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1
Pour the cream and milk into a saucepan.
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2
Split the vanilla bean in half lengthwise and scrape out some of the seeds with the tip of a sharp knife into the cream and milk in the pan.
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3
I often just hold the vanilla pod over the pan, cut it down the middle almost to the end, with a pair of kitchen scissors and then use the scissors to gouge out some of the seeds into the pan.
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4
Drop in the deseeded bean, too.
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5
Bring the contents of the pan almost to the boil, then remove from the heat and let it infuse for about 20 minutes.
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6
Whisk the yolks and sugar together and then pour the infused vanilla cream over them and stir.
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7
Wash out the pan (just water and a wipe with a kitchen towels fine) and pour the uncooked custard back into it.
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8
Meanwhile, fill the sink with cold water.
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9
I havent the patience to cook custard for ages over a low flame, so I use a medium, even a relatively high flame, but keep a basin nearby filled with cold water so if the custard looks as if it might split, I can dash over and plunge my pan into the water, whisk like mad and avert catastrophe.
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10
And knowing the waters there makes you feel safer and therefore braver.
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11
Put the custard on medium to low (or medium to high if youre like me), heat and stir until it thickens.
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12
As for how much it should thicken, well that rather depends on how you like your custard.
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13
When its the consistency you like, stop.
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14
And if at any time while its cooking and I reckon it should take around 8 minutes, longer if youre timid it starts to bubble, whip it off the stove and whisk with a little hand whisk, only plunging the pan into the cold water if you actually think it needs to stop cooking NOW or rather A FEW SECONDS AGO.
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15
Remove bean bits, pour into a pitcher and if, like me, you cannot abide a skin and shudder at the very mention of one, then take a piece of plastic wrap and press it down right against the surface of the custard, to cover and then drape it down over the pitcher.
