Dessert by any other name??

Creme Anglaise... The original recipe that I had was for a Bread Pudding with a Vanilla Sauce. The Recipe is derived from a dish that is served on Disney Property in Florida. It's THE BEST Bread Pudding I've ever had!! I'd read the recipe several times and was pretty sure that I could do it for Easter Brunch that I was hosting this year.

Then, this week, I just happened to catch a few Food Network Programs that put it all into perspective for me. The first was an episode of the Barefoot Contessa. She was actually making an Italian Gelato, but the base of the gelato was what she called a "creme anglaise". And then turned it into ice cream. The second program I wastched was Throwdown with Bobby Flay. He was making bread pudding against a dessert truck in New York. As they both made their bread puddings, they both showed the process that they went through to make their sauce, or their creme anglaise. Then it hit me, that is what I was making...

Creme Anglaise... A french custard that can be difficult to make if you do it too fast or the milk is too hot. Essentially, you boil milk, and whisk eggs in a bowl with sugar together and then slowly add the milk to the eggs and just pray that they don't scramble in the bowl. The recipe that I had for "vanilla sauce" was just this method. Oh, no!! Would I be able to do it??

Well, sure enough I did. On Saturday night, I was preparing some prep items for Sunday's Brunch and I successfully made a Creme Anglaise. And then today, when we tasted it with the bread pudding, it was just divine!!! I was very proud of myself, and then began to think that culinary arts school would be fun... I'd like to wear a white jacket!!