Drizzle or pour this velvety vanilla custard sauce over homemade bread pudding or any dessert!

Set a large fine mesh strainer over a medium bowl and set the bowl in a shallow bowl of ice.

In a medium saucepan, combine the half and half and vanilla bean and cook over medium-low heat for 5 minutes, just until small bubbles appear around the rim.

In a seperate medium bowl, whisk the sugar and egg yolks together until just combined. Slowly, whisk in the hot half and half in a thin stream, tempering the yolks. Then, pour the mixture into the saucepan and cook over medium heat for 4–5 minutes, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until the sauce has thickened slightly.

Immediately strain the sauce into the bowl in the cold water bath to stop the cooking. Scrape the vanilla seeds into the sauce. Serve immediately or refrigerate until chilled.