Learn how to make the perfect vanilla custard sauce, crème Anglaise, or English cream that is a classic in French pastry. It is made with 3 basic ingredients and flavored with vanilla.
It is a simple yet elegant pouring custard without cornstarch, where only egg yolks work as a natural thickening agent.
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And if you ever wondered what creamy custard sauce for bread pudding is, this is the one.
Needless to say, mastering the art of making crème Anglaise is a fundamental skill for both professionals and home bakers.
What is crème Anglaise?
Crème Anglaise, or simply English cream, is a basic French custard sauce made by heating milk with vanilla before slowly tempering in egg yolks.
It is very similar in preparation to French creme patissiere and Italian crema pasticcera. However, unlike the two, which use flour or cornstarch as thickening agents, crème Anglaise omits these ingredients. This results in a thinner and more liquid consistency than the classic pastry cream.
Crème Anglaise is also known as creme Anglaise sauce, creme Anglaise custard, custard sauce, or pouring custard. In addition, it is called creme Ingles in Italie and creme Inglês in Portugal.
Why you should try this recipe
- This easy crème Anglaise recipe (crème Anglaise recette) is made with three simple ingredients, adding vanilla to enhance the flavor.
- It is a great basic recipe learned in each culinary school curriculum. Mastery of this basic recipe is essential in the skillset of any baker.
- It makes a classic spoon dessert beloved for its delicate taste and velvety texture. This flourless sweet treat is not only delectable but also gluten-free.
- Crème Anglaise is used for making Bavarian cream, Ile Flottant dessert, and crème brulée.
Ingredients
For ingredients and detailed instructions, refer to the recipe card below.
- Milk: Opt for fresh whole milk with at least 3% fat. The creamier the milk, the tastier the custard. To make a rich vanilla sauce, replace part of the milk with heavy cream or add one more yolk. Avoid fat-free or low-fat milk for optimal results.
To make dairy-free creme Anglaise, replace milk with plant-based milk such as almond, cashew, soy, or coconut milk.
- Sugar: Choose superfine baker's sugar, caster sugar, and, better, icing sugar. You can increase the amount of sugar if desired.
- Egg yolks: Use egg yolks from large free-range eggs, which will give a beautiful yellow color to the custard. Make sure to separate the egg yolks from the egg whites while the eggs are chilled. This step can easily be facilitated using an egg separator. Before use, bring the egg yolks to room temperature.
Use leftover egg whites to make French Financiers, Blackberry Friands, or Plum Pavlova.
- Vanilla bean: For the best results, opt for a vanilla pod split into two with scraped vanilla seeds. A real vanilla bean may have a higher price tag, but the added extra cost is worth it.
If desired, replace the vanilla bean with 1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract or 1 teaspoon of vanilla bean paste.
How to make creme Anglaise
The secret to the perfect creme Anglaise, tasty, smooth, and lump-free, is using fresh ingredients and straining milk and hot custard.
Step 1. Split the whole vanilla bean in half and scrape the vanilla seeds with the tip of the small knife. In a medium bowl, whisk egg yolks and icing sugar with a hand whisk (photo 1).
Pro tip: Do not pour sugar over egg yolks without whisking since the prolonged contact of sugar with the yolks results in forming small insoluble grains.
Step 2. Pour milk into a heavy medium saucepan and add vanilla seed with an empty pod. Bring the milk over medium heat to a boil.
Pro tip: Ideally, the milk should be heated to 158-176°F (70 to 80°C). (Advice from French pastry chef Thierry Bamas)
Step 3. Remove milk from the heat, cover the pot with a lid, and infuse the milk for 10-20 minutes. Remove the empty pod.
Step 4. Temper the egg yolks by gradually pouring the hot milk mixture through a fine sieve to the egg yolk mixture, stirring constantly.
Pro tip: Pouring a portion of milk (one-third) instead of the entire amount enables the egg mixture to heat up gradually. If you use this method, then return the egg yolks and milk mixture to the remaining milk.
Step 5. Return the eggs and milk mixture back to the saucepan over low heat and stir constantly with a hand whisk or a wooden spoon (photo 2).
Pro tip: Ideally, use a spatula to stir the preparation while cooking, drawing a figure of eight in the pan. This is called winnowing.
The custard is cooked when:
- it coats the back of a spoon (photo 3), and you draw a horizontal line with your finger in the spoon that it does not close (photo 4) - this is called cooking à la nappe), or
- when the instant-read thermometer reaches a temperature of 180°F (82°C).
Don't exceed a temperature of 185°F (85°C); otherwise, the eggs will coagulate, making visible lumps in the custard. This phenomenon is called flocculation.
Pro tip: One of the best ways to avoid overcooking the custard is to remove it from the heat once it reaches 174°F (79°C). While in the pot, it will continue cooking and raise the temperature by 5 or 6°C. Using a cooking thermometer, in this case, is a must.
Step 6. Strain the vanilla custard through a fine mesh sieve to remove any possible lumps.
Pro tip: It is imperative to transfer custard from the hot pot to a dish, a bowl, or another pot to stop cooking.
Step 7. Use immediately or cover it with a piece of plastic wrap in contact - it has to touch the surface of the sauce - (photos 5-6) and refrigerate.
How to know when a custard is done
There are two ways of knowing if the custard is ready:
- Without a cooking thermometer, a coating method.
- With a cooking thermometer.
Crème Anglaise is done when:
- The custard coats the back of a spoon or a spatula, and you can draw a horizontal line with your finger that remains visible.
- The custard reaches a temperature of 180°F (82°C) at a maximum of 183°F (84°C).
Finally, you can gauge the temperature of your custard visually during cooking. Once the temperature reaches approximately 185°F (85°C), you will notice the thin foam film on the surface will disappear.
This easy visual cue makes it simple to monitor your custard without a food thermometer and coating method.
Expert Tips
- Opt for a good-quality heavy-bottomed saucepan to ensure better heat distribution.
- To prevent sudden coagulation and the formation of lumps, it is essential to gradually pour the hot milk over the yolks and sugar mixture.
- Cooking time varies, but you must cook the custard over low heat. Don't let it boil; otherwise, lumps will form.
- To avoid overcooking custard, use a cooking thermometer or try to cook it over a double boiler.
- To speed up the cooling, place the bowl inside a larger bowl with ice water or ice cubes (ice bath) and stir constantly by winnowing (drawing a figure of eight with a spatula) until the custard cools down.
Storing and freezing
Store crème Anglaise in a clean airtight container or jar covered with cling film in the refrigerator at 39°F (+4°C) for up to 24-48 hours. The custard will thicken as it cools.
Can you freeze crème Anglaise? It is not recommended to freeze the custard because of losing its original texture after defrosting.
Recipe variations
Vanilla creme Anglaise made with real vanilla pods is a classic recipe. However, there are many ways to make this velvety sauce even more special.
- Add the grated rind of a lemon or orange zest to infuse the milk. Then pour it over the egg yolk mixture by passing it through a fine mesh sieve. Finally, add a few drops of lemon extract or orange blossom water to the milk to make a citrus flavor more pronounced.
- Add spices or herb leaves to flavor the milk, such as cinnamon sticks, anise stars, mint, verbena, or basil leaves.
- Flavor your custard with coconut, almond, coffee extract, Earl Grey tea, or matcha that best matches the recipe.
- Replace part or all milk with a fruit puree or juice for more indulgence.
- Add 3 ½ tablespoons (25 g) of unsweetened cocoa powder or 1.8 oz. (50 g) of chopped dark chocolate into milk to create a chocolate custard.
What is Creme Anglaise used for?
Crème Anglaise is a versatile sauce that can be used in countless ways. Let's explore the various creme Anglaise uses:
- Warm or hot, it makes a simple dessert accompanied, for example, by Italian shortbread cookies, French madeleines, homemade ladyfingers, or cat tongue cookies.
- It is best to be served with fresh berries or your favorite desserts: French mini brioche, Italian pandoro, sponge apple cake, French pumpkin pie, Angel food cake, bread pudding, apple crumble, fruit pie, or Moelleux au Chocolat.
- Custard makes Bavarian cream, Charlotte cakes, classic Bavarois, Floating Island dessert, ice creams, and semifreddo.
Troubleshooting
My custard isn't thickening
Reason: The custard recipe doesn't use enough egg yolks or is needed to cook longer.
Solution: Continue cooking custard over low heat until it coats the spoon or reaches a temperature of 180°F (82°C). Note that custard will thicken as it cools down. Also, review the recipe: you may need to add an extra egg yolk next time.
My custard is lumpy
Reason: The custard is overheated (exceeded the temperature of 185°F (85°C) and overcooked.
Solution: Several solutions are available to save a lumpy custard:
- Strain custard through a fine sieve.
- Try to use an immersion blender, but it may turn the custard into liquid. The creamy texture will be lost, but it will be as delicious.
- If the custard's texture is lumpy and thick, add a spoonful of cold water to the custard, mix, then strain it through a fine mesh strainer.
If none of the above solutions work, the custard is impossible to save and requires a complete redo.
My custard is too liquid
Reason: The custard is undercooked, or the ratio of recipe ingredients is incorrect.
Solution: If the custard is too runny for your taste, you can slightly thicken it. Just dilute cornstarch in a bit of cold water, add milk and gently heat the mixture over low heat again until it thickens. Use 1 teaspoon of cornstarch for ½ liter of milk.
Recipe FAQ
Custard's popularity began at the English royal court in the 16th century, where it was considered a fashionable delicacy. The name Crème Anglaise probably finds its roots in this early origin.
Custard and creme Anglaise are the same things: crème Anglaise translates as custard from French to English. However, there is a difference between crème Anglaise and pastry cream.
Both custard (aka Crème Anglaise) and Crème Pâtissière are made with milk, sugar, and eggs. However, the key difference is that Crème Pâtissière uses cornstarch or flour as a thickener, while custard is made without thickening agents, thus making it gluten-free. As a result, Crème Pâtissière is thicker in texture and is used as a filling for pastries and cakes. At the same time, thin custard sauce is lighter and is typically used as an accompanying dessert sauce.
Creme Anglaise is the same as custard. Crème Anglaise translates as custard from French to English, but it differs from crème Pâtissière (aka pastry cream).
You can make creme Anglaise 1-2 days in advance at maximum. Store it in an airtight container covered with plastic film in contact and refrigerated for up to 48 hours.
Crème Anglaise makes a delicious stand-alone dessert with cookies, biscuits, or madeleines. You can serve it as a Floating Island or by pouring over fresh fruit, cakes, or pies.
Looking for basic cream recipes? Try these next!
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PrintRecipe card
Crème Anglaise (Vanilla Custard Sauce)
Crème Anglaise, or English cream, is a vanilla custard sauce of French origin made with 3 basic ingredients and flavored with vanilla.
- Total Time: 15 minutes (plus chilling time)
- Yield: 2 ¼ cups (500 ml) 1x
- Category: Basic recipes
- Method: Cooking
- Cuisine: French
- Diet: Gluten Free
Ingredients
- 2 cups (500 ml) whole milk
- 1 vanilla bean
- ⅔ cup (75 g) icing (powdered) sugar
- 5 large egg yolks
Instructions
-
Split the whole vanilla bean in half and scrape the vanilla seeds with the tip of the small knife. In a medium bowl, whisk egg yolks and icing sugar with a hand whisk.
-
Pour milk into a heavy medium saucepan and add vanilla seed with an empty pod. Bring the milk over medium heat to a boil. Remove milk from the heat, cover the pot with a lid, and infuse the milk for 10-20 minutes. Remove the empty pod.
-
Temper the egg yolks by gradually pouring ⅓ of the hot milk mixture through a fine sieve to the egg yolk mixture, stirring constantly. Return the eggs and milk mixture back to the saucepan (with the rest of the milk) over low heat and stir constantly with a hand whisk or a wooden spoon.
-
The custard is cooked when you draw a horizontal line with your finger in the spoon that it does not close (this is called cooking à la nappe) or when the instant-read thermometer reaches a temperature of 180°F (82°C). Don't exceed a temperature of 185°F (85°C); otherwise, the eggs will coagulate, making visible lumps in the custard.
Pro tip: One of the best ways to avoid overcooking the custard is to remove it from the heat once it reaches 174°F (79°C). While in the pot, it will continue cooking and raise the temperature by 5 or 6°C. Using a cooking thermometer, in this case, is a must.
-
Optionally, strain the vanilla custard through a fine mesh sieve to remove any possible lumps. Transfer custard from the hot pot to a dish to stop cooking. Use it immediately or cover it with a piece of plastic wrap in contact (it has to touch the surface of the sauce), and refrigerate.
Notes
- Opt for a good-quality heavy-bottomed saucepan to ensure better heat distribution.
- To prevent sudden coagulation and the formation of lumps, it is essential to gradually pour the hot milk over the yolks and sugar mixture.
- Cooking time varies, but you must cook the custard over low heat. Don't let it boil; otherwise, lumps will form.
- To avoid overcooking custard, use a cooking thermometer or try to cook it over a double boiler.
- To speed up the cooling, place the bowl inside a larger bowl with ice water or ice cubes (ice bath) and stir constantly by winnowing (drawing a figure of eight with a spatula) until the custard cools down.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 ¼ cups (500 ml)
- Calories: 866
- Sugar: 100.6 g
- Sodium: 244 mg
- Fat: 39.1 g
- Saturated Fat: 17.6 g
- Carbohydrates: 100.7 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 29.8 g
- Cholesterol: 1100 mg
The nutritional information has been calculated using an online recipe nutrition calculator such as Verywellfit.com and is intended for informational purposes only. These figures should be used as a general guideline and not be construed as a guarantee.
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