This site uses only a few technical cookies necessary for its operation. By continuing to browse, you accept their use.
To find out more...
To find out more...
Real custard sauce (crème anglaise)
Real custard or vanilla sauce consists of egg yolks beaten with sugar and cooked slowly in vanilla milk. It is the base or the accompaniment for many desserts.
45 min.
Easy
350 g
4 IngredientsLast modified on: January 17th 2018
For 350 g, you will need:
250 ml 
1 
3 
40 ml 
Times for this recipe
Preparation: 20 min.
Resting: 15 min.
Cooking: 15 min.
All in all: 45 min.
If you start now, at , you will finish around : ?.Change start time
To finish around 7pm, you'll need to have started before: .Change end time
Step by step recipe
Stage 1 - 5 min.
Stage 2 - 5 min.
Bring to the boil, then turn off the heat, cover the pan and leave vanilla to infuse 10 minutes.
Stage 3 - 4 min.
Put 3 egg yolks and 40 ml caster sugar in a bowl.
Stage 4 - 2 min.
And without delay mix well using a maryse.
Stage 5 - 3 min.
Pour the hot milk onto the egg yolks + sugar and mix well.
Stage 6 - 2 min.
Wash the pan, and pour the mixture back into it through a fine strainer to eliminate any small impurities which are left.
Stage 7 - 8 min.
Stage 8
Stage 9
Other way to be sure of good texture, use a thermometer and stop cooking at 180-185°F (82-85°C), never more.
Stage 10 - 15 min.
When ready, take off the heat and plunge the bottom into a little cold water (in the sink will do fine) to stop cooking, leave to cool, stirring from time to time.
Stage 11
When cold, your crème anglaise is ready.
Remarks
Your crème anglaise will be better if you use full-cream milk.
If you have too many egg whites, you can make meringues or financiers with them.
If you have too many egg whites, you can make meringues or financiers with them.
Keeping: Several days in the fridge, in a closed jar.
Source: From Gaston Lenôtre.
Nutritional information
| Proteins (gr) | Carbohydrates (gr) | Fats (gr) | Energy value (in k-calories) | Energy value (in k-joules) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whole recipe | 20 RDI=9 % | 50 RDI=5 % | 30 RDI=4 % | 540 RDI=30 % | 2,250 RDI: 30 % |
| Per 100 g | 6 RDI=2 % | 10 RDI=1 % | 7 RDI=1 % | 150 RDI=8 % | 640 RDI: 8 % |
How much will it cost?
- For 350 g : 3.10 €
Change currency: 
Note: Be careful, these prices are only an estimate, you can consult the table of prices by ingredients used for this estimate.
Some other recipes using this recipeSee them all 14
Sautéed pears with custard and orange syrup
Pear halves sautéed in butter and sugar served with real custard (crème anglaise) and a reduced blood-orange syrup.
158 K3.7 1 hour 4 min.
Individual charlottes with morello cherries
The French "griottines" are delicious little wild morello cherries, stoned and macerated in a Kirsch syrup, used here in individual vanilla charlottes.
201 K 15 4 hours 50 min.
Apple Tatin Terrine
Imagine a sweet terrine, made of layers of apples with sugar, cooked slowly in the oven until caramelized. Serve warm in slices with custard.
87 K4.1 3 hours 30 min.
Pears and caramelised walnut samosas
Samosas are small parcels of filling wrapped in brik (or filo) sheets and either shallow or deep fried. Here is a sweet version, with pears and caramelised walnuts.
337 K4 1 hour 25 min.
Pears in red wine with blackcurrant
Pears cooked until soft in a red wine and blackcurrant syrup, served with the reduced syrup and custard sauce (crème anglaise).
251 K4.1 2 hours 35 min.
This recipe uses (among others)
Whole milk
Like these other recipes: Poached eggs with spinach and Comté milk, Leek and celery soup, Potimarron and leek soup, Mousse with two chocolates, Canadian rice pudding, ... See them all 67
Caster sugar
Like these other recipes: Pears and caramelised walnut samosas , Brioche Tatin, Caramelized pear custard tart, Quince compote, Little chocolate and hazelnut fondants, ... See them all 361
Egg yolk
Like these other recipes: Jamaican cup, Chocolate cream, Langoustine sabayon tart, Smoked salmon sacristains, Salmon chard rolls, ... See them all 74
Vanilla pod
Like these other recipes: Mousse with two chocolates, How to use a vanilla pod effectively, Confit Victoria pineapple with honey and spices, Crème caramel, Little vanilla, clementine and chestnut verrines, ... See them all 35
Other recipes you may also like
Macarons (the original French macaroons)
This recipe really is "of the moment": the success of these small, highly-coloured cakes, in an infinite variety of flavours, is impressive. It's a recipe which needs some care, in order to produce a result worthy of a professional pastrychef. No problem, I will guide you through the recipe, particularly the tricky parts. This variety of flavours means that I test many alternatives, so don't be surprised if in the pictures the colour of the macarons changes, I used the best photograph available... October 3rd 20191.60 M 714.6 2 hours 40 min.
How to cook Morteau sausage well
This is, in my opinion, the best smoked sausage. You can cook it in a number of ways, here are three of the best known. November 15th 20182.78 M 23.4 40 min.
Confectioner's custard (Crème pâtissière, or French pastry cream)
Quite similar to crème anglaise but much thicker. It is used in many pastries like choux pastry (pâte à choux) or millefeuille. January 27th 2017768 K 313.7 40 min.
French dressing (vinaigrette)
Here is a very simple recipe, but it could completely transform, maybe even transcend, your salad. July 7th 20111.06 M4.5 7 min.
Fruit coulis (fruit purée)
Contrary to what people usually think, coulis is not just a simple fruit purée with sugar. Of course, this is the general principle, but it's possible to make something much better and more refined. This recipe is for a strawberry coulis (see below for other fruits): how to make it, but also how freeze it. October 20th 2012786 K 43 25 min.
News list of cooking-ez.com
Sign up to receive the latest recipes (next batch due to be sent on 2025-08-31)
Note: We'll never share your e-mail address with anyone else.
Follow this recipe (as 3 people already do)
If you are interested in this recipe, you can "follow" it, by entering your email address here. You will then receive a notification immediately each time the recipe is modified or a new comment is added. Please note that you will need to confirm this following.
Note: We'll never share your e-mail address with anyone else.
Alternatively: you can subscribe to the mailing list of cooling-ez.com , you will receive a e-mail for each new recipe published on the site.
The 2 comments already posted on this recipe