Vanilla Anglaise

Vanilla Anglaise
from Food Network, Bobby Flay

1 cup milk
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 vanilla bean, split
1/2 cup sugar
4 large egg yolksHeat milk, cream, vanilla bean in a medium saucepan. Whisk together sugar and eggs to the ribbon stage. Slowly whisk in the hot milk and return mixture to the pan. Cook over low heat until the mixture coats the back of a spoon.
Strain the mixture into a bowl set into a larger bowl of ice water and stir until cold.
Caramelized Pecans: 1 cup granulated sugar 1/4 cup water 8 whole pecans 1 pound butter in its wrapper
Place sugar and water in a small saucepan and cook to the mixture reaches the hard crack stage (300 degrees F) on a candy thermometer.
Skewer the pecans onto a wooden skewer and dip into the caramel. Place the skewers into the butter sideways and let the caramel drip onto a plate. Let the caramel harden and snip off with scissors leaving a 1-inch piece of caramel hanging from the pecan.