Foolproof Creme Anglaise (Classic Vanilla Custard Sauce) Recipe (2024)

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My Foolproof Creme Anglaise is a sweet custard-like sauce, the name of which is French for "English cream," and my method truly is foolproof.

By Gemma Stafford | | 138

Last updated on November 23, 2022

Foolproof Creme Anglaise (Classic Vanilla Custard Sauce) Recipe (1)

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My Bold Baking Basics series is all about giving you guys the recipes and tips to bake confidently anytime, anywhere, from the ground-up like my Homemade Extracts or my most popular basics recipe for How to Make Homemade Butter.

One of the most important parts of baking is using quality ingredients. I know it can be hard to find certain staple ingredients, and classic technique-based sauces like creme anglaise can seem hard to make, but I’m here to show you just how easy it is.

My Foolproof Creme Anglaise (Classic Vanilla Custard) really is just that: foolproof. This recipe and video not only includes all the tricks to making the perfect creme anglaise, but I share a chef’s tricks on how to salvage this delicate custard if things happen to go wrong!

What desserts go with creme anglaise?

First of all, for those of you who might not have had creme anglaise, you’re probably wondering what it is and how it’s served. This sweet custard-like sauce is French for “English cream.” It’s rich in texture and the flavor is developed by cooking together sugar, egg yolks, milk, and vanilla.

[ Need to get some Vanilla Beans for my Creme Anglaise? Here you go! ]

The mixture is cooked enough to cook the egg yolks, but not too much as to keep a creamy, pourable, sauce-like texture. While this sauce may seem intimidating to make it’s so easy to master with all of my tips and tricks. I love creme anglaise served in the traditional fashion alongside a warm slice of Apple Pie, poured over my Peach and Blueberry Crisp, or generously drizzled over fresh fruit.

Foolproof Creme Anglaise (Classic Vanilla Custard Sauce) Recipe (2)

What’s the best way to avoid curdling?

The crux of making creme anglaise is cooking the sauce just enough, but not too much, as there is a fine line between a thick and decadent sauce and sweet creamy scrambled eggs. Since there’s nothing worse than putting in the time and effort to prepare a recipe than having it go south, this simple creme anglaise recipe has your back.

Not only do I show you in the video how to avoid overcooking the custard, but I share one of my favorite tips for saving a curdled creme anglaise. If for some reason your custard doesin fact curdle during the cooking process, it can be saved by blending the custard while still warm. I know this seems too good to be true, but this will bring your custard back together and create a smooth lump-free sauce.

Can creme anglaise be made ahead of time? How far in advance?

My recipe can be made in advance! Considering it’s the kind of thing you will always want to have on hand this is great news. Once the creme anglaise has cooled, you can store it in the fridge for 4 days.

Foolproof Creme Anglaise (Classic Vanilla Custard Sauce) Recipe (3)

Is Creme Anglaise Served Hot or Cold?

The beauty of keeping this easy creme anglaise covered in the fridge is it’s always ready to roll as it can be both be served hot and cold. It can be reheated by placing it over a Bain-marie or very carefully over low heat while constantly stirring. Take care when reheating because you don’t want to ‘cook’ the eggs causing them to curdle.

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Foolproof Creme Anglaise (Classic Vanilla Custard Sauce) Recipe

4.75 from 116 votes

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My Foolproof Creme Anglaise is a sweet custard-like sauce, the name of which is French for "English cream," and my method truly is foolproof.

Author: Gemma Stafford

Servings: 3 cups

  • Vanilla
  • Limited Ingredients
  • Stovetop
  • Saucepan

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 25 minutes mins

My Foolproof Creme Anglaise is a sweet custard-like sauce, the name of which is French for "English cream," and my method truly is foolproof.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup (8floz/225ml) cream (any type of fresh cream will do)
  • 1 1/2 cups (12floz/340ml) whole milk
  • 1/2 cup (4oz/115g) sugar, divided
  • 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise and scraped
  • 6 egg yolks

Instructions

  • In a medium heavy bottomed saucepan add the cream, milk, 1/4 cup sugar, vanilla pod and beans.

  • Simmer over medium heatuntil the mixture starts to bubble around the edge of the pan, for about 2 minutes, do not let it boil. Remove from the heat and let stand for 20 minutes.

  • While the cream mixture is infusing, whisk the egg yolks with remaining 1/4 cup of sugar in a medium bowl.

  • Ladle some of the hot cream mixture into the egg yolk mixture, then swiftly whisk to combine. Add another ladle of the infused milk to the eggs until the egg mixture is warm to the touch. This method is called tempering and it prevents the eggs from curdling.

  • Pour the tempered cream and egg mixture into the remaining cream in the saucepan, then return the pan to the heat.

  • Continue to cook over medium heat while constantly stirring until the custard coats the back of a spoon, this will take about 5 to 7 minutes.

  • Once the custard has thickened, remove from the heat and strain through a sieve into a medium bowl to removeany lumps and the vanilla pod.

  • Place the custard in an ice bath to cool it down quickly and prevent overcooking.

  • Once cooled, cover and store in the fridge in an airtight container for up 4 days. Serve with pies, crisps and cobblers.

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Foolproof Creme Anglaise (Classic Vanilla Custard Sauce) Recipe (10)

Daisy

3 years ago

Is there any substitute of using egg yolk? Is such a waste throwing away the egg whites….
Thank you

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MamaBoos

2 years ago

This was incredible and very easy! I only did a 1/2 batch. I used the other 1/2 vanilla bean in my whipped cream. I served it with a flourless chocolate torte, raspberry coulis, and vanilla bean whipped cream. My kids can’t wait for me to make it again. I had avoided making creme anglaise because it always seemed difficult, but this method really took away that fear! Thank you!

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Anne

2 years ago

Hello Gemma, this looks so delicious 😊 right now I am looking for thicker sauce/custard – the kind that keeps its shape on top of a pie/crust with strawberries or so on top. I’m guessing if I use this recipe, it’ll run all over the table😛 I see suggestions for flour or cornflour in the comments, or could the milk ratio or so just be adjusted? Or if it’s another recipe I’m looking for entirely, do you know what it would be called? Translation difficulties, you see 🙂
Thank you in advance. Anne

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Foolproof Creme Anglaise (Classic Vanilla Custard Sauce) Recipe (13)

Jase

2 years ago

Quick tip for anyone else reading this before giving the recipe a crack: go easy on the sugar! I’ll be reducing the amount by 10g each time I make it in the future, until I get it to the right amount. The first and only time I’ve tried this recipe, my custard just tasted of sugar. That being said, the rest of the recipe worked well.

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Foolproof Creme Anglaise (Classic Vanilla Custard Sauce) Recipe (14)

Silvia Zapata

3 years ago

I loved the way you explained this recipe. Thank you so much!

2

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Foolproof Creme Anglaise (Classic Vanilla Custard Sauce) Recipe (15)

Anna

1 year ago

Hi Gemma! Thank you for your great work, another great recipe. Just a quick note on the metric measurements as they seem a bit off to me: 8 fl oz should be 237ml

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Foolproof Creme Anglaise (Classic Vanilla Custard Sauce) Recipe (16)

Dorothy

2 years ago

This was easy and came out perfectly. I served along side a bread pudding and it was excellent. I think I will be pouring it over everyday. Next up will be over an apple galette. Yummy!

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Foolproof Creme Anglaise (Classic Vanilla Custard Sauce) Recipe (17)

Richard Richie

3 years ago

Excellent recipe with great directions. I didn’t have a vanilla bean to use so had to use vanilla extract. The recipe came out great and it didn’t curdle.

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Foolproof Creme Anglaise (Classic Vanilla Custard Sauce) Recipe (18)

ben

2 months ago

Hello! I was wondering how to make a cheesecake base from this recipe? How would this affect the texture and taste? thank you!

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Foolproof Creme Anglaise (Classic Vanilla Custard Sauce) Recipe (19)

Ora

2 months ago

Oh yes very good I pour this inside

Tayler

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Foolproof Creme Anglaise (Classic Vanilla Custard Sauce) Recipe (20)

MamaBoos

About Us

Meet Gemma

Foolproof Creme Anglaise (Classic Vanilla Custard Sauce) Recipe (21)

About Us

Meet Gemma

Hi Bold Bakers! I’m Gemma Stafford, a professional chef originally from Ireland, a cookbook author, and the creator of Bigger Bolder Baking. I want to help you bake with confidence anytime, anywhere with my trusted and tested recipes and baking tips. You may have seen one of my 500+ videos on YouTube & TikTok or as a guest judge on Nailed It! on Netflix or the Best Baker in America on Food Network. No matter your skills, my Bold Baking Team & I want to be your #1 go-to baking authority.

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Foolproof Creme Anglaise (Classic Vanilla Custard Sauce) Recipe (22)

Foolproof Creme Anglaise (Classic Vanilla Custard Sauce) Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the difference between custard and crème anglaise? ›

The methodology and most of the ingredients are the same, except pastry cream incorporates flour or cornstarch and therefore needs to be boiled. This results in a much, much thicker custard. Crème anglaise on the other hand, is thickened only with egg yolks resulting in a thinner, silkier, more pourable sauce.

What are the guidelines for preparing vanilla custard sauce? ›

Directions. BEAT eggs, sugar and salt in medium heavy saucepan until blended. STIR IN milk. COOK over low heat, stirring constantly but gently, until mixture is just thick enough to coat a metal spoon with a thin film and temperature reaches 160°F, about 15 minutes.

Can you buy ready made crème anglaise? ›

Custom Culinary® Ready-To-Use Frozen Crème Anglaise Sauce.

What is the thickening agent for crème anglaise? ›

Crème Anglaise
  1. Using egg yolk as its base and thickening agent, and cream as its liquid.
  2. Can be used to make ice cream and crème pâtissière.

What are the 3 types of custard? ›

3 Varieties of Custard

There are three main varieties of custard: baked custard, stirred custard, and steamed custard. The first two are both popular in Western cuisine. Baked custard is typically firmer and made with whole eggs, while stirred custards can be much runnier and often only contain the yolks.

Why do the French call custard crème anglaise? ›

Despite its French moniker, Crème Anglaise is named as a nod to its English roots. It is essentially a pourable version of the custard that originated in medieval England, known for its slightly sweetened, egg-enriched milky concoction.

What is the difference between cream sauce and custard sauce? ›

They're both milk-based and use eggs, but pastry cream is much thicker and is used in making classic pastries, while custard is more of a liquid and can be poured.

Why is my custard sauce not thickening? ›

Increase stovetop cooking time.

If you've tried a few recipes and your custard is still runny, thicken your custard by increasing the stovetop cooking time (instead of adding a thickening agent). Follow your recipe stovetop cooking time, right up until the custard starts bubbling.

How do you test the doneness of a vanilla custard sauce? ›

If the sauce runs down, the sauce is not yet to nappe, if the sauce holds it's place it is at nappe, in other words, done. 8. Immediately pour the sauce through the strainer into the bowl set in ice water to cool the sauce quickly. Stir occasionally to cool it evenly.

Why does my crème anglaise taste eggy? ›

But when you overcook a custard, suddenly the connection is very, very clear. A nasty eggy taste takes up residence and won't go away. That's likely the result of heat breaking down the protein components cysteine and methionine to release sulphur, says Crosby.

What happens if crème anglaise gets too hot? ›

As we have seen, crème anglaise's cooking temperature shouldn't exceed 185°F (84°C). If it does, the lecithin in egg yolks can clot and form lumps. Make sure you stick to the temperatures recommended for a smooth custard.

Why is my crème anglaise grainy? ›

Note: if the heat is to high you run the risk of the egg becoming curdled..grainy is the result. Once a pastry cream is set up it's not really fixable. At least from a classic recipe standpoint. However if it's still fluid incorporating cornstarch can, (NOT guarenteed) smooth out the texture.

How long does it take crème anglaise to thicken? ›

Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon to prevent egg yolks from curdling, until mixture registers 175ºF (79.5ºC) on an instant-read thermometer and thickens slightly so that it coats the back of a spoon, 3 to 5 minutes.

How do you fix runny crème anglaise? ›

The first option is to mix two tablespoons of flour with four tablespoons of cold water for every cup of custard you've made. Mix the flour into the water well, then whisk it into your custard mixture as it cooks on the stove. You can follow the same steps with cornstarch instead of flour if you prefer as well.

How long does crème anglaise take to thicken? ›

Stir over low heat until custard thickens and leaves path on back of spoon when finger is drawn across, about 5 minutes (do not boil). Strain sauce into bowl. Cover and chill.

What do Americans call custard? ›

The US equivalent of custard is custard. We also have pudding which is thicker and more set than custard usually with flour or cornstarch. We do not refer to the dessert course of a meal as pudding. Custard has no cornstarch or flour and is often served as a sauce over berries or poundcake.

Are creme anglaise and baked custard made of basically the same ingredients? ›

Creme anglaise and baked custard are made of basically the same ingredients, but the cooking methods are different. When scalded milk is added to egg yolks it should be added all at once. Blanc mange should not be heated to more then 185F during cooking.

What is the posh name for custard? ›

A classic, beautiful vanilla Custard that you'll want to pour over everything! This is a proper version made using egg as a thickener – no cornflour. Also known as Creme Anglaise, you'll be amazed how easy it is to make, and how stunning a real homemade custard is compared to store bought. It actually tastes like….

What's the difference between Bavarian cream and custard? ›

Vanilla Bavarian Cream: Vanilla pastry cream lightened with whipped cream. A more flavorful and delectable cream filling as opposed to plain whipped cream. Vanilla Custard: A mixture of milk, egg yolks, and sugar cooked to a pudding consistency; also called pastry cream.

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