Vanilla Bean Creme Anglaise

Now that the kids in my family are all old enough, we usually each make something for Thanksgiving dinner at my parents' house. My task last year was dessert, and everyone liked it so much that they asked me to make the same thing again. Part of the dessert involves a vanilla bean creme anglaise, which, if you have not had it, is absolutely to die for. I just dunked a strawberry in it and was in heaven. It goes with everything. It is incredible with chocolate cake, fresh fruit, apple tarts, pumpkin pie, and everything in between. It is a little bit like a much tastier and slightly thicker melted vanilla ice cream. If your task is dessert this year, or if you have a dessert coming up that you need to serve (even if it is store bought pumpkin pie) your homemade creme anglaise will take it to the next level and everyone will be licking their plates. It is super easy and only takes about 15 minutes to make, from start to finish. You can serve it warm, cold, or at room temp.

Ingredients:

-1 cup whole milk (you can also use cream- I used 2/3 c 1% milk and 1/3 c heavy whipping cream)

-1 vanilla bean, cut in half and seeds scraped out into the milk (use 1 tsp of vanilla extract in a pinch)

-4 egg yolks (reserve the whites for meringues later or an egg white omelette)

-1/3 c granulated sugar

Directions:

-Scald the milk with the vanilla bean and seeds in it (this means bring to a boil for about 25 seconds and then shut the heat off. A skin will form on the milk which will be strained out later). Turn off stove and leave there while you do the eggs/sugar

-In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and sugar

-Pour about 1/3 c of the milk into the egg mixture, whisking constantly. (This is a process called "tempering," which ensures that the yolks will not scramble)

-Pour the egg/milk mixture into the pot of milk and whisk. Cook at medium heat for about 5 minutes until the creme anglaise is the consistency that you would like.

-Pour the mixture through a strainer into a bowl and set aside to cool.

(I accidentally made mine a little thicker than I wanted so I added about 1/4 c heavy cream and thinned it out a little. It still tastes amazing and now there is more. You can also use milk or half and half to thin it out after you are finished).

The creme anglaise will keep for 3 days refrigerated so feel free to make it in advance like I did.