Homemade dessert sauces that taste better than store-bought ones.

In a saucepan, heat the milk over medium heat until just steaming—don’t boil.
In a bowl, whisk the egg yolks with sugar until pale and slightly thickened.
Slowly pour a bit of the warm milk into the yolks, whisking constantly to prevent scrambling.
Pour everything back into the saucepan. Stir over low heat with a wooden spoon or spatula until the sauce thickens enough to coat the back of the spoon (about 170–175°F).
Remove from heat, stir in vanilla extract or the seeds from the vanilla bean.
For extra smoothness, strain through a fine mesh sieve.
Cool or serve warm. It thickens slightly as it cools.