Ingredients:

  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1 vanilla bean, split and scraped
  • 4 large egg yolks, room temperature
  • 1/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 pinch fine sea salt

Instructions:

  1. Prep the bean. Split the vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape out the seeds with the back of a knife.
  2. Heat the dairy. Combine 1 cup whole milk, 1 cup heavy cream, and the vanilla seeds/pod in a saucepan. Note: Keep the heat medium low to avoid scorching the bottom.
  3. Simmer gently. Bring the mixture to a bare simmer until tiny bubbles form around the edges.
  4. Whisk the yolks. In a separate bowl, whisk 4 large egg yolks with 1/3 cup sugar and a pinch of salt. Note: Whisk until the mixture turns a pale, buttery yellow.
  5. Temper the eggs. Slowly ladle about half a cup of the hot milk into the yolk mixture while whisking constantly. This prevents the eggs from scrambling.
  6. Combine everything. Pour the warmed yolk mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining milk.
  7. Thicken the sauce. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon.
  8. Check for doneness. Continue for about 5 minutes until the sauce thickens enough to coat the back of the spoon.
  9. Strain the glaze. Pour the mixture through a fine mesh sieve into a clean bowl to remove the pod and any lumps.
  10. Chill the custard. Place the bowl in an ice bath if serving cold, or serve immediately while warm and fragrant.