Citrus-Infused Custard Sauce

From the kitchen of Carly

Silky custard sauce brightened by orange and lemon zest. The citrus steeps into warm cream, creating a pourable sauce that's elegant enough for desserts but bright enough to cut through richness. Smooth, classic, with a subtle tang.

Prep
n/a
Cook
n/a
Total
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Servings
4
Difficulty
medium

Ingredients

4 servings

  • 11 cup whole milk
  • 11 cup heavy cream
  • 14 (3- by 1-inch) strips orange zest removed with a vegetable peeler
  • 14 (3- by 1/2-inch) strips lemon zest removed with a vegetable peeler
  • 12 large eggs
  • 11/3 cup sugar
  • 1pinch salt

Instructions

  1. Bring milk and cream to a simmer with citrus zests in a 2-quart heavy saucepan over medium-low heat.

  2. Whisk together eggs, sugar, and salt in a medium bowl, then whisk in hot cream mixture.

  3. Return mixture to pan and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until custard is thick enough to coat back of spoon (160° to 165°F on an instant read thermometer), about 2 minutes.

  4. Immediately remove pan from heat and strain custard through a fine sieve into a bowl, discarding zests.

  5. Serve warm, or at room temperature, or chill to thicken.