You know that delicious vanilla sauce often served over warm bread pudding, fresh berries, or apple strudel? Well, it's super easy to make, takes about ten minutes, and only uses a few ingredients.
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If you haven't tried homemade vanilla sauce before, it is similar to a custard, but thinner and able to be poured or drizzled over your favorite desserts.
Ingredients & Substitutions
To prepare the vanilla sauce, you will need the following ingredients:
- Heavy Whipping Cream
- Water
- Egg Yolks
- Sugar
- Vanilla Extract or Paste
- Cornstarch Slurry
- Pinch of Salt
Heavy Whipping Cream & Water
The heavy whipping cream is the base of the sauce, but a little water is added so the cream heats evenly and doesn't burn to the bottom of the pan.
You can make this vanilla sauce recipe with half and half or whole milk and skip the water, but the sauce will not be as creamy. You will also need to use more cornstarch to thicken the sauce.
Eggs & Sugar
Only Egg yolks are used in this recipe and they are whisked together with the sugar which makes it easier to temper the eggs with the hot cream.
The sugar acts as a buffer so the egg yolks don't end up cooking when the hot cream is poured over them. The sugar is also important for adding sweetness to the vanilla sauce.
You can use a sugar substitute or decrease the amount of sugar used.
Vanilla & Salt
The vanilla extract or vanilla paste is used for flavoring. You can omit this or change the flavor of the sauce by adding a different kind of extract.
For example, you can add almond extract for an almond cream sauce or peppermint extract for a peppermint cream sauce if desired.
The salt is minimal and can be omitted, but it does help bring out the sweetness and balance all the flavors.
Cornstarch Slurry
I use a small amount of cornstarch mixed with water to create a slurry which thickens the vanilla sauce without the need for more egg yolks.
You can make the sauce without the cornstarch slurry, but I found if I used enough egg yolks to thicken the sauce to the consistency I like, it tasted too much like eggs and not enough like a vanilla sauce.
If you would rather use a different thickening agent like guar gum or xanthan gum you certainly can.
I don't recommend using flour as a thickener in this recipe because it doesn't cook long enough to eliminate the flour taste.
How to Make Homemade Vanilla Sauce
To make the vanilla sauce, follow these detailed steps:
- Heat the Cream and Water: In a saucepan, whisk together your cream and water mixture. Heat it until it just starts to bubble on the surface. Avoid a full boil.
- Prepare the Egg Mixture: In a mixing bowl, add three tablespoons of sugar and two large egg yolks (yolks only). Whisk them together until combined.
- Temper the Eggs: Once you see bubbles, reduce the heat to low. Pour about a quarter of the hot cream into the egg yolk and sugar mixture, whisking immediately to temper the eggs. This prevents them from cooking too quickly.
- Combine Mixtures: Increase the heat back to medium. Slowly add the tempered egg mixture back into the saucepan while whisking continuously to keep the mixture smooth and prevent scrambling of the eggs.
- Add Vanilla: Once combined, add about one tablespoon of either vanilla paste or vanilla extract to the mixture.
- Prepare Cornstarch Slurry: In a separate bowl, mix a quarter cup of water with cornstarch to create a slurry. Add this slurry to your custard mixture.
- Cook Until Thickened: Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, whisking constantly. The heat will activate the cornstarch, thickening the custard into a vanilla sauce.
- Finish the Sauce: Once it just starts to boil, turn off the heat. Remove the pot from the stove and add a pinch of salt (about a quarter teaspoon). Whisk it in and let the sauce cool for a few minutes before transferring it to a container.
Storage & Reheating Instructions
How to Store Homemade Vanilla Sauce
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
More Sauce & Condiment Recipes
Using sauces and condiments, whether they are for desserts or main dishes is a great way to add an extra something special to the food you prepare.
Most gourmet restaurants will always finish their dishes with some type of complimentary sauce.
Here are a few recipes that I use to add that extra something special.
Homemade Vanilla Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 large eggs yolks only
- 3 Tablespoons granulated sugar
- ½ cup water divided in recipe
- ½ Tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 Tablespoon vanilla paste or vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
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Instructions
- Heat the Cream and Water: In a saucepan, whisk together your cream and ¼ cup of water. Heat it until it just starts to bubble on the surface. Avoid a full boil.1 cup heavy cream, ½ cup water
- While the cream is heating, Prepare the Egg Mixture. In a mixing bowl, add three tablespoons of sugar and two large egg yolks. Whisk them together until combined.2 large eggs, 3 Tablespoons granulated sugar
- Temper the Eggs: Reduce the heat to low once you see bubbles in the cream mixture. Pour about a quarter of the hot cream into the egg yolk and sugar mixture, whisking immediately to temper the eggs. This prevents them from cooking too quickly.
- Prepare Cornstarch Slurry: Mix ¼ cup of water with cornstarch in a separate bowl to create a slurry. Add the vanilla and this slurry to your custard mixture.½ Tablespoon cornstarch, 1 Tablespoon vanilla paste, ½ cup water
- Cook Until Thickened: Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, whisking constantly. The heat will activate the cornstarch, thickening the sauce. When the sauce coats the back of a spoon, turn the heat off.
- Finish the Sauce: Once it starts to boil slightly, turn off the heat. Remove the pot from the stove and add a pinch of salt (about a quarter teaspoon). Whisk it in and let the sauce cool for a few minutes before transferring it to a container.¼ teaspoon salt
- Storage: Pour the sauce into an airtight container and store in the refrigerator until you are ready to use it.
Nutrition
About the Recipe Author, Louise Long
Louise is a full-time recipe creator and food blogger @ The Salted Pepper. She has over 30 years of experience with cooking and recipe development. She owned a restaurant for several years and was a full-time RN until retiring to blog full-time.
She published her first cookbook in the Fall of 2018 and is very interested in writing several more.
Louise is also the creator of an online Ninja Foodi Pressure Cooking Course with over 100 instructional step-by-step videos. People absolutely rave about the course and all the value they have received from it.
Louise has several very active Facebook groups that help people with the basics of cooking and learning more about the appliances they love.
Ninja Foodi Pressure Cooker & Air Crisper 101
Ninja Woodfire Outdoor Grill & Smoker
Louise is also a YouTube creator and you can find most of her recipes in video format on The Salted Pepper YouTube channel.
She is very responsive to messages and eager to help in any way she can. Get more Information about Louise & contact information
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Amber says
Easy peasy and elegant wrapped up into one! This is a great recipe and it can be used in so many ways! Love it!
Louise says
I'm so glad to hear that!