Mother sauces
crème anglaise
crème anglaise · A thin, flowing custard sauce made from milk, sugar, and egg yolks — cooked gently until it coats the back of a spoon. The archetype of egg-based liaison sauces, it is pourable, vanilla-scented, and serves as the liquid foundation for dozens of desserts and as the base for thicker derivatives. Its preparation demands precision; the moment eggs coagulate, the sauce becomes grainy and broken. This is the liquid mother of crème pâtissière, crème diplomate, and most French cream fillings.
The formula
10 parts milk : 2 parts sugar : 1 part yolk (by weight)
500g whole milk, 100g caster sugar, 50g yolk (approximately 3 large yolks). For a richer result, replace up to 25% of the milk with heavy cream.
Identity
- Thin enough to pour; coats the back of a spoon without holding firm
- No starch, no flour, no gelatin — egg yolk is the sole thickener
- Flavored classically with vanilla bean; the flavor is clean, not cloying
- Silky, smooth texture — no grain, no curdle, no skin
- Temperature must not exceed 82–83°C / 180°F during cooking
- Structure comes from egg protein coagulation and fat emulsification
Ingredients
| Liquid | whole milk | Full-fat (minimum 3.5%). Low-fat milk produces a thin, flat result. |
| Thickener | egg yolk | Approximately 3 yolks per 500ml milk. Yolk provides emulsifier (lecithin), color, richness, and sole thickening. |
| Sweetener | caster sugar | Dissolves readily. The small quantity adds sweetness without masking the vanilla. |
| Aromatics | vanilla bean | Split pod, steeped in milk. Use half a pod per 500ml. Pods may be rinsed, dried, and reused for sugar infusion. |
| Enrichment | heavy cream | Optional — replace up to 25% of milk for a richer, more stable sauce. |
Method
- 1Infuse the milk: Heat milk with the split vanilla pod to 85°C. Remove from heat, cover, and steep for 15–20 minutes.Gentle extraction of vanillin without boiling off volatile aromatics or scorching the milk.
- 2Whisk yolks and sugar together until pale, ribbony, and fully dissolved — about 2 minutes.Dissolves sugar completely. Incorporates air for a slightly lighter texture. Evenly disperses yolk pigment.
- 3Temper: ladle hot milk into the yolk mixture slowly while whisking constantly.Raises the yolk temperature gradually, preventing immediate coagulation. Rushing this step causes scrambled eggs.
- 4Return combined mixture to a clean heavy-bottomed pan. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring continuously with a wooden spoon in a figure-8 pattern.Continuous agitation prevents proteins from settling and overcooking on the pan surface.
- 5Cook to 82–83°C / 180°F, or until the sauce coats the back of a spoon and a finger dragged through leaves a clear trail.82°C is the coagulation threshold for egg yolk protein without curdling. Above this temperature, yolk proteins tighten irreversibly and the sauce becomes grainy.
- 6Strain immediately through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl set over ice water. Stir to cool rapidly.Straining removes any cooked egg particles. Rapid cooling halts cooking immediately and preserves the silky texture.
Techniques that matter
Tempering
Controlled heat application to raw egg — prevents the protein coagulation cascade by raising temperature in small, manageable increments.
Spoon test / coating test
Empirical doneness indicator; at the correct point, the starch-free sauce reaches sufficient viscosity to cling to metal without running immediately.
Bain-marie
Insulates the cooking environment, providing more controlled, even heat than direct stovetop — reduces risk of hot spots that cause curdling.
Variations & derivatives
crème pâtissièreFrance
Add 25–30g pastry flour or cornstarch per 500ml base and cook to a firm, sliceable consistency. Base for fruit tarts and choux pastry fillings.
crème diplomateFrance
Crème pâtissière lightened with whipped cream folded in (approximately 40% of total volume). Lighter, more aerated. Used for Saint-Honoré and entremets.
crème mousselineFrance
Crème pâtissière with 200g butter creamed in per 500ml. Rich, pipeable buttercream-adjacent cream for éclairs and cakes.
crème brûlée baseFrance
Higher yolk ratio (6–8 yolks per 500ml liquid, often all cream) for a firmer set. Cooked in ramekins in a bain-marie.
SabayonFrance / Italy
Zabaglione — crème anglaise base whisked with wine (Marsala, Sherry) over gentle heat to an airy foam. Served warm or cold.
Used in these dishes
Substitutions
- egg yolk → whole egg — Will thicken at a lower temperature; sauce will be thinner and paler. Not a true substitute.changes result
- whole milk → half-and-half — Increases fat content; sauce becomes richer and slightly more stable but deviates from the classical ratio.
- vanilla bean → vanilla extract — Acceptable in practice; extract adds vanilla flavor without the aromatic complexity of the bean. Add after cooking to preserve volatile compounds.
Troubleshooting
Sauce is grainy, curdled, or has white scrambled bits
Temperature exceeded 83°C; or heat applied too rapidly; or milk was boiled before tempering → Strain through fine-mesh immediately. If severely broken, process on low speed with a splash of cold cream to emulsify — result will lack silky quality but is salvageable for baking.
Sauce is too thin — does not coat spoon
Insufficient yolk proportion; undercooked; or too much milk relative to yolks → Cook 2–3 minutes longer, stirring and checking temperature. If still thin, whisk in 1 additional yolk tempered carefully into the warm sauce.
Skin forms on surface during cooling or holding
Evaporation and oxidation of surface proteins → Press plastic wrap directly onto the surface during storage. When reheating, stir frequently or pass through a fine sieve.
Sauce tastes metallic or harsh
Overcooked yolks; iron from certain hens; or excessive heat causing sulfur compounds in older eggs → Use fresh, high-quality yolks. Ensure milk never boils. At 82°C remove from heat immediately.