Creme Anglaise
This Creme Anglaise recipe is easy to follow and will result in a delicious and creamy custard.
This Creme Anglaise recipe is easy to follow and will result in a delicious and creamy custard.
- Carbohydrate 51.6149400420946 g
- Cholesterol 1002.15000020773 mg
- Fat 62.0822400561027 g
- Fiber 0 g
- Protein 13.2293400031084 g
- Saturated Fat 33.9036000349232 g
- Serving Size 1 1 recipe (240g)
- Sodium 78.616000057619 mg
- Sugar 51.6149400420946 g
- Trans Fat 2.98550400289308 g
- Calories 824 calories
Step-by-step
- 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.
The Heavy Cream Foundation
Heavy cream provides the dense fat matrix required to insulate delicate egg proteins against sudden thermal shock. Because commercial cream contains stabilizers and roughly thirty-six to forty percent milkfat, it creates a stable emulsion that resists breaking far better than standard whole milk. When heating the dairy in a heavy-bottomed saucepan, watch for tiny bubbles forming at the perimeter rather than a rolling boil to prevent scorching the lactose solids on the pan floor.
Tempering and Egg Coagulation
Egg yolks supply natural lecithin and protein chains that thicken the liquid, but dumping them directly into hot cream transforms the mixture into sweet scrambled eggs instantly. Tempering requires a steady stream of hot liquid whisked vigorously into the yolks to raise their temperature gradually without hitting the 158 degrees Fahrenheit threshold where structural curdling occurs. Pour the tempered mixture back into the remaining cream and maintain continuous agitation using a heat-resistant spatula.
Detecting Doneness
Stir the custard over medium-low heat until it thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon with a velvety film that holds its shape when you draw a finger through the center. Fresh vanilla bean pods yield complex aromatic compounds and tiny black flecks that processed extracts cannot replicate, though alcohol-based extracts disperse evenly without introducing particulate solids. Strain the finished custard through a fine-mesh sieve immediately into a clean bowl resting in an ice bath to arrest the cooking process within two minutes, then store it covered tightly for up to three days.
