Crème Anglaise
Pouring custard — no starch, thickened by yolk alone
The other custard, and the opposite discipline to pastry cream: no starch, so it must never boil. It thickens between 175 and 185°F and scrambles not far above, which is a narrow window and the reason people are frightened of it.
A thermometer removes the fear entirely.
Ingredients
- 2 cups whole milk (or 1 cup milk and 1 cup heavy cream)
- 1 vanilla bean, split and scraped
- 6 large egg yolks
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- A pinch of salt
Instructions
- Bring the milk to a bare simmer with the vanilla bean and seeds. Off the heat, infuse for 15 minutes, then remove the pod.
- Whisk the yolks, sugar and salt together until pale.
- Temper with about a third of the hot milk, whisking, then return everything to the pan.
- Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon in a figure of eight, until it thickens enough to coat the back of the spoon — draw a finger through it and the line should hold. This is 175 to 180°F. It will take 8 to 10 minutes.
- Strain immediately through a fine sieve into a cold bowl. Straining catches any threads of cooked egg and stops the cooking.
- Cool over an ice bath, stirring, then refrigerate.
Notes
- If it does scramble, blitz it hot in a blender for 30 seconds. It usually comes back smooth, if a little thinner.
- Set with gelatin and lightened with cream it becomes Crème Bavaroise. Churned, it is ice cream base.
- Keeps 3 days refrigerated.