Crème anglaise is a firm favourite with many and can be used in a wide range of different cakes and desserts, such as jam sponge pudding.

Ingredients – Serves 4 | Cooking time 10 mins

• 500ml full fat milk
• 6 large fresh egg yolks
• 75g caster sugar
• 1 vanilla pod

Mise en place

1. Separate the eggs, saving the whites for another recipe, and leaving the yolks in a clean bowl.
2. Pour the milk into a heavy-based saucepan.
3. Cut the vanilla pod in half lengthways.  Scrape out the seeds and add to the milk.  Also add the empty pod.

Method

1. Place the milk onto the hob and bring almost to the boil.  Meanwhile, add the sugar to the egg yolks and whisk until light in colour.
2. Just before the milk comes to the boil, remove from the heat and slowly pour over the egg and sugar mixture, stirring all the time with a clean wooden spoon.
3. Return to the saucepan and put it back on the hob over a gentle heat, stirring all the time until the custard becomes thick enough to coat the back of your spoon.  Don’t allow the custard to boil.
4. Remove from the hob and pass the custard through a fine strainer lined with muslin into a clean jug.  Serve warm as a custard sauce or chill until required.

Where sweets are concerned, crème anglaise / crème anglais is a very versatile sauce and you will find it used in many sweet recipes.