Lemon White Sauce is a traditional British recipe, based on Mrs Beeton's recipe of 1861, for a classic white sauce made from a cream and white stock base flavoured with lemon and thickened with butter and plain flour. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic British version of: Lemon White Sauce.
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This is a traditional British recipe redacted from the redoubtable Mrs Beeton's 1861 volume Mrs Beeton's Book of Household Management, the classic Victorian cookbook.
Original Recipe
LEMON WHITE SAUCE, FOR FOWLS, FRICASSEES, &c.
458. INGREDIENTS.—3/4 pint of cream, the rind and juice of 1 lemon, 1/2 teaspoonful of whole white pepper, 1 sprig of lemon thyme, 3 oz. of butter, 1 dessertspoonful of flour, 1 teacupful of white stock; salt to taste.
Mode.—Put the cream into a very clean saucepan (a lined one is best), with the lemon-peel, pepper, and thyme, and let these infuse for 1/2 hour, when simmer gently for a few minutes, or until there is a nice flavour of lemon. Strain it, and add a thickening of butter and flour in the above proportions; stir this well in, and put in the lemon-juice at the moment of serving; mix the stock with the cream, and add a little salt. This sauce should not boil after the cream and stock are mixed together.
Time.—Altogether, 3/4 hour. Average cost, 1s. 6d.
Sufficient, this quantity, for a pair of large boiled fowls.
Note.—Where the expense of the cream is objected to, milk may be substituted for it. In this case, an additional dessertspoonful, or rather more, of flour must be added.
Combine the cream, lemon zest, peppercorns and lemon thyme in a non-reactive pan. Set aside to infuse for 15 minutes then bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 4 minutes. Strain the mixture through a fine-meshed sieve and pour into a clean pan.
Mix together the butter and plain flour to a smooth paste. Return the cream mixture to the hob and work in the butter and flour thickening, a small piece at a time. Add the white stock and cook gently to thicken (but do not boil).
Immediately before serving whisk in the lemon juice and salt. Serve immediately.
