Floating Island (Île Flottante)
This dessert is about temperature and texture. The meringue should be firm enough to hold its shape but dissolve instantly on the tongue, while the custard needs a thin coat on the back of a spoon to be right.
Control your heat above all else.
Eggs are temperamental; keep your custard heat low to avoid scrambling, and keep your poaching liquid just below a boil so the meringue doesn't toughen.
- Heavy-bottomed saucepan
- Wide skillet
- Slotted spoon
- Whisk
- Fine-mesh sieve
What goes in.
- 2 cupswhole milk
- 1 tspvanilla bean paste or extract
- 4large eggs, separated
- 1/2 cupgranulated sugar, divided
- pinchsea salt
Nappe consistency
Stir the custard until it coats the back of a spoon. Draw a line through the coating with your finger; if the track remains clean without the liquid running into it, the custard is ready to be pulled from the heat.
The method.
Infuse the milk
Heat the milk and vanilla in a saucepan over medium heat until it begins to steam. Do not let it boil.
Prepare the yolks
Whisk the egg yolks and 1/4 cup of sugar in a bowl until pale and thick. Slowly drizzle half the hot milk into the yolks, whisking constantly to temper them.
Thicken the sauce
Pour the yolk mixture back into the saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until it hits nappe consistency. Strain through a sieve into a bowl and chill immediately.
Whip the whites
Beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt until soft peaks form. Gradually add the remaining 1/4 cup of sugar and beat until the meringue is glossy and holds stiff, upright peaks.
Poach the islands
Bring a wide skillet of water or milk to a gentle simmer. Drop large dollops of meringue into the liquid, poaching for 2 minutes per side. Carefully remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
Assemble
Pour the chilled custard into shallow bowls and gently place the poached meringue islands on top.
Other turns to take.
Caramel Drizzle
Drizzle a thin thread of amber-colored hard caramel over the islands immediately before serving.
Toasted Almond
Scatter sliced, toasted almonds over the top for a slight crunch.
When it doesn't go to plan.
Use a clean, glass or metal bowl for whipping whites; any trace of fat or yolk will prevent them from reaching stiff peaks.
If the custard accidentally gets too hot, whisk in a tablespoon of cold milk immediately to stop the cooking process.
Poach the meringues in batches so they have room to expand without crowding the pan.
The ones that keep coming up.
Can I make this ahead of time?
You can prepare the custard a day in advance, but poach the meringues no more than two hours before serving so they stay light.
What if my custard looks grainy?
Strain it through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl. If it is truly scrambled, you have likely used too high a heat.