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1
Place 2 cups milk in a saucepan.
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2
Using the tip of a paring knife, split vanilla beans down the middle and scrape seeds into milk.
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3
Add pods to milk and bring to a simmer.
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4
As soon as it reaches a simmer (you will see bubbles breaking along the edges of the pan), turn off heat, cover pan tightly with plastic wrap and let it sit for 20 minutes.
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5
Remove pods and scrape them with the blunt edge of the knife so any residual seeds go into the milk.
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6
Set aside saucepan with milk.
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7
Fill a large bowl with ice cubes and place a medium bowl on top of the ice.
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8
Set a strainer over the medium bowl, and set aside.
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9
In another bowl, combine egg yolks and half the sugar and beat for about 30 seconds.
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10
Beat in remaining 1/4 cup milk.
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11
Add remaining sugar to vanilla-infused milk in pan and, using a heatproof rubber spatula, stir for 10 to 20 seconds so sugar doesnt stick to bottom of pan.
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12
Bring mixture back to a simmer over medium heat while continuing to stir.
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13
When sugar has dissolved and milk comes to a simmer, turn off heat.
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14
Place bowl with beaten egg yolks next to saucepan, with a towel coiled around the bottom to keep it steady, and whisk in two-thirds of the hot milk.
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15
Whisk mixture back into saucepan.
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16
Place saucepan back on low heat.
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17
Using a rubber spatula, stir constantly and everywhere until you feel the mixture starting to thicken.
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18
(Stirring in a figure eight helps assure that your spatula touches the entire bottom of the pan.)
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19
Place a thermometer in the pan and continue to stir constantly until temperature reaches 165 to 180 degrees.
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20
Lift spatula from saucepan with some sauce on it and run your finger down the middle.
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21
It should leave a canal.
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22
Immediately strain mixture into the clean, dry mixing bowl set over ice.
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23
Tap strainer to get all of the custard sauce.
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24
Stir mixture for a few minutes, then once in a while, until it has cooled to 60 degrees (it should take 20 minutes or less).
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25
You can also cool it in the freezer, stirring every few minutes, if you dont have enough ice on hand.
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26
Once cool, transfer to a container, cover tightly and refrigerate until ready to use.
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27
It will keep in the refrigerator for 2 days.
