Foolproof Vanilla Custard The Ultimate Crème Anglaise

Instructions:

1. Infuse the Dairy: Combine milk, cream, and the scraped vanilla bean and pod in a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan. Heat gently until steaming, but do not boil. Remove from heat, cover, and allow to steep for 15 minutes to fully capture the flavour.
2. Temper the Yolks: While the milk steeps, whisk the egg yolks, sugar, and salt together in a separate medium heatproof bowl until the mixture is pale yellow and ribbons when lifted (blanchir).
3. First Tempering: Remove the vanilla pod from the warm milk. Slowly drizzle about one-third of the warm milk mixture into the yolk bowl while whisking continuously to prevent scrambling.
4. Return to Heat: Pour the tempered yolk mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining milk mixture.
5. Cooking the Custard (The Critical Stage): Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly and deliberately with a rubber spatula, scraping the bottom and sides. Do not allow it to boil.
6. Test for Doneness: Continue cooking until the custard thickens enough to coat the back of the spatula (nappe stage). When you draw a clean line across the spatula with your finger, the line should hold without running. Target internal temperature: 175°F (80°C).
7. Strain Immediately: Pour the custard immediately through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl to ensure absolute smoothness.
8. Chill: Cover the surface of the custard directly with plastic wrap (to prevent a skin forming) and chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours before serving. Whisk gently before serving.