Start with 8oz of butter. I find the better the quality of butter, the easier it is the separate the fat from the solids.  You will also need the juice of one lemon (I prefer a sweeter Meyer lemon for this recipe).

Melt to butter slowly over very low heat.  The solids will sink to the bottom and you will easily be able to pull the fat off of the top.

Set up a double boiler over simmering water

Add 4 egg yolks to a metal bowl with 1 tbls white wine vinegar (I would have preferred champagne vinegar but couldn’t find it this time), 1 tbls water and half the lemon juice.

Whisk approximately one minute until the eggs start to change in texture.  You have to be really careful here to make sure you water isn’t too hot and you aren’t holding the bowl over the heat for too long.  You don’t want to scramble your eggs. Alternate on and off of the heat.

Begin ladling your melted butter one tbls at a time into the egg mixture while alternating on and off the heat until all the butter is incorporated.

Remove from heat and add a pinch of salt, a pinch of cayenne pepper and the rest of the lemon juice.

Enjoy over asparagus or on Eggs Benedict!