Fruit And Cream Desserts: Creme Anglaise Aux Fruits - Creamy Custard With Fruit

Creme anglaise is a pourable French custard and is most often used as a dessert cream or sauce, although it can be eaten 'stand alone". It also surprisingly can be used in ices or ice cream as well.

This custard sauce is a mixture of sugar, egg yolks and hot milk flavored with vanilla. This sauce is made by combining egg yolks and sugar until the yolks are almost opaque and then adding milk a little at a time and cooking until thickened.

This custard sauce is a bit more difficult because it must be accurate to achieve the proper result. A candy thermometer is best to use as the sauce needs to be cooked at between 70 and 85 degrees (coats the back of a spoon) and no higher or it will curdle.

A beautifully simple presentation is to layer fruit with creme anglaise in a parfait or wine glass. It looks elegant yet is so simple and is easily prepared in minutes.  This is a recipe I tweaked from my Betty Crocker's International Cookbook from the 1970s.  Some things are still great no matter how old!

INGREDIENTS

• 3 egg yolks, slightly beaten
• 1 cup of milk
• 3-4 tablespoons sugar
• Salt - dash
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 2-3 cups of fresh fruit

PREPARATION

1. Whisk egg yolks, sugar and salt in a 2-quart saucepan.
2. Gradually stir in milk over low heat.
3. Stir constantly until mixture coats a metal spoon. DO NOT BOIL. This process will take 15-20 minutes. The custard sauce will thicken as it cools.
4. Remove sauce from heat and stir in vanilla.
5. Place the pan in cold water until sauce is cooled.
6. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours but no longer than 24 hours.
7. Serve over fruit or use as a topping or sauce.

SUGGESTED FRUIT COMBINATIONS

• Blueberries and sliced peaches
• Strawberries and cubed pineapple
• Raspberries and sliced peaches
• Kiwi added to any of the above
• Grapes added to any of the above
• Firm ripe banana cut at the last moment
• Tangelos added to the above
• Mango combined with any of the above 

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups half-and-half or whole milk
• Vanilla bean split lengthwise
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 4 large egg yolks at room temperature

PREPARATION

1. Set a large fine strainer over medium bowl and set the bowl in a shallow pan of cold water.
2. In large saucepan, combine milk or half-and-half with the vanilla bean.
3. Cook over moderately low heat until small bubbles appear around the rim. This will happen in about 5 minutes.
4. In another bowl, whisk the sugar and egg yolks until just combined.
5. Whisk in half of milk or half-and-half - add in a thin stream.
6. Pour the mixture into the saucepan and cook over moderate heat. Stir constantly with a wooden spoon until the sauce thickens slightly, about 4-5 minutes.
7. Immediately pour the sauce through the strainer in the cold water bath to stop the cooking process.
8. Scrape the vanilla seeds from the vanilla bean pod into the sauce.
9. Serve right away or refrigerate until chilled.