A classic, beautiful vanilla Custard that you’ll want to pour over everything! This is a proper version made using egg as a thickener – no cornflour. Also known as Creme Anglaise, you’ll be amazed how easy it is to make, and how stunning a real homemade custard is compared to store bought. It actually tastes like…. well, like custard!
As I started writing up this recipe to tell you how good homemade custard is compared to store bought, I realised that I had never actually bought custard before.
So this morning after my daily caffeine fix (shameless coffee addict here), I popped into the supermarket to buy a (small) carton. Just so I could truly describe the difference. Because it’s easy enough to say that homemade is always better. But I didn’t actually know what store bought tasted like.
Having now had my first taste of store bought, I can definitively tell you that there is no comparison. Store bought lacks flavour, it isn’t actually creamy and an inspection of the ingredients showed that it’s made with a thickener, which explains why it lacked the richness that’s so prevalent in homemade custard.
It is NOTHING like this….
Isn’t it beautiful?? It’s quite amazing that something that is made with so few ingredients can transform into something so stunning. Both looks and taste.
“Custard” is a pretty generic term. It refers to a range of desserts and sauces made using egg, milk/cream and sometimes a thickener. You can get custards that are firm enough to hold its shape, like what you get in pies and cakes, firm piping custard (Creme Patissiere) and custard that’s used to pour over things (also known as Creme Anglaise).
This is the pouring kind. Which I simply call Custard because I call every other type of custard something else, not just “Custard”. 🤷🏻♀️
What to use custard for? Gosh, the list is long!
I think many people associate custard with Christmas pudding. It’s very traditional.
For me though, I use it to doll up many desserts. Like this Apple Cake – a reader recipe which is very popular, and rightly so because it’s so tasty, so moist and so darn fast to make! I make it often because it’s a crowd pleaser and it freezes well too.
Case in point – I had one in the freezer which I pulled out to show you how custard can fancy up a simple piece of cake. 🙂
Pour it over pancakes, with Bread and Butter Pudding (INSANELY good), waffles, crumbles / crisps, puddings, French Toast, use it in trifles.
Or just pour it over a bowl of fruit.
If you put this in front of me at the end of a fancy pants dinner party, I’d be one happy gal. – Nagi xx
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Custard (aka Creme Anglaise)
Ingredients
- 1 vanilla bean (Note 1)
- 1 cup / 250ml heavy / thickened cream (Note 2)
- 1/4 cup / 65 ml milk (whole or reduced fat, not zero fat)
- 3 egg yolks
- 1/4 cup / 50g white sugar, preferably caster / superfine
Instructions
- Using a small knife, cut a slit down the length of the vanilla bean then scrape out seeds (see video).
- Place cream, milk and vanilla seeds + vanilla bean into a small saucepan over medium heat. When it just comes to simmer, remove and cool for 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, place yolks and sugar in a bowl. Whisk for 2 minutes until it becomes a bit pale.
- Remove vanilla pod from milk and discard.
- While whisking, SLOWLY pour milk into the eggs. Then pour it back into the saucepan.
- Return to low heat (can use medium low if on electric). Whisk regularly for first 3 minutes, then pretty much constantly for the next 5 minutes, or until the custard coats the back of a spoon. You should be able to draw a path (see video).
- Remove from heat.
- Optional: strain to make extra silky smooth.
- Keeps for 3 days in the fridge. Custard will thicken slightly more as it cools to room temperature. Do not freeze. See note 3 for suggested uses.
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
WATCH HOW TO MAKE IT
Custard recipe video!
LIFE OF DOZER
Don’t fall off your chair in shock….but I think Dozer’s gagging for custard??
Made this for my sick hubby and it went down well. I bought a small bulk amount of Vanilla Beans online and it was far more cost efficient than buying
locally. Much fresher to
Great recipe and so easy to make. Just wondering what the cake is in the photo?
Excellent recipe! I have made creme anglaise numerous times and this is the best! Thank you!
Absolutely lovely. I don’t use vanilla bean, too expensive, I just can’t afford it. I use best quality vanilla I can afford, and it turns out great. I love this stuff.
It seems to me Brits and/or Aussies* go on and on about Bird’s custard. Isn’t that mostly cornflour? It never occurred to me to make custard without a thickener. I do have to give it a go. *(My mom was an Aussie, if that gives my opinion any weight 😏)
Fabulous instructions and never, ever going to buy custard again. Ever!
Would reduce the sugar next time for personal preference.
I am an Aussie and I have never heard of Bird’s custard. This is a great recipe, similar to what my Aussie mother and grandmother made and I make now.
I made this, and it tastes delicious! But weirdly it only seemed to get thinner once it cooled and then thinner again the next day. I got it to the same thickness as yours in the pan, I could do the line on the spoon. But then when it cooled it got thinner, and the second day it was almost like water! Thinner than the cream it was made with. It was so strange. I’m wondering if perhaps it’s because I used two day old egg yolks that I’d saved after making meringue? My cream was also fairly old (not off though)
I definitely wasn’t denigrating this recipe. I make crème anglaise occasionally, and I love it, too. I guess my mother was from a different region or just had different food habits.
The very first time that I haven’t liked that taste of a recipe from this site. The English recipes eg Nigella’s are better for this particular item
Hi. I love your recipes. I’m making your vanilla cake with ermine frosting for my boys birthday and wonder if I can thicken this for a filling between layers? Or do you have another recipe for a custard filling?? Thx so much!!!
Hi Allie – try the thick custard filling from my profiteroles – it’s thicker! https://www.recipetineats.com/profiteroles/#wprm-recipe-container-32344 N x
Hi Nagi,
Thanks for a lovely recipe, it came out amazing but much too sweet for me especially with xmas pudding on top.
Would there be any issues if I reduce the sugar to 1-2 Tbsp? Will it affect the thickening of the creme anglais? Thanks 🙂
Hi Nagi! Is it possible to add brandy to the creme anglaise? If so, what measurements and would one cook the alcohol out before adding? Thanks in advance!
Hi Marco – you can add a slug of brandy to taste – just be sure the custard is cooled before adding it so it doesn’t split! N x
Excellent! Thanks, Nagi!
Hi Nagi, I have not made your custard recipe but have made similar ones successfully. However, I like to serve custard warm/hot and when I re-heat it on say the next day, lumps form in what was a smooth custard. Can you suggest the best way to re-heat custard please.
Brilliant custard easy to make fantastic to eat
I just made it for pairing with stewed rhubarb. I was wanting to try a new recipe and this one is light and sweet.
We used maple extract as we ran out of vanilla, and it’s wonderful! I love adding lemon or orange zest for a twist sometimes too.
Thank you!
Hands down, the best crepe anglaise recipe I’ve made. This is my go to as it is easy and tasty although a little on the sweeter side. My family loves this recipe. We use it on fruit, pancakes, shortcakes, you name it. If it goes with vanilla it will work.
This is amazing. If you’ve got the time, do sieve, but even if you don’t it’s still so good
Hi Nagi
This is the first time i have ever made home made custard
Il never use tinned again
It was smooth,creamy, vanillary (if theres such a word) just found you today will be seeing your pagr again and again
Can I make this a day before Christmas and refrigerate to reduce my workload on Christmas Day ? Thanks for all your wonderful recipes, I live by your website. Merry Christmas.
Yes 100% Karyn! N x
Hey Nagi, how are you?
I sincerely hope you and your loved ones are safe from the current storms and flooding.
I’m going to make both your pavlova and Creme Anglaise recipes.
I’d like to use the egg yolks from the Pavlova recipe though; rather then cracking open fresh eggs and wasting the egg whites.
Would it be okay if I used 4 egg yolks rather than the 3 in your recipe and if so, would I need to increase ratio of castor sugar, cream and milk.
I’m going to use the Creme Anglaise in my awesome mango trifle for Christmas Day next Friday (25/12/2020).
I used some left over condensed milk and reduced the amount of milk and it came out yummy! Thank you for inspiring me !
Another great recipe Nagy, big thank you !!! Greeting from Texas
The taste was fantastic. When it was perfect on the stove I took it off the heat, but it kept cooking and become grainy, but I saved it by putting the pot in a pan of cold water and whisking it and it became smooth again. I may just do that in the future to make sure I don’t curdle it. It tastes so much better than the custards in the tin.