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german vanilla sauce in a jar with a serving spoon in it.
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4.69 from 16 votes

Vanilla Sauce Recipe

Try this homemade vanilla sauce recipe, which is perfect for pouring on top of other desserts. The German vanilla sauce is easy to make and adds a delicious touch to your favorite desserts.
Prep Time3 minutes
Cook Time5 minutes
Total Time8 minutes
Course: Desserts
Cuisine: German
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 87kcal
Author: Adina

Ingredients

  • 1 large egg
  • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar 3 tablespoons if using a vanilla pod or pure vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla sugar with ground vanilla Note 1
  • 1 ¼ tablespoons cornstarch
  • 2 cups full-fat milk 500 ml
  • a few drops yellow food coloring optional, Note 2

Instructions

  • Mix ingredients: Place the egg, sugar, and vanilla sugar (or pure vanilla extract) in a bowl. If using a vanilla pot, halve it lengthwise, scrape the seeds out of the pod, and add them to the bowl. Whisk well until frothy. If using vanilla extract or vanilla seeds, remember to add 1 tablespoon of extra sugar.
    1 large egg + 2 tablespoons granulated sugar + 1 tablespoon vanilla sugar with ground vanilla
  • Add cornstarch and whisk very well again, making sure that the mixture doesn't have any clumps.
    1 ¼ tablespoons cornstarch
  • Slowly pour in the milk while whisking.
    2 cups full-fat milk/ 500 ml
  • Cook vanilla sauce: Transfer the mixture to a saucepan and gently bring to a boil while whisking almost constantly. Let the vanilla sauce bubble shortly while whisking continously until it thickens slightly. Stir in a few drops of yellow food coloring if desired.
    a few drops yellow food coloring
  • Consistency: The vanilla sauce will continue to set while it cools, so don't let it get too thick at this point; the consistency you are aiming for is slightly thicker yet pourable.
  • Store and reheat: Serve hot, warm, or cold, as suggested above. The German vanilla sauce can be easily reheated. Heat it gently in a small pan, stirring continuously and adding a small splash of milk to make it slightly thinner again.

Notes

  1. Vanilla: Use ½ to 1 vanilla pod or 1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract. If not using vanilla sugar, add 1 extra tablespoon of granulated sugar.
  2. Food Coloring (optional): If desired, add yellow food coloring to make the pudding look more like commercial vanilla sauce or pudding.

Nutrition

Serving: 1/6 of the vanilla sauce | Calories: 87kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 38mg | Sodium: 57mg | Sugar: 6g