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Sense & Edibility's Crème Anglaise (Warm Vanilla Bean Sauce)

Crème Anglaise (Warm Vanilla Bean Sauce)

Course: Sweets
Cuisine: French
Keyword: crème anglaise, vanilla sauce
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes
Servings: 2 cups
Author: Marta Rivera
This quick and easy, small-batch dessert sauce is perfect for topping all of your favorite desserts. 
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Ingredients

  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 2 large egg yolks
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • pinch kosher salt
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste (or 2 teaspoons vanilla extract)

Instructions

  • In a saucier- or a pot with sloped sides- scald the milk until it begins to steam. Watch the milk so that it doesn't scorch or boil over.
  • While the milk is heating, combine the egg yolks, sugar, and kosher salt  in a medium mixing bowl.
  • Whisk the egg yolks vigorously until they are light, airy, and pale yellow in color. When lifted from the eggs, the whisk should leave ribbons.  
  • Once the egg yolks are whipped and the milk heated, scoop out a cup of the hot milk and slowly drizzle it into the eggs- whisking the entire time. 
  • After you've mixed in the entire cup of milk, pour the tempered egg mixture back into the pot of heated milk. Add the vanilla bean paste to the mixture and stir to mix it in well.
  • Once you've added the tempered eggs to your pot, continue whisking over low heat until the crème anglaise thickens. Don't whip the crème anglaise, instead slowly stir it to prevent the sauce from sticking to the bottom of the pot and scorching. 
  • The sauce will thicken and should coat the back of a spoon when finished. To check, draw a line through the sauce on the backside of the spoon. The line should remain. If it doesn't, heat for a few more minutes. 
  • Crème Anglaise may be served hot or cold. 
  • Store any leftover crème anglaise in the fridge for up to one week. 

Notes

Heat the crème anglaise in the microwave for 30 seconds-1 minute to warm it up. Try to warm up only what you plan to eat.
The recipe can be doubled if you need larger quantities.