Custard Sauce

So the important thing to remember in making this custard sauce is to not let it curdle. It’s really more mentally bothersome, because as long as you keep the heat low and steady and keep stirring, you won’t come close to curdling. You want to combine the yolks and sugar, creaming them both together. In a saucepan, pour in the cream, and then add the contents of the vanilla pod (split the bean lengthwise, and scoop out those hauntingly mysterious and intoxicating seeds). If you’re adding extract, hold off until the end. Keep stirring over medium heat.

Steam is going to make its appearance, and you will know that you’re getting close. This is the fun part: begin to check the consistency of your sauce by turning a wooden spoon into it, then lifting the spoon to see if the sauce coats the back of the spoon. This is called “nappe.” When you can run a finger through the nappe and it doesn’t rush to fill the gap like frantic consumers at a pre-Christmas sale, you’re golden.

Remove the sauce from the heat. If you want to add your pureed fruits or other flavorings (like the extract, if you didn’t use a vanilla bean), do it now, and then run the whole shebang through a strainer to take out any lumpy bits. You can keep this concoction in the fridge for a couple of days, covered, but I’m pretty skeptical that it would survive not being devoured in one sitting. Or maybe that’s just me …