Talk:Crème anglaise

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Is "sauce" the correct word? How much of each ingredient do you use? What would you use it for? Tualha 22:27, Nov 14, 2003 (UTC)

Sauce is correct; in montreal it's usually poured over cakes, fresh fruit and french toast.

Crème anglaise is eaten in France both as a sauce over cakes etc., and as a cream on its own, specially in Île flottantes. David.Monniaux 10:36, 31 December 2005 (UTC)

A recent edit added "It can also be used as a base for desserts such as icecream or crème brûlée." I believe this is mistaken: though ice cream can have a custard base and crème brûlée must have a custard base, I do not believe it is correct to call them crème anglaise in particular, which is a sauce. Comments? --Macrakis 04:07, 1 February 2006 (UTC)

It strikes me that creme anglaise would be much too runny for creme brulee. but perhaps this just reflects my limited familiarity with each.
But as I understand, it counts as creme anglaise in virtue of being made from milk, nor cream, having more sugar, and being thinner than heavy custard or pastry custard. I don't think it stops being anglaise when it winds up under a crust of sugar.
In any case, the article just says it can be used as a base for creme brulee. This could just mean that you make anglaise, and then use it to make creme brulee--regardless of whether it still anglaise at that point.

Any person with any knowlege of British cuisine (cuisine is a french word) usually balks at restaurant menus that describe a dish containing "creme anglaise" which actually just contain custard. There is nothing wrong with this page, but the "francais" page contains no mention of the word "custard"! This "English Creme" of which we speak could come into one of two categories:

1) A "lighter pouring" of custard, which would be rubbish on top of a treacle sponge if you ask me, and..

2) custard

I'm not elequent enough in French enough to write an appropriate addition to the French version of the page, but I'm sure the average French culinaire would be interested to hear that even we English describe our much loved invention in French terminology due to the French chauvanism of cookery schools!

I'm sure that the French would appreciate the more "rustique" word "custard" when used to refer to that much loved yellow gloopy substance that you can walk on (it's got similar properties as quicksand) that we all grew up on!

Not so much rustique as scientifique, if you mean the industrial concoction of cornflour and yellow dye --garryq 12:11, 18 February 2007 (UTC)

To add to this, the "custard" page doesn't have a French version!

Please check the custard page, where there is some info about the physical properties of custard. In short, the quicksand-like stuff you can walk on is not custard at all, just uncooked starch-water suspension. I am not sure what your issue is about '"crème anglaise" which actually just contain custard' -- creme anglaise is just a thin pouring custard.
Then there's imitation custard (e.g. Bird's custard) which isn't thickened with eggs....
The problem with the French word "crème" is that it covers a whole range of foods from whipped cream and buttercreams through light custard sauces, pastry creams, and all the way to thick custards. Of course there are precise names for all these things, too. --Macrakis 18:20, 18 February 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Larousse

Rewrote

Larousse Gastronomique calls it 'crème à l'anglaise' and 'crème française'

, as these terms do not appear in my version of Larousse--garryq 12:18, 18 February 2007 (UTC)

Thanks for checking. They were in the 1st English edition (which I assume is a faithful translation of the 1st French edition); I've put in a full source ref. --Macrakis 18:12, 18 February 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Odd technique in article

I would never claim that there is only one right way to do to something, esp. with out trying alternatives, but I understand and practice a different technique. I'm not able to restructure the article right now, but here is my explanation of the classic technique.

1. start heating milk (and/or cream) 2. wisk sugar into the egg yolks until pale - this is called a slurry 3. when milk product is nearly scalding, temper the eggs by adding about 1/3 of the milk to the eggs and mix quickly to avoid coagulation 4. incorporate the warmed slurry back into the milk and heat carefully until reach the nappe stage at which the final product thickens enough (to coat the back of a spoon)

It should be noted that creme anglais is also used to make rich ice cream. Just chill, add flavorings and churn.

--Rosenbluh 09:25, 1 March 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Vanilla

I believe vanilla a key ingredient in this recipy aswell.