Béchamel Sauce

Béchamel sauce, also known as white sauce, is one of the five “mother sauces” of French cuisine and serves as a versatile base for countless dishes. Whether you’re whipping up a creamy pasta, layering a lasagna, or adding a luxurious touch to a gratin, mastering this classic sauce will elevate your cooking. Here’s everything you need to know to make a perfect Béchamel sauce from scratch.

Practical Tips & Recipe Notes!

• Use warm milk: Slightly heat the milk to around 45 degrees. Doing this before combining it with butter and flour in the saucepan helps maintain the butter’s consistency. Pouring cold milk directly from the fridge can cause the butter and flour to form lumps.
• Thicker when cooled down: The sauce becomes thicker as it cools.
• Storage: If not using immediately, cover béchamel sauce with foil to prevent a skin from forming on the surface.

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📖 Recipe

Ingredients

• 500ml of milk
• 3 tbsp of wheat flour
• 50g butter
• ¼ tsp each of salt, pepper and nutmeg

Instructions

• Place the butter in the saucepan.
• Let it melt slowly on low heat.
• Once the butter is liquid, add the flour spoon by spoon, stirring constantly.
• Use the spoon to break up any lumps of flour.
• When the mixture is smooth, pour in all the milk, salt, pepper, and nutmeg.
• Increase the heat.
• Stir the sauce all the time until it thickens – it can take about 5–10 minutes.
• Mix the béchamel sauce with a whisk.
• Remember not to stop stirring.
• When the sauce reaches the density of a jelly, it is ready.

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Final Thoughts

Making Béchamel sauce is a skill that will pay off time and time again in your culinary journey. With a little practice, you’ll find it as easy as boiling water—and far more rewarding. So grab your whisk, heat up the stove, and enjoy the satisfaction of creating this classic sauce from scratch!

Happy cooking! 🍴