Description
A rich and velvety Creamy Vanilla Sauce perfect for drizzling over desserts like cakes, puddings, and fruit. This easy-to-make sauce uses simple ingredients and a gentle stovetop cooking method to achieve a smooth, luscious texture infused with pure vanilla flavor.
Ingredients
Scale
Ingredients
- 1 ¾ cups half and half (or whole milk or cream)
- 2 large egg yolks
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- Pinch of salt
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions
- Combine Ingredients: In a large saucepan, whisk together the half and half, egg yolks, sugar, cornstarch, and pinch of salt until fully blended to ensure smooth consistency before heating.
- Cook Sauce: Place the saucepan over medium-low heat and whisk the mixture constantly. Allow it to gently heat until it begins to simmer, then continue cooking and whisking for about 2 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly to a creamy consistency.
- Strain and Finish: Remove the saucepan from heat and pour the sauce through a fine mesh strainer into a clean bowl to remove any lumps or cooked egg bits, ensuring a smooth texture. Stir in the vanilla extract thoroughly.
- Serve: The sauce can be served warm immediately or chilled and served cold, depending on your preference or the dessert accompaniment.
Notes
- Use half and half for a balanced richness; substituting with whole milk will yield a lighter sauce while cream will make it richer.
- Constant whisking is crucial to prevent the eggs from curdling and to achieve a silky texture.
- Straining the sauce improves smoothness by removing any cooked egg bits.
- The sauce can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days; reheat gently before serving warm.
- Adjust sugar amount to taste if you prefer a sweeter or less sweet sauce.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 7 minutes
- Category: Sauce
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: Vanilla sauce, creamy dessert sauce, easy vanilla sauce, egg yolk sauce, stovetop vanilla cream, dessert topping
