Ingredients

0.5 liters milk (just over 1 pint)

125 g fine sugar (just over 1/2 cup)

4 egg yolks

1 vanilla bean

Preparation

  1. Slice the vanilla bean and add the grains to the milk in a pot on the stove. (add whole vanilla bean shell)

  2. Heat until just before it boils (do not let it boil!).

  3. Whip the egg yolks and sugar in a bowl until the sugar almost disappears.

  4. Slowly add the almost-boiling milk to the egg/sugar mixture to avoid the eggs scrambling (keep stirring as you pour), then pour mixture back into the pan.

  5. Heat until foam disappears and thickens slightly. (Test by dipping a spoon and seeing if it coats the back of the spoon. Should be thick enough to coat, leaving a clear line if you wipe your finger along it.)

  6. Pour mixture through a fine sieve, stir for 3 minutes then cool rapidly in fridge.