Vanilla Custard Sauce

I believe that originally, we began making this sauce to nap our chocolate mousse crepes when we were catering. To please the vanilla fanatics in our family, and you know who you are, we began making double quantities of it from time to time for various other purposes, since single quantities never left enough over to satisfy. Making this used to be very time consuming because it was essential to constantly keep stirring over extremely low heat to be sure the mixture did not curdle, and therefore be ruined, and we would have to begin all over again. A double batch could take 40 minutes of stirring, sometimes, and be very frustrating when we had a million other things to prepare before a big party. Then, one day, out of sheer desperation and lack of time, I hit on the idea of dumping the whole thing, as it began to curdle, into the food processor and whizzing it up. Not only did we produce a perfectly smooth sauce, but it was thicker and silkier than ever before. So now, we make it anytime without fear and trepidation. If it starts to curdle, we just make sure that the food processor is clean and at hand.

For a really simple and relatively carb-free dessert, put a quantity into individual dipping bowls and serve with an assortment of fresh cut-up fruit and berries. Use it to layer between cake, fruit, and whipped cream in a trifle (as in photo above). Serve a crystal bowlful with a ladle for gilding the lily on a plain cake like angel food, or pound cake.

The recipe for the chocolate mousse crepes will be coming soon, as they can be pareve (or dairy-free) and can be made with flour or matzoh cake meal for Passover. When I make the crepes for a pareve meal or for Passover, I serve them with a fresh raspberry sauce. This is one of those recipes that leaves behind a surfeit of egg whites, so be sure to save them so that you can bake a Presley Bella Angel Food Cake!

Vanilla Custard Sauce

• 4 egg yolks
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
• 1-1/2 cups half and half (milk and cream)

Combine yolks and sugar in small bowl. With point of a small, sharp knife, scrape soft inside of vanilla bean into yolk mixture, reserving pod. Beat until light and fluffy.

Place half and half and vanilla bean pod in a heavy-bottomed 2-quart saucepan. Bring to boil over high heat, then remove pod. Beating constantly, very slowly pour hot half and half into yolk mixture. Transfer to saucepan and stir constantly over low heat about 20 minutes, or until custard coats back of metal spoon.

Serve warm over crepes, cake, or fresh fruit. Or, inhale through a straw, as Beth always says she would like to do.