Crème anglaise

• 4 egg yolks
• 45g caster sugar
• 20cL milk (200mL, semi-skimmed or whole fat)
• 20cL liquid cream (200mL, 30% fat)
• 1 teaspoon natural vanilla powder

• A saucepan
• A mixing bowl and a clean bowl for the cooked custard
• A whisk and a wooden spatula
• A kitchen thermometer (optional)

Preparation

1. Put the milk, cream and vanilla powder in the saucepan. Bring to a boil or just short of a boil.
2. Meanwhile, add the sugar to the egg yolks and whisk immediately until pale and thick, almost doubled in volume. Do not leave the sugar sitting on the yolks without mixing.
3. Make sure the milk and cream mix has cooled down a little bit.
4. Slowly pour about half the hot milk and cream into the yolks while whisking. Keep the remaining half warm in the saucepan.

Cooking

1. Set the heat to medium and pour the yolk mixture back into the saucepan.
2. Stir constantly with the wooden spatula in a figure of eight, scraping the bottom. Do not let the custard boil or exceed 84C.
3. The custard is ready when it coats the spatula and a line drawn through that coating with a finger stays clear. This happens around or slighly above 80C
4. Immediately pour into the clean bowl to stop it cooking in the hot pan.
5. Let cool, then refrigerate until serving.