How To Make Real Custard

Or Crème Anglaise to give it its real name, so much nicer don’t you think?

Making real custard is a dying art in today’s busy world, but you really cannot beat it.

I know the ‘ready made’ cardboard cartons are quick and easy, but it’s not really custard. Just a yellow glob tasting of cardboard.

Do yourself a favor and make a real custard and you will not regret that extra five minutes, I promise you.

What you will need:

500ml Milk, you can use full cream, skimmed or light
125g Caster Sugar
6 Egg yolks
Vanilla Pod or True Vanilla Essence

Cooks Tips:
If you save the egg white you can make decadent meringues.

Also invest in a ‘real’ vanilla pod and put it in your sugar bowl, the delicate flavour of vanilla will permeate through.
And when you need a vanilla flavour, take it out of the sugar and use it. Simply rinse it off and dry it, then pop it back into your sugar.

So you can keep re-using the pod, this way it doesn’t seem so expensive. If you have flavoured sugar, use it in dishes like this.

What to do:

1. Pop the milk, yolks & the sugar into a pan with either the vanilla pod, or a good splash of true vanilla essence
2. Bring to the boil over a medium heat, then turn down the heat & simmer gently
3. Keep stirring with a wooden spoon, until the custard coats the back of the spoon
4. The custard is cooked, when you can run your fingers along the back of the spoon and it should leave a space so you can see the wood of the spoon
5. Take off the heat and serve

Tip: Any left over custard can be covered and kept in the refrigerator for about three days