Iles Flottante

(OEUFS a la NEIGE)

View Instructions

Makes:

16 meringues

Serves:

Prep Time:

25 minutes, plus chilling

Cook Time:

20 minutes

Introduction

About this Recipe

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Category:

Desserts

Recipe from Anna Olson’s Baking Wisdom
© 2023 Olson Food Concepts Inc. Photography by Janis Nicolay. Published by Appetite by Random House®, a division of Penguin Random House Canada Limited. All rights reserved.

These “floating islands” or “eggs in the snow” are pillows of meringue floating on a bed of crème anglaise with just a hint of caramelized sugar. Îles flottantes is rarely found on fine-dining menus these days, but it does pop up on prix fixe menus at cafés in France. While it is soft and soothing to eat, this dessert relies on some professional baking techniques, including the method for poaching the meringues in the milk.

NOTES: The meringues and crème anglaise can be made and chilled up to 8 hours ahead, but assemble the dessert immediately before serving.

Ingredients

Meringues & Crème Anglaise:

2 cups (500 mL) 2% or whole milk, plus about ¾ cup (175 mL) extra to top up
1 Tbsp (15 mL) vanilla bean paste or seeds from 1 vanilla bean
6 large eggs, separated
1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar, divided
1 tsp (5 mL) cornstarch

Caramelized sugar:

1 Tbsp (15 mL) water
1 tsp (5 mL) lemon juice
1/3 cup (70 g) granulated sugar

Lightly toasted sliced almonds, for sprinkling

Step by Step Instructions

Step 1

Heat the milk. Pour the milk into a wide saucepan and whisk in the vanilla bean paste (or seeds). Heat on medium-low.

This dessert is very efficient in its use of ingredients. Whole eggs are separated, and the whites are used to make the meringue and the yolks to thicken the crème anglaise. Even the milk is used twice: once to poach the meringues and then again to make the sauce.

Step 2

Whip the egg whites using electric beaters or a stand mixer fitted with the whip attachment on high speed until the whites are frothy. Slowly pour in ⅔ cup (140 g) sugar while whipping. Continue to whip until the whites hold a medium peak when the beaters are lifted. Fold in the cornstarch.

Step 3

Poach the meringues. Make sure that the milk is hot but not bubbling at all. Use two large spoons to shape and drop ovals of meringue into the hot milk, leaving space between the meringues. Poach the meringues, uncovered, for 2½ minutes, then gently flip them over and cook for another 2½ minutes. Use a slotted spoon to lift the meringues onto a dish to cool. Poach the meringues in batches until all of the eggs have been used.

(You should have 16 meringue portions.) Chill, uncovered in the dish, until ready to serve.

Step 4

Make the crème anglaise. Strain the milk through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean medium saucepan. Top up the milk to equal 2 cups (500 mL) and heat on medium to just below a simmer. Whisk the egg yolks in a bowl with the remaining ⅓ cup (70 g) sugar. Slowly pour all the hot milk into the bowl while whisking constantly. Return this mixture to the pot and stir with a wooden spoon over medium heat until the custard coats the back of a spoon. Strain the custard into a clean bowl and place a piece of plastic directly on the surface of the custard to prevent it from forming a skin. Cool to room temperature, then chill completely before serving.

Step 5

Spoon the crème anglaise into eight flat dishes and top each serving with two meringues.

Step 6

Caramelize the sugar. Combine the water and lemon juice in a small saucepan and measure in the sugar. Bring to a full boil over high heat, without stirring but occasionally brushing down the sides of the pan with water. Cook until caramelized, about 2 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and let cool a moment.