Description
Mayonnaise, hollandaise, and vinaigrette are classic emulsions that use amphiphilic agents to disperse oil in water.
Technical
Egg‑yolk lecithin and mustard proteins act as surface‑active agents that lower interfacial tension, allowing oil droplets to be stabilized by a surrounding aqueous film. Temperature control governs protein denaturation (preventing curdling) while vigorous whisking reduces droplet size, which exponentially increases kinetic stability. The balance of oil‑to‑water ratio, emulsifier concentration, and droplet size determines the rheology and shelf‑life of each sauce.
Science
Primary Reaction
formation of a thermodynamically metastable oil‑in‑water (or water‑in‑oil) emulsion via interfacial tension reduction
Sensory Profile
Aroma ()
richbutterytangyfreshsavoryegg-likemustardyherbalcitrusynutty