, I find this a really pure oil that I can enhance the flavour to my liking. It is a little more expensive than other types of oil but the results are great. Canola or vegetable oil are a good replacement for grapeseed oil.
Using all olive oil can be somewhat overpowering, but certainly 50/50 works.
Time: 5-10 minutes depending on amount you are making
Ingredients:
- 1 large egg yolk (700-800g) or 2 smaller ones
- 180 ml Grapeseed oil. Always measure the oil prior to beginning whilst you might need a little less or a little more it is best to have the desired amount measured out.
- 2 Tablespoons lemon juice / or vinegar – preferably white
- pinch of salt
Whisk the egg yolk with lemon juice and salt (if you wish to add Dijon mustard add about half a teaspoon at this stage)
Drip the oil in, starting drop by drop. I dip a teaspoon in the oil and let the drops flow off. Once I have the mixture underway I tend to dribble the oil around the edge of the bowl. This drips down the sides, at just the right amount.
Once you have used 3/4 of the oil, taste and season accordingly, you may require a little extra salt, or lemon juice. Perfect mayonnaise is very much a personal taste, if you’re not sure my recipe should yield a result that will impress.