Recipe, Creme Anglais and some reflection.......

Ahh Creme Anglaise, that tasty cream with many uses. As we all know I am no Pastry Chef but as a chef there are a few must knows and Creme Anglaise is one of them, Sabayon is another that we shall save for another day. Creme Anglaise is a base egg & cream mixture beat into submission with a little sugar and pure vanilla, add other flavors and freeze and you have ice cream, pour it into a ramekin, bake and brulee and you have Creme Brulee, pool it on a plate, add a couple of drops of coulis, pull and you have a beautiful design to accent a dessert and the list goes on. In any case it is a very useful item of sweet goodness.

Ingredients:

6 extra-large eggs

½ cup sugar

2 heavy or whipping cream

1½ tsp pure vanilla extract

Fill a large bowl with ice-water and keep it nearby.

Separate the yolks and whites. We only use the yolks for making creme anglaise.
Beat the egg yolks with a whisk for a minute or two, until they're very smooth.
Add the sugar and whisk for about 2 more minutes, or until the the sugar is fully incorporated and the yolks are a pale shade of yellow.
Heat the cream until it is not quite simmering. Don't let it boil. You want to heat the cream until it reaches 180°F .
Very slowly pour the hot cream into the egg and sugar mixture while whisking constantly. Don't add the cream fast or the eggs will cook.
Return the custard to the double-boiler and gently heat, stirring continuously, until it reaches 185°F. The creme anglaise will be thick but still pourable.
Now set the top-part of your double-boiler into the bowl of ice-water to cool the creme anglaise. Stir in the vanilla. Stir the creme anglaise once in a while until it is fully cooled.
Makes 2½ cups of creme

As you can see it really is not that difficult to prepare, really the only part of this application that needs extra care is the adding of the hot cream. I must admit I have made scrambled eggs more than once by being in a hurry which brings me to this. I was reminded once again at work that organization and patience is key in producing a fine plate, something I have always taken pride in. When working under another chef as I have been aside from my business, I have had to learn an others style of  preparation, cooking and plating. Will it affect my style in the negative or will it push me into a different dimension, a higher place if you will.
Reflection is always good, I will return so until then "Think Good Thoughts & Smile".