Vanilla Bean Hard Sauce Recipes

VANILLA SAUCE

Steps:

• In a saucepan, combine the sugar and cornstarch. Whisk in the water, stirring until blended. Bring mixture to a boil and continue to cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and mix in the butter and vanilla. Serve warm.

VANILLA BEAN RUM OR BRANDY BUTTER (HARD SAUCE)

Steps:

• Beat butter until light and fluffy (I use a hand held mixer).
• Gradually blend in the powdered sugar; add vanilla and cream, beating well to combine.
• Beat in the rum, to taste.
• Transfer to a pretty glass serving bowl, dust with nutmeg.
• Cover with cling film and refrigerate several hours or overnight, or may be packed into jars for holiday gift giving.
• Serve as a rich topping over warm holiday desserts such as Christmas pudding, soft gingerbread or spicecake, or apple or mince pies and tarts.
• Keeps for several weeks in the refrigerator.

VANILLA BEAN CARAMEL SAUCE

Steps:

• Put the brown sugar, half-and-half, butter, vanilla seeds and salt in a medium saucepan over medium-low to medium heat. Cook, whisking gently, until the mixture thickens, 5 to 7 minutes.
• Serve warm or refrigerate until cold. If the sauce is too thin, just continue cooking for a few more minutes.

BEST BREAD PUDDING WITH VANILLA SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease a 2-quart baking dish.
• In a mixing bowl, whisk 3 eggs, white sugar, 2 tablespoons of light brown sugar, 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon, 1/4 cup of butter, and 3 cups of whole milk together, and gently stir in the bread cubes and raisins. Lightly spoon the mixture into the prepared baking dish.
• Bake in the preheated oven until browned and set in the middle, 50 to 55 minutes; cover the dish with foil after 30 minutes to prevent excessive browning. Let the pudding stand for 10 minutes before serving.
• For vanilla sauce, whisk 1/2 cup of light brown sugar, the flour, a pinch of cinnamon, 1 egg, 2 tablespoons of melted butter, 1 1/4 cups of whole milk,and salt together in a heavy saucepan until smooth. Heat over medium heat, whisking constantly, until thickened and the sauce coats the back of a spoon, 10 to 12 minutes. Stir in the vanilla extract. Pour sauce over warm bread pudding, or serve on the side in a bowl.

VANILLA CREAM OR SAUCE

Steps:

• Heat 2 cups milk in a heavy saucepan over low heat until simmering, about 5 minutes.
• Beat remaining 1/2 cup milk and cornstarch together in a bowl using a whisk until dissolved; add sugar and egg yolks and beat until smooth. Slowly pour milk mixture into simmering milk while gently whisking the simmering milk; simmer, stirring frequently, until thickened, about 3 minutes. Remove saucepan from heat and stir vanilla extract into sauce.
• Pour the sauce through a wire mesh sieve into a bowl to remove any cornstarch lumps. Place a piece of plastic wrap on top of the sauce, ensuring the plastic wrap is touching the sauce to prevent a skin from forming; cool to room temperature, about 20 minutes.
• Move sauce to refrigerator and chill completely cold, at least 30 minutes.