RECIPE: Crème anglaise or real English custard

A versatile sweet pouring custard, crème anglaise or real English custard is cooked on the stove rather than baked. Crème anglaise can be poured over cakes or fruits as a sauce or it can be eaten as part of desserts such as iles flotantes and trifle. It is also a base ingredient for desserts including ice cream and crème brûlée, when made with egg yolks and cream.

Real English custard is considered to be tricky to make. There are a few cardinal rules and if you stick to these, your crème anglaise will be smooth, delicious and very moreish!

1. 1. Remember that eggs are very sensitive and when heated can split easily.
2. 2. When adding the boiled cream to the eggs, pour it in very slowly at first in order to gently warm the eggs. Once they are diluted and warm you can speed up the adding of the hot cream.
3. 3. When you place the uncooked custard in a double boiler, make sure that the water is only simmering and keep stirring! The egg can scramble very easily if it is not continuously moving.
4. 4. If you feel anxious the first time you attempt a real English custard, have a large bowl filled with cold water standing beside you. In the case of emergency i.e. the first sign of a slight curdling, immerse the saucepan in the cold water to cool the eggs in the pan down, and whisk like hell!
5. 5. You will know that your real English custard is ready when the custard coats the back of a spoon.
6. 6. Enjoy your perfect crème anglaise.

INGREDIENTS

550ml / 1 pint double cream if a richer custard is desired
1 vanilla pod
50g / 2 oz caster sugar
5 egg yolks

METHOD

1. 1. Pour the cream into a saucepan.
2. 2. Split the vanilla pod and scrape the seeds into the cream. Add the empty vanilla pod too so that maximum vanilla flavour is extracted.
3. 3. Add half of the sugar to the cream mixture.
4. 4. Bring the cream slowly to the boil.
5. 5. In the meantime, using a whisk, beat the egg yolks with the remaining sugar in a large bowl.
6. 6. Remove the cream mixture from the heat and very slowly pour it over the beaten egg yolks, whisking all the time to ensure that the eggs do not curdle.
7. 7. Pour the mixture back into the saucepan and, over a very low heat, whisking all the time, cook until the custard thickens and coats the back of a spoon. When your finger is drawn through the custard coating the spoon, a line will be left behind.
8. 8. Remove from the heat and remove the vanilla pod.
9. 9. Strain the custard if necessary and chill until needed.
10. 10. If you want a slightly less rich custard then you can do a mix of cream and whole milk.

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