Custard Sauce (English)

Custard Sauce, is the perfect partner for British puddings and desserts. Proper English custard has been around since at least the middle ages. Poured hot over puddings, cake, pies or baked into tarts. Also used cold as in a layer of trifle. Don't be confused by pastry cream which is a similar recipe to custard sauce. Pastry cream is much thicker and is used in patisserie making, it is not a pouring sauce like custard.

5 oz milk (150 mL)
8½ oz heavy cream (250 mL)
fine caster sugar (50 g)
6 large egg yolks
1 vanilla pod, split and seeds removed

In a heavy bottomed saucepan place the milk and cream and one tsp. of the sugar, bring to a gentle simmer, once simmering, turn the heat to its lowest.

In a large heat proof bowl, place the sugar and the egg yolks and with a hand whisk, whisk until light, creamy and paler in colour.

Slowly, whilst still whisking, pour the warmed milk into the egg mixture.

Strain the custard sauce through a fine sieve, back into the saucepan, add the seeds from the vanilla pod. Over a low heat, stir constantly and gradually the custard will thicken. Do not speed this process up or you run the risk of the sauce curdling, and even worse burning.

Finally, once thickened, remove from the heat and pass through a sieve again.