Crème anglaise

A light, pourable vanilla custard sauce made from milk or cream, egg yolks and sugar, cooked gently on the stove until it coats a spoon.

Crème anglaise: Creme anglaise coating the back of a wooden spoon with a finger-drawn line through it
  • Fillings, creams, frostings and sauces
  • France

Also called: custard sauce, English custard

Hot milk is whisked slowly into yolks beaten with sugar, then the mixture is stirred over low heat to about 170 to 180°F (77 to 82°C). It is ready when it coats the back of a spoon and a finger drawn through it leaves a clean line. Above that range, the yolks start to curdle.

Straining the sauce and cooling it quickly over an ice bath keeps it smooth. Crème anglaise is served with cakes, tarts and fruit, is the sauce under floating island, and is the base for custard-style ice cream.

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Sources

Written by VanillaGoods in our own words from these sources. Last reviewed October 15, 2026.

  1. Crème anglaise (Q1342574), Wikidata