Traditional English Custard Creme Anglais Recipes

FOOLPROOF CREME ANGLAISE (CLASSIC VANILLA CUSTARD SAUCE) RECIPE

Steps:

• In a medium heavy bottomed saucepan add the cream, milk, 1/4 cup sugar, vanilla pod and beans.
• Simmer over medium heat until the mixture starts to bubble around the edge of the pan, for about 2 minutes, do not let it boil. Remove from the heat and let stand for 20 minutes.
• While the cream mixture is infusing, whisk the egg yolks with remaining 1/4 cup of sugar in a medium bowl.
• Ladle some of the hot cream mixture into the egg yolk mixture, then swiftly whisk to combine. Add another ladle of the infused milk to the eggs until the egg mixture is warm to the touch. This method is called tempering and it prevents the eggs from curdling.
• Pour the tempered cream and egg mixture into the remaining cream in the saucepan, then return the pan to the heat.
• Continue to cook over medium heat while constantly stirring until the custard coats the back of a spoon, this will take about 5 to 7 minutes.
• Once the custard has thickened, remove from the heat and strain through a sieve into a medium bowl to remove any lumps and the vanilla pod.
• Place the custard in an ice bath to cool it down quickly and prevent overcooking.
• Once cooled, cover and store in the fridge in an airtight container for up 4 days. Serve with pies, crisps and cobblers.

CRèME ANGLAISE (CLASSIC VANILLA CUSTARD SAUCE)

Steps:

• Drizzle over cakes, pies, fruit tarts, or ice cream and enjoy.

TRADITIONAL ENGLISH CUSTARD (CREME ANGLAIS)

Steps:

• Put the cream and the sugar in a pan.
• Slice the vanilla pod lengthways with a very sharp knife. Scrape out the seeds (they are dust-like black specks) and put these in the pan. Roughly chop the seed pod into inch-long chunks and put in the pan, too.
• Bring to the boil, then simmer for five minutes.
• Meanwhile, put the egg yolks in a bowl and whisk slightly to break up.
• When the cream is ready, bring back to the boil briefly then quickly pour over the eggs, whisking as you do it. It is very important to keep whisking at this stage, otherwise the eggs will cook before mixing with the cream. Continue to whisk until the mixture starts to thicken, indicating that the eggs are cooked.
• If this should not happen (sometimes it doesn't if my kitchen is too cold), then place back on the heat and cook very gently, stirring all the time, until it thickens.
• Strain through a fine sieve to remove the bits of vanilla pod (you will still see the flecks of vanilla seeds in the mixture) and serve.

CREME ANGLAISE (VANILLA CUSTARD SAUCE)

Steps:

• In a 2-quart heavy saucepan bring 2 cups of the milk, 2 tablespoons of the sugar, and the scraped vanilla bean to a boil over medium heat.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar. Slowly pour 1 cup of the hot milk mixture, whisking constantly, into the egg yolk-sugar mixture. (Do not pour the entire yolk-sugar mixture into the boiling milk mixture, as it will curdle the eggs.) Whisk in the remaining milk. Pour the milk-yolk mixture into the saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture coats the back of a spoon. Do not boil.
• Remove from the heat and stir in the rum. Strain the mixture through a fine wire sieve into a heat--proof bowl. Place the sauce in an ice bath. When cool, transfer the sauce to a bowl. Cover the surface with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator, until ready to use. Sauce will keep in the refrigerator for 4 to 5 days if well sealed.

CREME ANGLAISE I

Steps:

• In a small, heavy saucepan, heat cream and vanilla until bubbles form at edges.
• While cream is heating, whisk together egg yolks and sugar until smooth. Slowly pour 1/2 cup of hot milk mixture into egg yolks, whisking constantly. Gradually add egg yolk mixture back to remaining milk mixture, whisking constantly. Continue to cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture coats the back of a spoon.

CRèME ANGLAISE

Steps:

• Combine milk and cream in heavy medium saucepan. Scrape in seeds from vanilla bean; add bean. Bring milk mixture to simmer. Remove from heat.
• Whisk egg yolks and sugar in medium bowl to blend. Gradually whisk hot milk mixture into yolk mixture. Return custard to saucepan. Stir over low heat until custard thickens and leaves path on back of spoon when finger is drawn across, about 5 minutes (do not boil). Strain sauce into bowl. Cover and chill. (Can be made 1 day ahead.)