Ingredients
Method
- Heat milk, cream, vanilla, and salt over medium-low heat until just steaming. Remove from heat — infuse 10 minutes if using a pod.
- Whisk egg yolks, sugar, and cornflour 2–3 minutes until very pale and ribbon-like.
- Pour hot milk mixture onto egg yolks in a thin, steady stream — whisking constantly throughout. Remove vanilla pod.
- Return to saucepan over the lowest possible heat. Stir constantly with figure-of-eight movements for 8–12 minutes until the custard coats the back of the spoon and a finger drawn across leaves a clean line. Do not boil.
- Pour through a fine sieve into a warm jug. Serve immediately poured generously over the chosen pudding.
Notes
Half milk, half cream — all milk is too thin, all cream is too rich for a pouring custard.
Cornflour gives insurance against scrambling without changing flavour or texture.
Temper the egg yolks carefully — pour hot milk slowly in a steady stream while whisking.
Stir constantly over low heat — the moment stirring stops or heat increases, scrambling begins.
Press cling film directly onto the surface when storing — prevents a skin forming.
