Crème Anglaise is a custard-based sauce flavored with vanilla or other flavors. It is easy to make at home and can be used as a sauce or a base for other desserts. To make it, scald milk, whisk egg yolks and sugar, add flavoring, and cook until thickened. Strain and refrigerate. It can be used for up to five days and can be made richer by using half-and-half or light cream. It can also be turned into custard or ice cream.
Crème Anglaise is a pourable custard-based sweet sauce. It is classically flavored with vanilla, although other flavors such as coffee, chocolate or fruit can be used. In addition to being used as a sauce, it is also used as a base for other desserts, such as ice cream and custard. Making this sauce is relatively easy to make at home, and the versatile sauce can be a useful way to drizzle on cakes and tartlets for dinner parties.
In French, creme anglaise means “English cream,” although the reason for identifying light custard with England is a bit unclear. Whatever the origin, it is prepared by cooking a custard on the stove, rather than baking it as is the case with creme brulee and similar desserts. Cooking the sauce on a stovetop allows cooks to precisely control its texture.
To make creme anglaise, start by scalding 2 cups (473 mL) of milk in a saucepan while whisking five egg yolks along with 1 cup (200 g) of sugar in another heavy saucepan. Typically, the sauce is flavored by adding a single crushed vanilla bean to the milk as it heats. Other flavors may be added when removed from heat. When the egg yolk mixture has turned pale and creamy, slowly pour in the hot milk while stirring constantly, then lower the heat and cook the cream until it coats the back of a spoon. This recipe can easily be enlarged if more is needed.
To remove the chunks and the vanilla bean, if one was added, strain the creme anglaise through a sieve and allow it to cool before refrigerating. The sauce will keep in the refrigerator for about five days. If you plan to use it for dessert dressings, consider putting it in a squeeze bottle so you can artfully drizzle it on your food. Otherwise, keep it in an airtight container.
For a richer creme anglaise, use half-and-half or light cream or add more egg yolks. Toss it with cornstarch to turn it into custard, the classic cream puff filling. To make the ice cream, pour the sauce into an ice cream maker, fill the ice cream maker with ice and salt, and shake until the ice cream has set, usually about 20 minutes with a hand-cranked ice cream maker.
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