Basic Custards and Creams

The three preparations presented in this section are among the most basic and useful preparations in the bakeshop. All three can be classified as custards because they consist of a liquid thickened by the coagulation of eggs.

Crème anglaise (krem awn glezz), or vanilla custard sauce, is a stirred custard. It consists of milk, sugar, and egg yolks (and vanilla) stirred over very low heat until lightly thickened.

Pastry cream contains starch thickeners as well as eggs, resulting in a much thicker and more stable product. It is used as a cake and pastry filling, as a filling for cream pies, and as a pudding. With additional liquid, it is used as a custard sauce.