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From: lewish@acf2.UUCP (Henry M. Lewis)
Newsgroups: net.cooks
Subject: Re: Problem With 'Garlic Lovers CB' Recipe
Message-ID: <500008@acf2.UUCP>
Date: Sat, 1-Jun-85 17:08:00 EDT
Article-I.D.: acf2.500008
Posted: Sat Jun  1 17:08:00 1985
Date-Received: Sun, 2-Jun-85 20:15:34 EDT
References: <926@eisx.UUCP>
Organization: New York University
Lines: 37

>      Recently	I tried	the recipe for Aioli from the Garlic Lovers
>      Cookbook	. . .
>      My specific problem was that the	 stuff	didn't	thicken	 no
>      matter  how long	I beat it.  I used a hand mixer	rather than
>      the blender approach described in the  recipe.	The  recipe
>      warned  about  adding  the  oil	too  quickly  to  the other
>      ingredients and I tried to avoid	that.	Must  it  be  added
>      painfully  slowly?   I've  never	 tried making anything like
>      this before and I may have added	the  oil  too  quickly	but
>      just  the  same I would think that beating for a	while would
>      thicken it.  I don't have the recipe in front of	me now	and
>      I don't recall if there were any	specific instructions about
>      temperature of the ingredients but, could that have  been  a
>      problem?

I am not familiar with this particular recipe, but I assume it resembles
other aiolis and mayonnaises.  The oil must indeed be added painfully
slowly, and if this is not done, no amount of beating will thicken the
mixture.  (The oil must be absorbed gradually by the egg yolks; too much
oil at once encapsulates the yolk particles and prevents further absorption.
It is the emulsion resulting from the absorption that thickens the sauce.)
At first, add by a rapid stream of drops--only the last drop of oil should
be visible in the mixture.  When it begins to thicken, you may add the oil a
bit faster, in a very thin stream.  When at least half of the oil has been
added, speed up again, if you dare--at this point small streaks of oil may
safely appear.  Don't speed up too much, or the whole mess will curdle.

If this recipe is intended to be made in a blender, it probably includes
a whole egg as well as egg yolks.  This is to SLOW DOWN the process of
emulsification, which would otherwise clog the blender blades!  If using
a hand or stand beater, use yolks only--substitute one yolk for the one
whole egg.

Some experts recommend room-temperature ingredients, but I have used cold
yolks with no problem.

--Hank Lewis      ...!ihnp4!cmcl2!acf2!lewish