There is one ingredient that is never left out when making cream pasta, layering lasagna, or finishing a savory gratin: the smooth and creamy béchamel sauce. The calorie content of béchamel sauce is known to be about 180 kcal per 100g. It is a sauce with a light flavor based on the richness of butter and the soft sweetness of milk, with a subtle touch of nutmeg.
Often referred to as white sauce or cream sauce, this sauce is one of the five foundational sauces of French cuisine and boasts a history spanning hundreds of years. Today, let's explore everything from the origins of béchamel sauce to how to make it and the various dishes that utilize it.
The History and Origin of Béchamel Sauce: The Birth of the Louis XIV Era
The name Béchamel sauce is derived from Louis de Béchamel, a Marquis during the reign of Louis XIV in 17th-century France. To be precise, it is said that the sauce was first created not by the Marquis de Béchamel himself, but by his chef.
The interesting thing is that the early béchamel sauce was slightly different from the form we know today.
Originally Velouté It was originally made by adding a large amount of cream to the sauce, but over time it evolved into a modern recipe based on butter, flour, and milk.
Entering the 19th century, béchamel sauce came to play an important role in the systematization of French cuisine.
Legendary French chef Marie-Antoine Carême established the concept of four mother sauces by creating a list of numerous sauces, and later, Auguste Escoffier added tomato sauce to complete the five mother sauces known to us today.
The five major mother sauces of France are Béchamel, Velouté, Español, Hollandaise, It consists of tomato sauce.
Hundreds of derivative sauces are created based on these five sauces, forming the foundation of Western culinary sauces.
In English-speaking countries, béchamel sauce is commonly referred to as white sauce. In Korea, it is more familiar under the name "cream sauce," but strictly speaking, cream sauce is a derivative made by adding fresh cream to béchamel. However, the two terms are often used interchangeably in everyday life.
The Science of Béchamel Sauce: Understanding the Principles of Roux
The first step in making béchamel sauce is to make a roux. A roux is made by mixing equal amounts of butter and flour and sautéing them, and it serves as a base to thicken sauces or soups.
According to research by Harold McGee, interesting chemical reactions occur during the process of making a roux. When flour is sautéed in butter, acids, ketones, and benzaldehyde, which has an almond essence scent, are initially produced. As the roux is sautéed for longer and darkens in color, sweet and nutty furans and pyrazines are formed.
A roux made with butter produces cheesy, floral, and creamy-buttery volatile compounds. In contrast, a roux made with vegetable oil features more prominent fried and honey notes. If you desire the deep flavor of béchamel sauce, it is essential to use butter.
Roux is classified into three types based on the degree of sautéing. White roux is sautéed lightly just before it changes color and is used in béchamel sauce. Blonde roux is sautéed until it turns light brown, while brown roux is sautéed until it turns dark brown and is used in sauces such as Español.
The most important thing when making a white roux for béchamel sauce is to prevent it from browning. As soon as the butter melts, add the flour and stir quickly over low heat. If it looks like it is about to brown, it is best to remove it from the heat, stir briefly, and then bring it back on.
How to make perfect béchamel sauce without lumps
If you have ever attempted to make béchamel sauce and failed because lumps formed, pay attention.
Anyone can make a silky smooth sauce by understanding just a few key principles.
Basic ingredients (based on approximately 500ml)
- 30g unsalted butter
- 30g of flour (sifted)
- 500ml of milk
- Salt and white pepper to taste
- A little nutmeg
Step-by-step recipe
First, put butter in a thick-bottomed pot and melt it over low heat.
Once the butter is completely melted, add the sifted flour all at once and stir quickly with a whisk or wooden spatula. Stir for about 1 minute until the flour is completely absorbed into the butter and becomes a smooth paste.
The traditional method involves cooling the roux before adding warm milk, but modern recipes allow adding cold milk to a hot roux. The key is to maintain a significant temperature difference between the roux and the milk. The greater the temperature difference, the less likely it is for lumps to form.
Key secret to making lump-free: Do not pour the milk all at once; instead, add it little by little in 3 to 5 installments while stirring. Initially, it becomes a thick batter, and as you add more milk, it gradually turns into a smooth cream.
After adding all the milk, boil it over low heat for at least 5 minutes while stirring.
During this process, the raw smell of the flour disappears, and a deep flavor is added to the sauce. Finally, season with salt and white pepper, and add a little ground nutmeg to finish.
Nutmeg is the signature spice of béchamel sauce. It is a spice with a complex blend of pine, floral, citrus, and warm pepper notes that adds a complex flavor to light dishes such as cheese pasta, custard, and potato dishes.
The finished béchamel sauce lasts for about a week when refrigerated. When storing, cover the surface of the sauce tightly with plastic wrap to prevent a film from forming. If you heat it over low heat while stirring before use, it will be as smooth as when it was first made.
Béchamel sauce derivative sauce
[Image insertion location: Bowls containing various béchamel-derived sauces]
Béchamel sauce is called the mother sauce because numerous derivative sauces are created based on it. Simply adding ingredients to the basic béchamel transforms it into a sauce with a completely different flavor.
| Derivative source | Additional materials | Representative dishes using this recipe |
|---|---|---|
| Morne sauce | Gruyère cheese, Parmesan cheese | Sol Morne, Mac and Cheese |
| cream sauce | fresh cream | Cream pasta, cream soup |
| Sous vide sauce | Sautéed onions, (tomato puree) | Meat dishes, egg dishes |
| mustard sauce | Dijon mustard | Ham and sausage dishes |
| Nantua sauce | Crayfish butter, fresh cream | Seafood dishes |
Mornay sauce is made by grating and melting Gruyère or Emmental cheese into béchamel sauce, and sometimes adding egg yolks to create a richer flavor. Mornay sauce is a fantastic pairing with white fish such as cod or haddock and is the essence of the French dish Sole Mornay.
The cream sauce is made by adding a generous amount of fresh cream to the béchamel, and it is the form most familiar to us.
This cream sauce is what is mainly used in Korea when making cream pasta or cream soup.
Adding fresh cream increases the milk fat content, resulting in a smoother and richer flavor.
Sous vise sauce is made by sautéing onions in butter until caramelized and then mixing them with béchamel.
The sweetness of the onion adds depth to the sauce, and adding tomato puree creates a different flavor.
It is mainly served with lamb or pork dishes.
Signature dishes using béchamel sauce
Béchamel sauce is used as a key component in various dishes rather than on its own.
Let's take a look at some representative dishes that can be made with this sauce, which holds a position just as important as soybean paste in French and Italian cuisine.
Lasagna
Béchamel sauce is an essential element in lasagna, Italy's representative pasta dish.
Layer the wide pasta sheets, alternating between meat ragu sauce and béchamel sauce.
As it bakes in the oven, the béchamel embraces the flavor of the ragu and adds a creamy texture.
Greek moussaka and pastitsio are also made in a similar way.
Moussaka is baked by layering lamb ragu and béchamel between layers of eggplant and potatoes.
Pasticchio is made by layering macaroni, meat sauce, and béchamel, just like lasagna.
In these dishes, béchamel plays a role in providing structure to the meal.
Croque Monsieur
Croque Monsieur, a representative French brunch dish, originated from miners warming up cold, hardened sandwiches over a stove. It is made by spreading béchamel sauce on slices of bread, filling them with ham and cheese, and baking them in an oven. Its characteristic feature is the moist and savory flavor created as the sauce soaks into the bread.
Adding a fried egg on top of a Croque Monsieur creates a Croque Madame. Enjoyed as a light lunch at Parisian cafés, the harmony of the creamy béchamel sauce, melted cheese, and crispy bread is exquisite.
Gratin
Gratin is a general term for dishes made by topping ingredients with béchamel sauce and cheese and baking them in an oven until golden brown. There are various variations, such as potato gratin, cauliflower gratin, and macaroni gratin. The béchamel sauce moistens the ingredients, while the cheese sprinkled on top forms a golden crust that adds a crispy texture.
Mac and Cheese
The key to Mac and Cheese, often called America's national dish, is the béchamel-based cheese sauce. Cheddar cheese is generously melted into béchamel, mixed with boiled macaroni, sprinkled with breadcrumbs, and baked in the oven. As a comfort food loved by everyone from children to adults, it is a prime example of the versatility of béchamel sauce.
Clam Chowder
Béchamel sauce is also used in clam chowder, a representative soup of the New England region. Béchamel is added to a soup made by boiling clams, potatoes, onions, and celery to create a creamy texture. It is the perfect dish to warm both body and soul with a bowl of hot soup on a cold day.
Easy ways to use béchamel at home: Spread béchamel sauce on bread, sprinkle with a slice of cheddar cheese and mozzarella cheese, and heat in an air fryer or oven to make cafe-quality cheese toast. You can also whip up a simple mac and cheese dish in no time by tossing boiled macaroni in béchamel, sprinkling with cheese, and baking.
Béchamel sauce is made with just three ingredients—butter, flour, and milk—but once made, it can be used in countless dishes. Why not prepare a special home brunch this weekend using homemade béchamel sauce?.
