Creme Anglaise

Please note: This recipe is part of the Premium section.

Silky, versatile, and the very soul of elegance, crème anglaise is the undisputed foundation of the patisserie world. More than just a custard, it's the essential base for classic ice creams, airy mousses, and the dreamy Floating Island. But what's the secret? Unlike its thicker cousin, crème pâtissière, this velouté-textured sauce contains no starch, making it a delicate dance of heat. It must never boil; instead, it is carefully "poached" to exactly 185ºF (85ºC) before being rapidly chilled to lock in its sublime texture. In this video, we guide you through the precise technique to master it.

Creme Anglaise

Course: Cakes

Cuisine: French

Keyword: Bavarian cream, creme anglaise

Difficulty: easy

Prep Time: 15

Cook Time: 8

Total Time: 23

Servings: L/qt

Calories: 130kcal

Cost: $10

Creme Anglaise is one of the fundamental preparations in French pastry

Equipment

1 Saucepan
1 Whisk
1 Immersion blender
1 Rubber spatula
1 Sieve
2 bowls
3 deli containers
1 Digital thermometer
1 Digital scale

Ingredients

Crème Anglaise

750 g Whole milk
250 g Heavy cream
10 g Vanilla
250 g Sugar
180 g Egg yolks

Instructions

Crème Anglaise

Whole milk yields a light, classic flavor that best complements delicate desserts. A mix of whole milk and heavy cream (2 parts milk to 1 part cream) provides a silky body and richer taste without being overly heavy.
Heavy cream (or a higher proportion of cream) creates a luxuriously rich and indulgent sauce.

Infuse Milk

In a medium saucepan, combine the milk, heavy cream, one-third of the sugar, and the split vanilla beans with their scraped seeds. Heat the mixture over medium heat, stirring until warm (it doesn't have to boil). Remove from heat, cover with a lid, and let infuse for at least 20 minutes.

Crème

Place a large bowl and a fine-mesh sieve in the freezer to chill. In a second large bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the remaining sugar until pale,
It should not be over beaten, as is often suggested.
Bring the infused milk to a boil. Gradually whisk about one-third of it into the egg-sugar mixture.
Pour the mixture back to the saucepan. Return the custard to medium heat.
Cook, stirring constantly, until it reaches 185°F (85°C)…
…and thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. Immediately, remove custard from the heat. Remove the vanilla pods. Rinse off under water and allow the pods to dry thoroughly so you can store and reuse them to make Homemade Vanilla Sugar.
Blend custard with the immersion blender.
Transfer the crème anglaise to the frozen bowl. Set the bowl over an ice bath to cool it quickly.