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Combine egg yolks, vinegar, mustard, salt, and white pepper in a medium bowl; whisk vigorously for 10 seconds until pale and foamy.
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Begin adding oil one drop at a time (literally: drop from a spoon), whisking constantly and vigorously — this is critical for the first 30 ml; emulsion forms when oil droplets suspend in egg yolk lecithin matrix.
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After 30 ml oil is incorporated and mixture is thick, add oil in a slow steady stream (2 mm diameter) while whisking continuously; whisk must never stop.
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Halfway through oil addition (around 120 ml total), mixture will reach peak thickness and become difficult to whisk — this is normal and means emulsion is stable.
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Continue adding remaining oil slowly; texture will loosen slightly as more oil is incorporated — you are now just whisking faster oil-to-egg ratio.
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When all oil is incorporated, taste and adjust with additional vinegar, salt, or pepper; if consistency is too thick, whisk in warm water (5 ml at a time).
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If emulsion breaks (looks curdled/separated), start fresh yolk in clean bowl, whisk with mustard and salt, then slowly whisk in broken mayo as if it were oil — re-emulsifies instantly.
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KEY PRINCIPLE: Oil droplets suspend in yolk lecithin (an emulsifier); whisking provides energy for dispersion. Room-temperature ingredients and slow addition at start ensure stable emulsion that holds 80%+ oil.
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MAYONNAISE — Hand Method and Emulsion Science
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Yield: 250 ml | Prep: 10 min | Total: 10 min
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1 egg yolk (room temperature — crucial)
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5 ml Dijon mustard (acts as emulsifier)
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10 ml white wine vinegar or lemon juice (acid stabilizes emulsion)
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175 ml neutral oil (light olive, peanut, or sunflower — room temperature)
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Sea salt and white pepper (to taste)
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5 ml warm water (if emulsion threatens to break)
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Whisk egg yolk with Dijon mustard and sea salt in medium bowl until pale and slightly thickened (1 minute); this activates lecithin in yolk.
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Add half the vinegar or lemon juice; whisk to combine; acid helps stabilize emulsion by lowering pH.
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Begin adding oil drop by drop (literally — 1 ml at a time) while whisking constantly and vigorously; oil droplets must be surrounded by lecithin-water mixture before more oil is added.
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After approximately 60 ml oil is incorporated and sauce visibly thickens, oil can be added in thin, steady stream (3–5 ml at a time) while whisking; ratio shifts toward oil-continuous emulsion.
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If emulsion breaks (becomes grainy or separates), immediately stop whisking; begin fresh with new yolk in clean bowl, whisk with mustard and acid, then slowly whisk broken mixture into fresh yolk (recovers 90% of broken batch).
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Once all oil is incorporated, whisk in remaining vinegar, warm water if needed for consistency, and season with sea salt and white pepper.
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EMULSION SCIENCE: Egg yolk contains 35% lecithin; each molecule has hydrophilic (water-loving) head and lipophilic (fat-loving) tail. Lecithin surrounds oil droplets, allowing up to 4× volume of oil to water. Break emulsion by whisking too fast, adding cold oil, or adding oil too quickly.
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For foolproof blender mayonnaise, use an immersion blender with the egg yolk and acid in the bottom of a narrow jar — pour all the oil on top and plunge the blender, then raise slowly as it emulsifies
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For aioli (Provençal garlic mayonnaise), begin with roasted garlic paste in the bowl before the yolk — the roasted garlic provides additional emulsification surface
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For stable mayonnaise that holds on buffets or in warm environments, add 0.3% xanthan gum to the water phase — it dramatically increases viscosity and prevents weeping
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A clean resting bowl, no oil residue, and a room-temperature yolk are the three most important preparation steps for a beginner learning hand mayonnaise
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For a lighter result, replace 30% of the oil with a light flavoured broth or cold reduction — the result is a semi-emulsion with dramatically reduced fat content
