Creme Anglaise Dessert Topping Recipes

Steps:

• In a small, heavy saucepan, heat cream and vanilla until bubbles form at edges.
• While cream is heating, whisk together egg yolks and sugar until smooth. Slowly pour 1/2 cup of hot milk mixture into egg yolks, whisking constantly. Gradually add egg yolk mixture back to remaining milk mixture, whisking constantly. Continue to cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture coats the back of a spoon.

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan, combine milk, salt, and half the sugar (1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons) over medium-high heat. Scrape vanilla bean seeds into pan, then add pod. Heat over medium just until mixture starts to bubble around the edge of the pan, about 2 minutes (do not let boil). Remove from heat; cover and let stand 30 minutes.
• In a medium mixing bowl, whisk the egg yolks with remaining sugar (1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons).
• Use ladle to pour a small amount of the hot milk mixture into the egg mixture, then whisk to combine. (This is called tempering and prevents the eggs from curdling.) Add another ladle of milk mixture, and whisk to combine. Pour this mixture into remaining cream mixture in the pan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until custard is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon and registers 170 degrees on an instant-read thermometer, about 5 to 7 minutes.
• Strain through a fine sieve into a medium bowl (to remove the vanilla pod and any cooked bits of egg) in an ice-water bath. Let stand until cold, stirring occasionally.

Steps:

• Whisk egg yolks, cream, sugar, brandy-based orange liqueur, and vanilla extract in a small saucepan until smooth.
• Place saucepan over medium-low heat and cook, stirring constantly with a rubber spatula scraping the bottom, until the mixture is hot and thickens slightly, and a thermometer reaches 180 degrees F (82 degrees C), 8 to 10 minutes.
• Remove from heat, strain to remove any over-cooked particles of egg, and allow cool.

Steps:

• Whisk together the yolks, sugar and salt until creamy.
• Set aside.
• Put the milk in a heavy bottomed pot.
• Cut the vanilla bean in half and add to the milk.
• Scald the milk.
• Take a wet towel and make it into a ring on your worksurface.
• Take a pan that your bowl will fit into and put 2 inches of water in the bottom and put it on the stove to heat to a boil.
• Place the bowl with the yolks in the ring you made with the towel- this will hold the bowl in place while you whisk in the milk.
• Slowly, slowly, ladle a little of the hot milk into the yolks, whisking constantly.
• Add a little at a time, continuing to whisk the yolks.
• As more and more of the milk is added, you can add more at a time.
• This is"tempering" the yolks, or bringing them to the same temperature as the cream.
• Do this to prevent the yolks from scrambling.
• If your yolks scramble- start over.
• So, slow and steady with the milk.
• Once all of the milk is added, put the bowl on top of the pan with the boiling water and stir with a wooden spoon constantly until the custard starts to thicken and coats the back of the spoon.
• DO NOT let it boil!
• Take the custard off the heat immediately and cool in an ice bath.
• Strain through a fine mesh strainer and refrigerate until ready to use.
• It will keep for about a week in the refrigerator.
• Variations: Chocolate Creme Anglais- mix 1/4 cup warm chocolate sauce into the cooled sauce.
• Cinnamon Creme Anglais- add 1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon and 1/2 stick of cinnamon to the milk before scalding.
• Rum Creme Anglais- add 1 1/2 teaspoons dark rum to the cooled sauce.