It is a mix of sugar, egg yolks, and hot milk usually flavoured with vanilla.

Crème anglaise can be poured over cakes or fruits as a sauce or eaten as part of desserts such as floating island.

It also serves as a base ingredient for other desserts such as ice cream or crème brûlée.

As a beverage, it is known as "drinking custard" or "boiled custard" in the American South and served like eggnog during the Christmas season.

[3][4] Other names include the French terms crème à l'anglaise ("English-style cream") and crème française ("French cream").