Despite being better known under its French name ‘crème anglaise’ this sauce was invented by the English. It is a classic sweet sauce and can be flavoured in a myriad ways.
Ingredients
- 250 ml milk
- 250 ml double cream 1 vanilla pod
- 5 egg yolks
- 50 g sugar
Instructions
1- Bring the milk and cream to the boil with the split vanilla pod. Remove from the heat and leave to infuse for 20 minutes. Beat the egg yolks and sugar in the mixer bowl with the wire whisk on speed 6 for 2 minutes until very pale and thick.
2- Bring the milk and cream back to the boil, remove the vanilla pod and slowly pour into the creamed mixture. Mix with the wire whisk on speed 1 until amalgamated.
3- Pour the custard back into the saucepan and cook on a low heat, stirring continuously, until the custard thickens and coats the back of a wooden spoon. Serve hot or cold. If serving cold, pour the custard into a bowl and cover the surface with clingfilm to prevent a skin from forming on the surface as it cools.
Variations
Bay leaf and orange custard
Infuse the milk and cream with the zest of
1 orange and 2 fresh bay leaves instead of the vanilla pod. Continue as described above.
Saffron and orange flower custard
Infuse the milk and cream with a good pinch of saffron threads instead of the vanilla pod, then continue as described above. Stir in orange flower water to taste at the end.
