Custard Cream Sauce (Crème Anglaise)
If you never tried this light vanilla sauce, it's less intimidating than you might think. 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 desserts, cake slices, bread puddings, fresh berries or waffles.
Servings 1.5 cups
Ingredients
- 3 egg yolks
- 1 cup whole milk
- ¼ cup sugar
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract or vanilla 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 1 cup whole milk and half the sugar into a medium saucepan. Whisk until it 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 3 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 ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract or paste 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 it in an airtight jar or container 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.
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.
