Vanilla Custard Sauce

A simple and delicious custard sauce to serve over cake, fresh fruit, pie or anything else that could use some dressing up! Note - the cooking time does not include 30 minutes to steep the vanilla bean in the custard or cooling time.

• Ready In: 25 mins
• Yields: 1 3/4 cups

Ingredients

• 1 1⁄2 cups half-and-half
• 1  vanilla bean, split lengthwise
• 6  large  egg yolks
• 1⁄3 cup sugar

Directions

1. Place half and half in heavy medium saucepan. Scrape in seeds from vanilla bean; add bean. Bring to simmer. Remove from heat, cover, and let steep 30 minutes.
2. Whisk yolks and sugar in medium bowl until thick. Whisk half and half with vanilla bean into yolk mixture 1 TBLS at a time until the eggs warm up to prevent cooking. Return mixture to same saucepan. Stir custard over low heat until thickened enough to leave path on back of spoon when finger is drawn across, about 6 minutes (do not boil). Pour into bowl. Chill uncovered until cold, about 2 hours. Then cover and chill until you use it, can be made 1 day ahead. Cover; chill. Remove vanilla bean before using - you can rinse dry it and add it to a jar of sugar for vanilla sugar.
3. Note - some people like warm custard sauce over cake - just cool to your prefered temp and frig any leftovers.