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Ingredients
- 1 vanilla bean, or 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 3 cups milk
- 8 egg yolks
- 3/4 cup sugar
Details
Preparation
Step 1
If using a vanilla bean, split it in half lengthwise. Place the milk and vanilla bean (if using) in a small nonreactive saucepan over low to medium heat, and bring to a simmer.
While the milk is heating, stir together the egg yolks, vanilla extract if using, and sugar until the mixture is pale, about 4 minutes. Ladle about half of the hot milk into the yolk mixture while stirring constantly. Pour the mixture back into the saucepan with the rest of the milk, stirring until well combined.
Put the saucepan back over low to medium heat and stir with a wooden spoon. Reach into the corners as you stir or the mixture may curdle there. When the tiny ripples turn to larger smooth waves or a line stays on the back of the spoon, take the mixture off the heat and continue stirring for 2 minutes, so the heat retained in the saucepan doesn’t overcook the custard.
If you’ve used the vanilla bean, remove it from the custard and scrape the tiny seeds out of both halves into the crème anglaise.
Cover the crème anglaise, let it cool for an hour, and then refrigerate; or set the saucepan in a bowl of ice water and stir until cold. Strain the crème anglaise with a medium or coarse mesh strainer. (A fine mesh strainer will strain out the vanilla seeds.) Cover with plastic wrap touching its surface to prevent a film from forming on top.
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