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Prep time
5 minutes
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Cook time
10 minutes
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makes
1 3/4 cups
Author Notes
This thin custard makes everything you pour it over better. It adds richness, moisture, sweetness, and creaminess to sliced fruit, less-than-fresh cake, and cobbler. It can even serve as an excellent upgrade to milk for cookie dunking.
*Crème anglaise is thickened with egg yolks alone. Without starch, it’s a bit fussier and more prone to curdling. For the faint of heart, I suggest making it in a double boiler the first couple of times. If you don’t have a double boiler, set a large heatproof bowl over a pot of barely simmering water, making sure that the bottom of the bowl doesn’t touch the water. Once you feel comfortable with the technique, you can give it a go directly on the stovetop. Just be sure to stir gently and constantly. Don’t leave it unattended for even a moment. —Food52
Test Kitchen Notes
Recipe from BAKE SMART by Samantha Seneviratne. Copyright © 2023 by Samantha Seneviratne. Reprinted with permission by Harvest, an imprint of HarperCollins. All rights reserved. —The Editors
Ingredients
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3/4 cup
(180 grams) heavy cream
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3/4 cup
(180 grams) whole milk
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4
(80 grams) large egg yolks
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1/4 cup
(50 grams) granulated sugar
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1/2 teaspoon
Kosher salt
Directions
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Set a fine-mesh sieve over a medium bowl.
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In a small saucepan, whisk together the heavy cream, milk, egg yolks, sugar, and salt and cook over medium heat, stirring with a wooden spoon, until the custard has thickened slightly, about 3 minutes. (An instant-read thermometer should register between 160°F and 170°F.)
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You should be able to draw a clear line through the custard on the back of the wooden spoon.
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Immediately pour through the prepared fine-mesh sieve.
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Cover the custard with plastic wrap pressed directly against the surface and refrigerate until cold.
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The crème anglaise can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.
a. *To prevent a skin forming while the crème anglaise cools, press plastic wrap directly against the surface. Or, top it with a bit of melted butter.
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