Crème anglaise is a classic French custard sauce that has been around for centuries. It is used in many traditional French desserts such as fruit tarts, cakes, and pastries, and is a key component of many other custards and pastry creams. It is a versatile custard sauce that can be used in many different desserts. It can be served as a sauce, a base for ice cream and other frozen desserts, or as a filling for pastries such as éclairs, napoleons and others.
It is considered a technique-driven recipe, meaning that the recipe itself is very simple, but the key to making a great crème anglaise is in the technique used to make it. It requires attention to detail and precise timing, and mastering this technique can set a good foundation for more advance pastry techniques.
It is also a recipe that can be flavored with different ingredients such as chocolate, coffee, or liqueurs to add depth and complexity to the flavor, this gives pastry chefs and home cooks the ability to create different variations of the recipe and make it their own.
All these factors combined make Creme anglaise an important recipe in French pastry, and it's a must-have recipe for any pastry chef or home cook who wants to make classic French desserts.
It is believed to have originated in the 17th century and has been a staple in French cuisine ever since. The name "crème anglaise" literally means "English cream," which is thought to have been a reference to the rich, creamy texture of the custard.
The basic recipe for crème anglaise consists of a mixture of milk, cream, sugar, and egg yolks. It is typically flavored with vanilla, but can also be flavored with other ingredients such as chocolate or coffee. To make crème anglaise, the milk and cream are heated together in a saucepan, and the egg yolks and sugar are beaten together in a separate bowl. The hot milk mixture is then added to the egg yolk mixture to temper the eggs, and the mixture is then returned to the saucepan and cooked over low heat until it thickens.
Crème anglaise is a versatile custard sauce that can be used in a variety of desserts. It can be served as a sauce for fruit, cakes, or pastries, or as a base for ice cream and other frozen desserts. It is also used as a base for other pastry creams, such as:
Pastry cream (crème pâtissière) : is a thicker custard than crème anglaise, it is made by adding flour, cornstarch or gelatin to thicken the custard, making it suitable to fill pastries.
Chiboust cream (crème Chiboust) : is a variation of pastry cream to which is added Italian meringue, it's used to fill and frost cakes.
Crème Diplomat (diplomat cream) : a variation of pastry cream that is made with whipped cream, it's lighter in texture than pastry cream and can be used as a filling for éclairs, napoleons, and other pastries.
Bavarian Cream (crème Bavaroise): A custard-based cream that is stabilized with gelatin and chilled until set. It's often flavored and used as a filling for cakes and pastries.
Overall, crème anglaise is an important recipe in French pastry and it is the base for many other custards and pastry cream. It's a delicious and versatile custard sauce that can be used in a variety of desserts and is a must-have recipe for any pastry chef or home cook who wants to make classic French desserts.
Learn to make crème anglaise with the BAKE ON entremet kits:
Chocolate Coffee Dome Entremet