This sauce is a blend of egg yolks, sugar, and milk stirred over heat until it thickens into a light cream. If it comes near the simmer, the yolks will scramble. Although it can be omitted, a very small amount of starch in the sauce acts as a safeguard just in case the heat becomes too much for the egg yolks. Some recipes direct that the sauce be cooked in a double boiler; this is slow work and quite unnecessary if you concentrate on what you are doing, and use a heavy-bottomed saucepan. A candy thermometer is a useful guide.

Vanilla is the basic flavoring for créme anglaise; others are added to the vanilla if you wish, such as coffee, liqueurs, or chocolate. The sauce is served either warm or chilled, depending on your dessert. Less rich than cream, créme anglaise is used on fruit desserts, molded creams, puddings, ice cream, or accompanies any dessert where it could be substituted for cream. With additional egg yolks and with heavy cream, it becomes the custard used for ice creams. Also with more egg yolks, plus gelatin, whipped cream, and flavoring, it is ready to be a Bavarian cream.