Christmas Spiced Custard Sauce

By
Elaine Lemm
Elaine Lemm
Elaine Lemm
Elaine Lemm is a renowned British food writer, classically trained chef, teacher, and author with over 25 years of experience writing about British food and cooking.
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Updated on 06/19/21
Christmas Spiced Custard Sauce Recipe

 The Spruce

Prep: 5 mins
Cook: 15 mins
Total: 20 mins
Servings: 6 servings
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
273 Calories
21g Fat
12g Carbs
9g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6
Amount per serving
Calories 273
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 21g 27%
Saturated Fat 12g 59%
Cholesterol 266mg 89%
Sodium 96mg 4%
Total Carbohydrate 12g 4%
Dietary Fiber 0g 0%
Total Sugars 12g
Protein 9g
Vitamin C 0mg 2%
Calcium 92mg 7%
Iron 1mg 6%
Potassium 150mg 3%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

What is the perfect partner for a traditional Christmas pudding? It could be a proper English custard sauce or, as traditionalists would have you believe, a white sauce laden with rum or brandy. If you can't decide between the two, you're in luck! There is a middle ground with this Christmas spiced custard sauce. With hints of nutmeg, cinnamon, mace and cloves—the spices of a good old British yuletide—you will be able to have the best of both worlds. These warming flavors are so perfect for the cold winter months, and as such, fit perfectly with the festivities. 

Ingredients

  • 150 milliliters (5-ounces) full-fat milk

  • 250 milliliters (8 1/2 ounces) heavy cream

  • 1 pinch freshly ground nutmeg

  • 1 pinch mace

  • 2 whole cloves

  • 1/2 medium cinnamon stick

  • 55 grams (2 ounces) sugar

  • 6 large egg yolks

  • 1 whole vanilla bean, split, seeds removed

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Christmas Spiced Custard Sauce Recipe
     The Spruce

  2. Put the milk, cream, and spices into a heavy-based saucepan. Bring to a very gentle boil and then lower the heat to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes to allow the spices to infuse into the milk. 

    Christmas Spiced Custard Sauce Recipe
    The Spruce 

  3. Place the sugar and egg yolks into a large mixing bowl and whisk with an electric or hand whisk until light and frothy. The egg yolks should turn pale in color when they are whisked enough. 

    Christmas Spiced Custard Sauce Recipe
    The Spruce 

  4. Strain the milk and spices through a sieve.

    Christmas Spiced Custard Sauce Recipe
     The Spruce

  5. While still whisking the eggs, pour the warm, spice-flavored milk into the egg mixture.

    Christmas Spiced Custard Sauce Recipe
    The Spruce 

  6. Strain the custard sauce through a fine sieve a second time, back into the saucepan.

    Christmas Spiced Custard Sauce Recipe
     The Spruce

  7. Add the seeds from the vanilla pod and keep stirring, over low heat, until the custard gradually starts to thicken. Whatever you do, do not speed up this process or the sauce may curdle and all will be wasted, especially if the sauce burns. 

    Christmas Spiced Custard Sauce Recipe
     The Spruce

  8. Once thickened, remove the spiced custard from the heat and once again, pass through a sieve.

    Christmas Spiced Custard Sauce Recipe
     The Spruce

  9. Serve the sauce piping hot over your traditional Christmas pudding. It also works wonderfully over a plate of mince pies.

    Christmas Spiced Custard Sauce Recipe
    The Spruce 

  10. Enjoy!

    Christmas Spiced Custard Sauce Recipe
     The Spruce

Raw Egg Warning

Consuming raw and lightly-cooked eggs poses a risk of food-borne illness.

Tip

  • The sauce can be cooled completely, covered with plastic wrap, and kept in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The sauce freezes great as well.

Recipe Variations

  • The Christmas spices in the recipe above are just one combination, but they can be varied to suit your taste. Like a little more mace or nutmeg? Go for it! If cinnamon is not your thing, then feel free to leave it out.
  • Try adding a little orange or lemon zest to the infusion to add a different medley of tastes. If you really want to zap up the spices, then a few chili flakes or a pinch of sea salt adds a whole new dimension to this sauce. All variations go wonderfully with the Christmas pudding.