Frederic Melton
Béchamel sauce is a creamy white sauce made from butter, flour, and milk. It is seasoned with salt and nutmeg and sometimes Parmesan cheese. The sauce is often used as a base for other sauces or dishes such as mac and cheese, lasagna, and pizza sauce. The taste of béchamel sauce is naturally mild and sweet, and it can be loaded with herbs, cheese, lemon zest, or chile powder to enhance its flavour.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Main Ingredients | Butter, Flour, Milk |
| Other Ingredients | Salt, Nutmeg, Parsley, Shallots, Pepper, Cheese, Cream |
| Flavour | Mild, Sweet, Warm, Spicy, Complex |
| Texture | Thick, Creamy |
| Colour | White |
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What You'll Learn
Bechamel sauce is mild and sweet
The mildness of bechamel comes from its simple ingredients: butter, flour, and milk. These ingredients create a silky, creamy texture that clings to food. The sauce is often seasoned with salt and nutmeg, which adds warmth, spice, and complexity to the otherwise mild flavour. The amount of nutmeg added can vary depending on taste, as some people find it overpowering.
Bechamel is a versatile sauce that can be used in a variety of dishes. It is commonly used in French dishes like croque madame or croque monsieur, and as a base for other sauces like Mornay sauce, which is made by adding Gruyere cheese. Bechamel is also used in Italian dishes like lasagna and mac and cheese. It can be a perfect dipping sauce for appetizers, such as meat bites, buffalo chicken wings, or mini meatballs.
The sweetness of bechamel comes from the milk and butter used in its preparation. These ingredients give the sauce a rich, creamy flavour that is slightly sweet. The sweetness of bechamel can be enhanced by adding cheese, such as in the case of a user who added grated Grana Padano cheese to their bechamel for lasagna. The cheese added a sweet, nutty flavour to the sauce.
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It's a base for many dishes
Béchamel is a "mother sauce" and a building block of classic French cuisine. It is made from a white roux (butter and flour) and milk, seasoned with ground nutmeg. The sauce is naturally mild and sweet and acts as a blank canvas for other flavours.
Béchamel is a versatile sauce that can be used as a base for many dishes. It is often used in pasta dishes, such as lasagna, mac and cheese, and chicken and dumplings. It can also be used as a pizza sauce or as a component in a hot ham and cheese sandwich.
When making béchamel, it is important to cook the flour and butter together until the raw flavour of the flour is cooked out, but not so long that the mixture takes on colour. This is called a roux and acts as a thickening agent. Milk is then slowly whisked into the roux to create a creamy sauce.
The sauce can be seasoned with salt, nutmeg, and/or Parmesan cheese, depending on the dish it is being used for. It can also be loaded with herbs, cheese, lemon zest, or chile powder to create a unique flavour profile.
Béchamel is a great base for many recipes because it is quick and easy to make, and it can be customised to suit the dish. It is a versatile sauce that can be used in a variety of cuisines and applications.
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It's made with butter, flour and milk
Béchamel sauce is a creamy white sauce made with butter, flour, and milk. It is one of the five "mother sauces" of French cuisine, which are the building blocks of classic French cooking. A mother sauce is used to make other sauces, and béchamel is a versatile base that can be used either on its own or as the foundation for countless other sauces.
To make béchamel, you start by making a roux, which is a mixture of flour and fat (in this case, butter) that acts as a thickening agent. You heat the butter and whisk in the flour, cooking it just long enough to get rid of the raw flour flavour without letting the mixture take on any colour. You then slowly whisk in the milk, which turns the roux into a sauce. The sauce will thicken as it's stirred, and you can continue cooking it until it reaches your desired consistency.
The taste of béchamel in its purest form is naturally mild and sweet. It is often seasoned with a pinch of nutmeg, which lends the sauce warmth, spice, and complexity. However, the nutmeg should be subtle enough that you can't necessarily pick it out. Béchamel is also commonly seasoned with salt, and you can add Parmesan cheese or other cheeses as well.
Béchamel is a versatile sauce that can be used in a variety of dishes, including mac and cheese, lasagna, and pizza sauce. It can also be used as a creamy component in dishes like croque monsieurs or baked sandwiches.
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Season with nutmeg, salt and cheese
The taste of béchamel sauce in its purest form is naturally mild and sweet. It is often described as a "blank canvas" that can be seasoned and built upon. The sauce is made with a combination of butter, flour, and milk, creating a silky, creamy texture.
When seasoning béchamel with nutmeg, salt, and cheese, the flavours can be enhanced and transformed. Nutmeg, for example, lends a subtle warmth, spice, and complexity to the sauce. It adds depth to the otherwise mild béchamel, creating a cosy, comforting flavour. The amount of nutmeg added can be adjusted to personal preference, with some enjoying a more pronounced nutmeg presence and others preferring a more subtle hint.
Salt is also crucial in seasoning béchamel. It enhances the natural flavours of the sauce and can be adjusted to taste. The saltiness of the cheese should also be considered when adding salt, as too much salt can overpower the other ingredients. Speaking of cheese, it is a popular addition to béchamel, with options like Parmesan or Gruyère commonly used. Cheese adds a sharpness and savouriness to the sauce, balancing the sweetness of the béchamel. It also contributes to the creaminess and thickness of the sauce, creating a richer texture.
The combination of nutmeg, salt, and cheese takes the béchamel in a savoury direction, making it ideal for dishes like mac and cheese, lasagna, or croque monsieurs. The cheese adds a distinct flavour profile, whether it's the nuttiness of Gruyère or the sharpness of Parmesan. The nutmeg enhances the comfort factor, making the dish feel like a warm hug. The salt, of course, ties all the flavours together, ensuring that none of the ingredients overpower the dish.
When seasoning béchamel with nutmeg, salt, and cheese, it's important to taste and adjust as you go. The beauty of béchamel is its versatility, so feel free to experiment and find the balance of flavours that suits your palate and the dish you're creating.
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It's one of the five French mother sauces
Béchamel is a French mother sauce. Mother sauces, or sauces mères in French, are the building blocks of classic French cuisine. They are sauces used to make other sauces. In the 19th century, Marie-Antoine Carême anointed Béchamel, Velouté, Espagnole, and tomato sauce as the four mother sauces. Later on, Hollandaise was added to the list.
Béchamel is a versatile, creamy white sauce that can be used as a vehicle for whatever flavour you want to deliver. It is traditionally made with a roux (butter and flour cooked together) and milk, with a bit of seasoning. The sauce is thick and has a silky, creamy texture. It is used as the base for many other sauces, such as mornay or nantuan or soubise. It is also used in dishes such as mac and cheese, lasagna, and croque monsieurs.
Béchamel is a great base for many recipes. It can be loaded with herbs, cheese, lemon zest, or chile powder. It is an excellent choice for a cheese sauce for broccoli. It can also be added to a lasagna for extra creaminess.
To make a basic béchamel sauce, melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and whisk until smooth. Cook and stir until the flour turns a light, golden, sandy colour, about 7 minutes. Increase the heat to medium-high and slowly whisk in milk until thickened by the roux. Bring to a gentle simmer, then reduce the heat to medium-low and continue simmering until the flour has softened and no longer tastes gritty, 10 to 20 minutes. Season with salt and nutmeg.
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Frequently asked questions
Béchamel sauce is a combination of butter, flour, and milk. It is seasoned with ground nutmeg and is often used as a base for other sauces. It is one of the five mother sauces of French cuisine.
Béchamel sauce has a naturally mild and sweet taste. It is often described as a blank canvas that can be used as a base for building complex flavours.
You can add a variety of ingredients to béchamel sauce to enhance its flavour, such as cheese (especially Parmesan), herbs, lemon zest, or chile powder. Seasoning with salt and nutmeg can also add warmth, spice, and complexity to the sauce.
