Creme Anglaise

"Consider this classic crème anglaise recipe your go-to sauce for desserts. The traditional pourable French custard is the base for vanilla ice cream and just as tasty when it hasn't been frozen. You can make it as fancy as you please with a vanilla bean (you'll only need a 2" piece; about one third of a pod) or keep things easy with vanilla extract or paste."

"Is crème anglaise the same as pastry cream? Or custard?Crème anglaise is pourable and unstarched, while pastry cream (crème pâtissière in French) is typically thickened with cornstarch or flour. The latter is often used as a filling for doughnuts and cakes, like Boston Cream Pie. Both are considered custard, which simply means a mixture of dairy (milk or cream) and eggs that can be sweet or savory. Other examples of custards include crème brûlée, flan, quiche, and more."

"How do you keep crème anglaise from curdling?The trick is to warm the eggs slowly and to keep them moving. This is why the dairy is heated first, slowly poured into the eggs, and then the egg mixture is returned to the pot. Once the custard starts to thicken, it can curdle very quickly. Don't rush it: Cook over low heat and stir constantly."

Crème anglaise is a traditional pourable French custard sauce made from milk or cream, eggs, sugar, and vanilla. It serves as the base for vanilla ice cream and can be enjoyed warm or chilled alongside pies, cakes, bread pudding, tarts, and other desserts. Flavoring options include a small piece of vanilla bean, vanilla extract, or vanilla paste. Crème anglaise remains unstarched and pourable, unlike pastry cream, which is thickened with cornstarch or flour. To prevent curdling, warm and temper the eggs slowly, cook over low heat, and stir constantly. The custard can be made up to one day ahead with plastic wrap pressed to the surface to prevent a skin.

Read at Epicurious