Real Custard Sauce Recipes

VANILLA CUSTARD SAUCE

Steps:

• Prepare an ice-water bath; set aside.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together egg yolks, sugar, and salt until well combined.
• Pour milk into a heavy-bottomed, nonreactive saucepan. If using the vanilla bean, scrape seeds from pod halves into the milk using the tip of a knife. Add pod halves. Place over medium heat until small bubbles appear around the edges of the pan.
• Remove from heat and slowly pour milk mixture into egg mixture, whisking constantly. Pour mixture back into the saucepan and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly with a spatula, until slightly thickened and coats the back of the spatula, about 5 minutes. Pour into a medium bowl and set bowl in ice water bath. Let cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally. Stir in vanilla extract, if using.
• Pour custard through a fine-mesh sieve into another bowl, cover, and refrigerate until serving.

HOMEMADE CUSTARD

Steps:

• Put the cream and milk into a large pan and gently bring to just below boiling point. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk the yolks, cornflour, sugar and vanilla. Gradually pour the hot milk mixture onto the sugar mixture, whisking constantly.
• Wipe out the saucepan and pour the mixture back into it. Heat gently, stirring with a wooden spoon (see Steps 1 and 2, for stirring tips) until the custard is thickened, but before any lumps form. Eat hot or cold.

A VERY PROPER ENGLISH CUSTARD

Steps:

• Bring milk and cream to a simmer slowly on low heat.
• Whisk the sugar and cornstarch together, add the egg yolks, combine well.
• Slowly whisk the warm milk into the egg mixture, whisking constantly. Add vanilla. Return to the saucepan and stir gently until thickened. Serve hot, or cool to use as a layer in trifles, or fill tart pans.
• Tip. If using it hot, it can be kept warm in a jug set in a pan of hot water with a bit of cling film on top to prevent a skin forming.

SIMPLE CUSTARD

Steps:

• Cook and stir milk, vanilla extract, and butter in a saucepan over medium heat until simmering. Remove mixture from heat before it comes to a boil.
• Whisk eggs, sugar, and cornstarch together in a bowl until sugar dissolves.
• Set saucepan back over low heat. Pour in egg mixture slowly, whisking constantly, until custard thickens enough to coat the bottom of a spoon, 5 to 10 minutes.

CUSTARD SAUCE

Steps:

• Fill a large bowl with ice and water; set aside. Place milk and cream in a saucepan; bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
• Combine egg yolks and sugar in a medium bowl, and whisk until pale yellow. Pour half of hot milk mixture into egg-yolk mixture, whisking constantly. Return to pot with remaining milk mixture, and cook over low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until thick enough to coat back of spoon.
• Remove from heat; pour through a very fine strainer into a bowl set over the ice bath. Allow to cool, stirring occasionally. Store in an airtight container up to 2 days in the refrigerator, until ready to use.

REAL CUSTARD SAUCE

Steps:

• Reserve 3 tablespoons of the milk. Place the remaining milk and vanilla pod in a saucepan. Bring almost to the boil. Remove from the heat and leave to stand for 15 minutes to allow the vanilla to infuse the milk.
• Place the egg yolks, sugar and reserved milk in a bowl. Beat until thick and creamy. Remove the vanilla pod from the milk and pour the milk on to the egg mixture. Strain the mixture into a heavy based saucepan and cook, stirring, until the custard thinly coats the back of a spoon and is about the thickness of single cream. Pour into a cold jug. Serve hot or cold. The sauce thickens on cooling.