Vanilla Pod Crème Anglaise
Inspired by techniques from America's Test Kitchen and Serious Eats.
A silky vanilla pouring custard made with real vanilla seeds and egg yolks, cooked gently until it coats a spoon.
Always check the labels of the products you use.
Method
- 1
Infuse. scrape the vanilla seeds into the milk, add the pod and bring just to steaming, then cover off the heat and steep 20 min. Steeping draws more flavour from the vanilla.
- 2
Yolks. whisk the yolks, sugar and salt for 1 min until pale. Reheat the milk to steaming, lift out the pod and pour about a third into the yolks, whisking, then add the rest.
- 3
Cook. return to the pan and stir constantly over low heat 4-6 min until it coats the back of the spoon and reads 80-82 °C. Do not let it boil. At 80-82 °C the yolks thicken the sauce and are safely cooked; above about 85 °C they curdle.
- 4
Strain and cool. strain straight into the jug, set it in the iced water and stir 5 min to stop the cooking. Serve warm or cover the surface and chill. The iced water stops the heat in the pan from overcooking it.
Storage
Cool quickly, cover the surface and keep in the fridge for up to 2 days. Rewarm gently without boiling.
Equipment
- medium saucepan
- paring knife
- medium bowl
- whisk
- wooden spoon or silicone spatula
- fine sieve
- instant-read thermometer
- jug
- large bowl of iced water
Nutrition per serving (estimated values)
| Per serving | Amount |
|---|---|
| Energy | 118 kcal |
| Protein | 4.3 g |
| Carbohydrate | 12 g |
| of which sugars | 11.7 g |
| of which free sugars | 8.3 g |
| Fat | 5.9 g |
| of which saturates | 2.6 g |
| Fibre | 0.1 g |
| Salt | 0.15 g |
Protein per 100 kcal
3.6 g High Protein needs ≥ 10 g
Calculated from USDA FoodData Central ingredient values
