Matcha Crème Anglaise is a creamy dessert sauce infused with the bold flavors of matcha. It's a sweet and silky companion that takes your desserts to a whole new level. You can drizzle it over Matcha French Toast, serve it with panna cotta, use it as sweet dipping sauce or the base of ice cream.
For matcha lovers, you might also enjoy recipes of Matcha Pastry Cream and Matcha Gâteau Basque.
You might also like Black Sesame Frosting or Passion Fruit Cream.
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What is Crème Anglaise?
Crème Anglaise translates to "English cream,” but it is actually a classic French dessert sauce. It is made from a simple mixture of milk, cream, egg yolks and sugar. Its creamy pourable texture makes it a good pairing with a wide range of sweet dishes.
Ingredients in Matcha Crème Anglaise
- Heavy Cream -The fat in heavy cream provides a creamy backdrop for the other flavors in the sauce, such as matcha or any infusions.
- Milk - Milk dilutes the heavy cream, helping to achieve the pourable consistency and preventing the sauce from becoming overly rich or thick.
- Egg Yolk - Egg yolks are the primary thickening agent in Crème Anglaise. Their proteins and natural emulsifiers help create a smooth, custard-like consistency as they coagulate when heated.
- Sugar - Sugar doesn't just add sweetness; It also plays a significant role in the sauce's texture. It interacts with the egg yolks during the mixing process, helping to stabilize the yolks and prevent curdling.
- Matcha Powder - Matcha gives the crème anglaise a brilliant green hue and a slightly bitter taste which prevents the cream from being overly sugary. About the quality and grade of matcha, please read Matcha Pastry Cream recipe.
See recipe card for quantities.
How to make Matcha Crème Anglaise?
Prepare a bowl of water with ice and a smaller bowl with a strainer. Warm up the milk and heavy cream in a sauce pan.
Whisk egg yolk and sugar together for 2 minutes until they are well-combined.
Add matcha powder and mix.
When you see a think skin forming on the surface of the cream, it’s time to temper the egg yolk.
Temper the egg yolk with a small amount of hot cream while whisking continuously.
Slowly added back into the saucepan with the remaining hot milk cream.
Stir constantly with a spatula over low to medium heat until the mixture thickens. This happens when the sauce lightly coats the back of a spoon.
Unlike making pastry cream, don’t let it boil when making Crème Anglaise.
Once it reaches the desired texture, stain it into the bowl and immediately stop the cooking by placing it over iced water.
Cover the Crème Anglaise with plastic wrap, pressing it directly onto the surface to prevent a skin from forming.
Equipment
When making Crème Anglaise, it is very handy to have a good silicon spatula. I like to buy ones that are 100% silicon and seamless. Some spatula has metal, plastic or wooden handle, so the gap might get dirty or moldy over time.
When scaling ingredients that's under 10 grams, such as matcha powder, I suggest using micro scale to be accurate and precise.
Storage
Store it in the fridge for up to 4 days. Every time after using, cover the pastry cream with plastic wrap, pressing it directly onto the surface to avoid the condensation.
Recipe Tips
Opt for a silicone spatula over a whisk! Especially if you are cooking a small amount, using a spatula helps you scrape the pan effectively while cooking Crème Anglaise.
Making enough amount can prevent overcooking! I recommend using a minimum of 3 egg yolks for this recipe. Any smaller recipes would be overcooked and turn into scrambled egg easily.
Iced water refers to water combined with ice, not just a bowl of ice! Using a few ice cubes in a bowl of water can transfer the heat a lot more efficiently than using a bowl filled solely with ice cubes.
Rather undercooking than overcooking! Pay close attention to the texture change. Remember, It’s perfectly fine to pause the cooking process and reheat if necessary.
Recipe FAQ
Crème Anglaise should reach a stage known as "nappe," which means it should lightly coat the back of a spoon or spatula. When you run your finger through the coating on the utensil, it should leave a clear path without the sauce running back in to fill it immediately. The finishing temperature usually range from 165 to 185ºF (75 to 85ºC) depends on how thick you like. Remember that Crème Anglaise will continue to thicken slightly as it cools, so it's a good practice to remove it from the heat just before it reaches the desired consistency.
The beauty of Crème Anglaise is that you can serve it hot or cold. It’s a very versatile pouring cream. When served hot, Crème Anglaise can be a creamy sauce to warm desserts such as bread pudding, apple crumble or Matcha French Toast. When served cold, it can pair with cold desserts like panna cotta, or as a topping for fresh fruits. It can also be used as a sauce for chilled pies, cakes, or ice cream.
If you compare this recipe with Matcha Pastry cream, you might realize that both Crème Anglaise and Pastry Cream are custard-based, but they have some have some key differences in terms of their ingredients, consistency, and usage.
1. Ingredients: Pastry cream requires some starch (typically cornstarch or flour) for thickening, but Crème Anglaise does not.
2. Consistency: Crème Anglaise has a thinner, pourable consistency, similar to a sauce or thin custard. Pastry cream is thicker and it can hold its shape when piped or spread.
3. Usage: Crème Anglaise is often served as a sauce or accompaniment for desserts. Pastry cream is commonly used as a filling for various pastries like cream puff, doughnut or a layer in cake.
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Recipe Card
Matcha Crème Anglaise
Equipment
Ingredients
- 130 g heavy cream
- 130 g milk
- 3 egg yolk
- 35 g sugar
- 3 g matcha
Instructions
- Prep: Prepare a bowl of water with ice and a smaller bowl with a strainer.
- Warm: Warm up the milk and heavy cream in a sauce pan.
- Mix: Whisk egg yolk and sugar together for 2 minutes until they are well-combined.
- Add: Add matcha powder and mix.
- Temper: Temper the egg yolk with a small amount of hot cream while whisking continuously.
- Cook: Add back to the saucepan with the remaining hot milk cream.Stir constantly with a spatula over low to medium heat until the mixture thickens.
- Check: Cook until the sauce lightly coats the back of a spoon.
- Strain: Once it reaches the desired texture, stain it into the bowl and immediately stop the cooking by placing it over iced water.
- Chill: Cover the Crème Anglaise with plastic wrap, pressing it directly onto the surface to prevent a skin from forming.
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