This recipe is a classic French dessert sauce with a rich, creamy texture and a sweet vanilla flavor. It's not complicated to make (there is a step-by-step video!), even though the yolks are cooked on the stove, which can be intimidating sometimes. Serve it with fruit, angel cake, bread pudding, souffle, and floating island.
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About this recipe
Also called English cream (the translation from French), this is like a pastry cream but lighter and pourable, perfect for desserts like Apple Bread Pudding or Pear Cobbler.
It's made on the stove and consists of sweetened egg yolks cooked with milk until they thicken enough to be called a sauce.
Vanilla is the traditional flavor, and you can use pure vanilla extract, paste (my favorite) or beans. The last two leave those tiny unique black specks that make it more sophisticated and add depth of flavor.
But this custard can be flavored with so many other ingredients: citrus zest, other extracts (like coffee, rum, maple, citrus, and almond), cocoa powder, brown sugar, and more.
So, start with the traditional and play around until you find your favorites!
Ingredients
Only 4 ingredients are needed!
- Egg yolks. Use fresh ones for the best results.
- Whole milk. Don't be tempted to use low-fat, as the custard will not have the same richness.
- White granulated sugar.
- Vanilla: I use pure vanilla extract or pure vanilla paste when available, but a good vanilla essence (artificially flavored) also works and is infinitely cheaper.
What is the difference between custard and crème anglaise?
Crème anglaise is a light, pourable custard. But different from a vanilla custard pudding, which is thicker as it contains cornstarch or another thickening agent.
What is crème anglaise made of?
Only 4 ingredients are needed: egg yolk, milk, sugar, and vanilla. Find the full recipe below in the recipe card.
How do you make crème anglaise thicker?
It uses egg yolks as a thickener. Since it doesn't contain cornstarch or flour, I suggest you use less milk if you want a thicker sauce.
Watch the video tutorial
If you are apprehensive about cooking yolks on the stove, don't be. You can make a wonderful custard sauce by following this recipe's tips and details.
My top tips
- Organization: read the recipe carefully and make sure you have the ingredients, utensils and space needed to make it.
- Mixing: the yolks and sugar are traditionally whisked and not beaten with a mixer. This is because you don't want to add too much air. I've done both with good results, the key is beating them (with hand-held electric mixer) for a short period, just until they thicken a little.
- Heat: it's key to cook the yolks and milk over low heat until they thicken. Watch it closely, stirring frequently, and don't let it boil.
- Storing: it lasts in the refrigerator for several days, a week many times. You can freeze it though it will never have the same consistency once you defrost it, but depending on how you plan to serve it, you might not care.
- Serving it: in my opinion, is better after several hours, or a day, in the fridge
How to use a vanilla bean
If you decide to go French all the way and use vanilla beans (instead of extract or paste), here is how you open and use them:
- Place the bean flat on the surface.
- Open the bean lengthwise with a sharp knife (I use a small one with a pointed tip).
- Use the tip of the knife to scrape the inside of each half bean lengthwise, dragging the seeds.
Put the empty vanilla beans in a jar with powdered sugar and leave for several weeks. You'll have amazing vanilla sugar!
Vintage Kitchen Tip
How to serve custard cream
- Fruit-based desserts: such as pies, tarts, and crumbles. It pairs well with apples, pears, berries, and stone fruits.
- Cakes: especially those with a light and airy texture such as sponge cakes or angel food cakes. It can be served either on top of the cake or on the side.
- Puddings: it's an ideal partner for old-fashioned desserts such as sticky toffee pudding, bread pudding, and rice pudding.
- Pancakes and waffles: it can be poured over these popular breakfast dishes, either as a topping or as a filling.
- Dessert soufflés: serve alongside or poured over delicate soufflés to add extra richness and flavor.
Related recipes you might like:
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Custard Cream (Crème Anglaise)
If you never tried this light sauce let me tell you that it's easy to make, even though the yolks are cooked on a stove with a few other ingredients and that can be intimidating sometimes. It comes together quickly but needs to cool down, and, in my opinion, is better after several hours, or a day, in the fridge. Serve it with fruit, cake slices, bread puddings, or waffles, it's a delicious sweet custard to make often.
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 1 ½ cups
Ingredients
- 3 egg yolks
- 1 cup (250ml) whole milk
- ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract or paste
Instructions
- Have all ingredients ready. Including a bowl with ice and some water if you're going to cool it down with an inverted water bath (see Notes below).
- Pour milk on a medium saucepan and add half of the sugar. Whisk until the sugar starts to dissolve and heat over medium heat until it starts to barely simmer, or bubble in the edges. Don't let it boil.
- Meanwhile, beat the egg yolks with the remaining sugar until slightly thickened. It's recommended to use a whisk because we don't want to incorporate too much air, but if you only have a hand-held mixer use it just until the mixture thickens.
- Add the hot milk to the egg mixture a little at a time (we don't want to cook the yolks with the heat) until you add ⅔ of the milk.
- Return this mixture to the same saucepan that has the rest of the milk and cook over low heat for a few minutes, stirring constantly, until the mixture is hot and thickens slightly. Don't let it boil.
- Check a few times that the custard is not boiling as it might curdle. That's why we use low heat, to be able to cook it without curdling.
- It should coat the back of a wooden spoon and, if a finger is drawn across it, it should leave a clear path.
- Strain the custard onto a bowl to discard any solids that might've formed while cooking.
- Add vanilla paste or extract and mix.
- Transfer to the ice water bowl if using an inverted water bath (see Notes below), or cover the bowl with a piece of plastic on top that touches the whole surface.
- Cool at room temperature and refrigerate.
- Store in the refrigerator for 4-5 days.
Notes
Recipe: it can easily be doubled. Keep in mind that it will take a little longer to heat the milk and cook it.
Inverted water bath: this is a great way to cool the custard fast, and it involves putting it in a bowl and then in another bowl that has ice and water. Stir constantly until it cools down completely and thickens. You can then refrigerate it in an airtight container or in a bowl with a piece of plastic on top touching the whole surface.
Organization: read the recipe carefully and make sure you have the ingredients, utensils and space needed to make it.
Mixing: the yolks and sugar are traditionally whisked and not beaten with a mixer. This is because you don't want to add too much air. I've done both with good results, the key being beating them (with electric hand-held mixer) for a short period, just until they thicken a little.
Heat: it's key to cook the yolks and milk over low heat until they thicken. Watch it closely, stirring frequently, and don't let it boil.
Storing: it lasts in the refrigerator for several days, a week many times. You can freeze it though it will never have the same consistency once you defrost it, but depending on how you plan to serve it, you might not care.
Serving it: in my opinion, is better after several hours, or a day, in the fridge
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 10
- Category: Sauces
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: French
Nutrition
- Serving Size: ¼
- Calories: 128
- Sugar: 15.7 g
- Sodium: 32.5 mg
- Fat: 5.4 g
- Carbohydrates: 15.9 g
- Protein: 3.9 g
- Cholesterol: 144.4 mg
Keywords: creme anglaise, custard cream
Autumn Outland says
I made this today because I loved the name and I loved your detailed instructions. Your recipe was a success because I didn’t mess up the eggs. This is decadent, I’ve never had this before. Thank you for the recipe, you’re right, after several hours it tasted even better. Very rich and complex.
★★★★★
Paula Montenegro says
SO happy to know you loved it! I agree that it's such a wonderful sauce to have around. Have a great weekend.
angiesrecipes says
I love it with pancakes 🙂 Real vanilla makes all the difference!