Kate's Global Kitchen

Kate Heyhoe  

The Elemental Crème Anglaise

by Kate Heyhoe

 

Eggs are like culinary chemistry sets in a shell. Who would believe that within that pristine white package lies the secret ingredient for fluffy meringues, elegant omelets, tangy mayonnaise, crisp crepes and dreamy, creamy custards?

Custard 
Chefs know that desserts made with custards punch our comfort-food button. One bite of a velvety crème brûlèe or berries floating in a silky, thick vanilla cream sauce, and patrons swoon. It's elemental: custards can guarantee dessert success.

The queen of custard sauces is crème anglaise. She's rich, smooth, and more than comforting. When paired with flavors like hazelnut, chocolate, coffee or fruit, she becomes absolutely seductive. Thick or thin, she's one of the indispensable sauces in a dessert chef's repertoire.

A pot of crème anglaise is the first step to elegant simplicity. Spoon it over fresh fruit, float meringues in it, layer it with cake to make a trifle. Pour it on a plate, drizzle over a ring of chocolate sauce, then drag a toothpick from center to edge like spokes, and you've made a show-stopping design often served by world-class chefs.

Mastering the Sauce

To make crème anglaise, you need egg yolks, milk and/or cream, and sugar. Vanilla bean is the traditional flavoring agent, the foundation on which other layers of flavors can be built. Crème anglaise is not only versatile, it's astonishingly easy to make—once you know what you're doing. But beware: a little bit too much heat and your comforting, creamy sauce can turn to watery, scrambled eggs in a flash.

Double-boiler or saucepan? Professional chefs live dangerously: they like to make crème anglaise in a saucepan, directly over the burner. Less adventuresome cooks would be wise to rely on a double-boiler, or to create a double-boiler by placing a heatproof bowl on a pot over (not in) heated water. Why? Because the gentle steam of the water cooks the egg yolks at a low but consistent temperature.

Process: When heated, the proteins in egg yolks solidify. Ideally, these proteins will thicken the liquid in which they're suspended.

Egg yolks: When adding eggs to a milk/cream-based mixture, warm the mixture but don't let the mixture rise above 150 degrees F. or the eggs may curdle. Likewise, don't add the eggs all at once; whisk them in gradually. Once added, egg yolks should be stirred constantly, preferably with a whisk.

Proportions: Usually 2 egg yolks plus 2 tablespoons sugar to 1 cup of milk will produce a barely thick sauce. Additional egg yolks ensure a thicker sauce. Sugar makes the sauce less firm, so more eggs may be required when using greater amounts of sugar, and too much sugar can even prevent setting. Acidic ingredients, such as tart fruits and wine, also impede egg proteins from solidifying, so use more egg yolks with them. Rule of thumb: more sugar and more acid means adding more egg yolks.

Doneness: After about 12 minutes pay attention: the custard is likely a few degrees away from being done. When properly cooked, the sauce should coat the back of a metal spoon-dragging your finger across the spoon will leave a line. A thermometer should hover just below 180 degrees F., the temperature at which egg proteins coagulate.

Troubleshooting: What can go wrong? Time and temperature matter. Heating too fast, too long, on too high or low a heat, or not stirring enough may result in a sauce that never thickens, a sauce that curdles, or a sauce that separates. Once the eggs are added, stir constantly. If the sauce starts to show signs of curdling, it can still be rescued: remove it from the heat and whisk until smooth. In some cases, small amounts of curd can simply be strained out. To prevent a skin from forming on the sauce, press plastic wrap onto the surface of the custard.

Weeping: If the custard starts to separate after cooking, as when releasing water on a previously beautiful plated dessert, it's been cooked too long (even if cooked below 180 degrees F.) or at too high a temperature (185 degrees F.).

Other names: English custard, custard sauce, soft custard, boiled custard

Related sauces: Zabaglione, sabayon, lemon curd (similar in use of egg yolks)

Crème anglaise is the common focal point around which great chefs build irresistible signature desserts. James Peterson's essential book Sauces includes the following step-by-step guide to making it. All you need now is fresh fruit, cake or a dark chocolate sauce to make your own 4-star desserts.

Kate Heyhoe
The Global Gourmet

Recipe:

 

Kate's Global Kitchen, December 2001

12/01/01     Holiday Food Gifts & Festive Recipes
12/08/01     The Elemental Crème Anglaise
12/15/01     A Praline Primer
12/22/01     Nutmeg: A Gift from Grenada
12/29/01     Famous Last Words: The Lighter Side of Food
                  (includes Cozy New Year's Recipes)

 
 
 

Copyright © 2001, Kate Heyhoe. All rights reserved.

 


Current Kate's Global Kitchen
Kate's Global Kitchen Archive

 
Holiday Recipe Headquarters
 
 

This page created 2001 and modified November 2006.


 

The Global Gourmet
Return to the
Global Gourmet®
Main Page

 

Mother's Day Recipes
Mother's Day Gift
and Menu Guide

Memorial Day Recipes
Memorial Day Recipes

 

AddThis Social Bookmark Button

AddThis Feed Button

 

Global Gourmet®
Shopping
Gourmet Food, Cookbooks
Kitchen Gadgets & Gifts

 
Search this site:

Advanced Search

 

Departments

Kate's Global Kitchen
Kate's Books
Cookbook Profiles
Global Destinations
I Love Desserts
On Wine
Shopping

new green basics New Green Basics
cooking kids Cooking with Kids

Archives
Conversions & Charts
Forums/Message Boards
Search

About the
Global Gourmet®
   Contact Info
   Advertising
   Feedback
   Privacy Statement

 
IACP Cookbook
Award Winners

Fish Forever
Local Breads
Asian Flavors (Jean-Georges)
Morimoto: Japanese Cooking
Chocolates & Confections
Julia Child
Cook with Jamie
The World Atlas of Wine
Food: The History of Taste
Cook Everything Vegetarian
All Cookbook Winners

JBF Cookbook
Award Nominees

Egg
My Bombay Kitchen
Revolutionary Chinese
A Baker's Odyssey
Great Bar Food at Home
Chez Jacques
Super Natural Cooking
Lidia's Italy
Geography of Oysters
Cheese Essentials
Vegetable Harvest
All Cookbook Nominees

Classic Cookbooks

Betty Crocker Why It Works
The Bon Appétit Cookbook
Joy of Cooking
Fifth Taste...Umami
The Professional Chef
New American Cooking
Vegetable Love

 
 

 
 

Copyright © 1994-2008,
Forkmedia LLC

 

 

 
 

Become a Chef:
Best Culinary Schools

 

Everything Kitchens
Coffee Makers, Blenders
Espresso Machines

 

The California Wine Club
Wine of the Month Clubs
Monthly Wine Club Gifts

 

Cheap Flights
Online Shopping

 

Groomsmen Gifts
Grooms Wedding Guide
Bridesmaids Gifts

 

Mom's Recipes

 
 

 
 

Coffee Maker
Small Appliances
& Gift Ideas

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Tenerife
Weight Loss Diet
Women's Vests
Vending Machines