Crème Anglaise is such a seductive, soothing vanilla sauce wonderful with fall fruit tarts and cobblers, it's tempting to ignore the dessert it coats and just eat this perfect custard. Barbara Kafka has a brilliant short cut to perfect Crème Anglaise that you don't need to stand over fearfully to prevent it from curdling. It's in her book Microwave Gourmet and is one of two good reasons to invest in a microwave. (The other is heating milk to froth for coffee...)

2 cups milk (or heavy whipping cream for a thick, thick custard)

6 egg yolks

1/4 granulated sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Heat the liquid in a 4-cup glass measure uncovered at 100% for 3 minutes. Remove from oven.

Whisk together egg yolks and sugar. Gradually whisk in hot liquid. Return to 4-cup measure. Cook uncovered at 100% for 2 minutes.

Remove from oven and whisk vigorously for 30 seconds. Return to over and cook for 1 minute more.

Remove from oven. Whisk in vanilla extract. Strain sauce through a fine sieve into a clean bowl. Refrigerate tightly covered until ready to use.

Makes 2 1/2 cups.

Says Eat Washington: Don't worry if it looks like scrambled egg when you take it out of the microwave. Just whisk it thoroughly, preferably with an electric beater, and it will all come together again. 

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