Trim and wash the asparagus, place in the steamer, sprinkle with a very little salt and steam for about 12 minutes or until tender.

Make the hollandaise sauce; you may prefer to make this sauce after you have prepared the asparagus and before starting to cook it, so neither will be kept waiting for long. While the asparagus is cooking beat the cream until fairly stiff and fold into the hollandaise sauce.

As soon as the asparagus is done, take it carefully out of the steamer and transfer to heated plates. Spoon some of the mousseline sauce over the asparagus tips and serve at once, handing round the remaining sauce separately.