Île Flottante (Floating Island)

Photo by Meg Zimbeck

Crème anglaise and meringue in a bowl, that's an Île Flottante (Flating island), this dessert is so good that it has been adapted and recreated in many forms, in different countries (if you go to Hungary don't forget to ask for the Madártej), as usual recipes and more, next.

Recipe by kimmallari

" Ingredients

Custard: - 1 C cream + 1 C milk (or 2 C half & half) - 4 beaten egg yolks - 1/2 C white sugar - 1 T flour - 1/8 t salt - 1/4 t pure vanilla extract

Meringue: - 4 egg whites, room temperature (for BETTER meringue) - 1/8 t salt - 1/4 t cream of tartar - 1 t pure vanilla extract - 1 C white sugar

In a sauce pan, scald (just below boiling point) the milk & cream or half & half.

In a bowl, beat the yolks. Then add the sugar, flour & salt. Beat the mixture until well fluffy and well combined.

Little by little, pour the heated cream in the egg mixture. Be careful not to scramble the eggs. Do not pour in the heated cream all at once. After each addition, whisk thoroughly.

Transfer the mixture into a sauce pan and on low heat, stir continuously until the sauce becomes thick and covers the back of a wooden spoon.

Add the vanilla. Store in a container and cover the surface with wax paper. Let it cool in the fridge.

Butter a large ramekin or 6 small ramekins (or any baking mold). Coat the surface with sugar.

Preheat oven at 350 dF.

Make sure that the egg whites are at room temperature. Beat the egg whites until fluffy, add the salt & cream of tartar. Beat for a couple of minutes until it forms soft peaks.

Gradually add the white sugar, beating after each addition. Continue beating until the peaks become stiff, but do not overbeat.

Fold in vanilla.

Fill the ramekins with the egg white mixture and bake in the oven until the outside is golden and cake tester comes out clean.

Immediately unmold the meringues and set aside.

Quickly prepare the caramel sauce:

In a pan, heat up 1/4 C white sugar until it melts and turns into ruby red color. Super carefully, (little by little) pour 3 T hot H20, stirring continuously after each addition and continue to heat the caramel until syrupy.

***The caramel sauce is optional.

To plate, put a good amount of the custard sauce in a dessert bowl. Place a meringue on top. Drizzle with caramel sauce. Bon apetit! "

Videos:




Chocolate Floating Island:

Iles Flottantes au Chocolat