Île Flottante
Île Flottante is a classic French dessert of soft meringue floating on vanilla custard sauce, made with whole milk, eggs, and vanilla pod.
4piece
1piece
500ml
150g
60ml| # | Product | Quantity | Notes | State | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | | 4piece | — | — | |
| 2 | | 1piece | — | — | |
| 3 | | 500ml | — | — | |
| 4 | | 150g | — | — | |
| 5 | | 60ml | — | — |
Crack each egg in turn over the large mixing bowl, letting the white fall into the bowl.
Egg · 4 piece
Drop each yolk into the medium bowl, then discard the shells.
Lay the vanilla pod flat on the chopping board.
Vanilla pod · 1 piece
Halve the vanilla pod lengthways with the tip of a chef's knife, opening it flat so both cut faces are exposed.
Pour the milk into the wide shallow saucepan.
Whole milk · 500 mlDrop the split vanilla pod into the milk.
Stir in the sugar for the poaching milk.
Caster sugar · 20 gSet the pan over a medium-low heat and warm the milk until it is just below a simmer — small bubbles should appear at the edges but the surface must not boil.
Sprinkle the sugar over the egg whites in the bowl.
Caster sugar · 80 gWhisk the whites and sugar together until the meringue holds firm, glossy peaks that stand straight up when the whisk is lifted.
Using two large spoons, shape the meringue into 4 oval quenelles and lower them gently into the warm vanilla milk; poach for 2 minutes on each side, turning once, until just set.
Lift the meringues out onto a plate with a slotted spoon, then strain the warm milk through a sieve into a heatproof jug, leaving the vanilla pod behind.
Set the medium bowl of egg yolks beside you.
Add the sugar to the yolks.
Caster sugar · 30 gBeat the egg yolks and sugar together until the mixture is thick, pale and falls from the whisk in a slow ribbon.
Pour the warm vanilla milk slowly into the yolk mixture in a thin, steady stream, whisking constantly so the yolks temper without scrambling.
Pour the custard base back into the saucepan.
Cook the custard over the lowest heat, stirring continuously in figures-of-eight and making sure the spoon reaches every part of the base, until it thickens enough to coat the back of the spoon and a line drawn through it with a finger holds clean — do not let it boil.
Pour the finished crème anglaise through a sieve into the heatproof jug to catch any threads of cooked egg, then set it aside to cool slightly.
Tip the sugar into the small heavy-based saucepan, spreading it into an even layer.
Caster sugar · 20 gPour the water over the sugar without stirring.
Water · 60 mlBring the sugar and water to a boil over a medium-high heat and cook, swirling the pan gently but never stirring, until the syrup turns a deep amber — the colour of old copper — then immediately pull the pan from the heat.
Divide the crème anglaise evenly among 4 wide serving bowls.
| # | Product | Tool | Action |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 piece | | Crack each egg in turn over the large mixing bowl, letting the white fall into the bowl.⏱ 30sResultEgg |
| 2 | — | | Drop each yolk into the medium bowl, then discard the shells.⏱ 40sResultSeparated egg yolks |
| 3 | 1 piece | | Lay the vanilla pod flat on the chopping board.⏱ 10sResultVanilla pod |
| 4 | Vanilla podstep 3 | | Halve the vanilla pod lengthways with the tip of a chef's knife, opening it flat so both cut faces are exposed.⏱ 20sResultSplit Vanilla Podused in step 6 |
| 5 | 500 ml | Pour the milk into the wide shallow saucepan.⏱ 10sResultWhole milk | |
| 6 | Split Vanilla Podstep 4 | Drop the split vanilla pod into the milk.⏱ 10sResultSplit vanilla pod and whole milk | |
| 7 | 20 g | Stir in the sugar for the poaching milk.⏱ 5sResultSplit vanilla pod and whole milk and caster sugar | |
| 8 | — | Set the pan over a medium-low heat and warm the milk until it is just below a simmer — small bubbles should appear at the edges but the surface must not boil.⏱ 5 minResultWarm vanilla milk | |
| 9 | 80 g | | Sprinkle the sugar over the egg whites in the bowl.⏱ 5sResultEgg whites and sugar |
| 10 | — | | Whisk the whites and sugar together until the meringue holds firm, glossy peaks that stand straight up when the whisk is lifted.⏱ 4 minResultStiff meringueused in step 13 |
| 11 | — | Using two large spoons, shape the meringue into 4 oval quenelles and lower them gently into the warm vanilla milk; poach for 2 minutes on each side, turning once, until just set.⏱ 4 minResultPoached meringue islands | |
| 12 | Poached meringue islandsstep 11 | | Lift the meringues out onto a plate with a slotted spoon, then strain the warm milk through a sieve into a heatproof jug, leaving the vanilla pod behind.⏱ 20sResultStrained vanilla milkused in step 16 |
| 13 | Stiff meringuestep 10 | | Set the medium bowl of egg yolks beside you.⏱ 10sResultStiff meringue |
| 14 | 30 g | | Add the sugar to the yolks.⏱ 5sResultEgg yolks and sugar |
| 15 | — | | Beat the egg yolks and sugar together until the mixture is thick, pale and falls from the whisk in a slow ribbon.⏱ 1 minResultPale yolk mixture |
| 16 | Strained vanilla milkstep 12 | | Pour the warm vanilla milk slowly into the yolk mixture in a thin, steady stream, whisking constantly so the yolks temper without scrambling.⏱ 30sResultCustard base |
| 17 | Spent vanilla podstep 12 | Pour the custard base back into the saucepan.⏱ 10sResultSpent vanilla pod and custard base | |
| Custard basestep 16 | |||
| 18 | — | | Cook the custard over the lowest heat, stirring continuously in figures-of-eight and making sure the spoon reaches every part of the base, until it thickens enough to coat the back of the spoon and a line drawn through it with a finger holds clean — do not let it boil.⏱ 8 minResultCrème anglaise |
| 19 | Crème anglaisestep 18 | | Pour the finished crème anglaise through a sieve into the heatproof jug to catch any threads of cooked egg, then set it aside to cool slightly.⏱ 20sResultStrained crème anglaiseused in step 23 |
| 20 | 20 g | Tip the sugar into the small heavy-based saucepan, spreading it into an even layer.⏱ 5sResultCaster sugar | |
| 21 | 60 ml | Pour the water over the sugar without stirring.⏱ 5sResultCaster sugar and water | |
| 22 | — | Bring the sugar and water to a boil over a medium-high heat and cook, swirling the pan gently but never stirring, until the syrup turns a deep amber — the colour of old copper — then immediately pull the pan from the heat.⏱ 8 minResultDeep amber caramelused in step 25 | |
| 23 | Strained crème anglaisestep 19 | Divide the crème anglaise evenly among 4 wide serving bowls.⏱ 15sResultStrained crème anglaise | |
| Total Time | 24 min | ||
- Float a poached meringue island on the custard in each bowl, setting it gently in the centre.
- Trail thin threads of the hot caramel over each meringue island from a spoon, working quickly before the caramel sets.
| Nutrient | Per serving |
|---|---|
| 298kcal | |
| 10g | |
| 9g | |
| 4g | |
| 45g | |
| 44g | |
| 137mg |
Île Flottante
Île Flottante is a classic French dessert of soft meringue floating on vanilla custard sauce, made with whole milk, eggs, and vanilla pod.
What you’ll doYou will separate eggs, whisk the whites into meringue, and poach them gently in warm vanilla milk. Simultaneously, you'll temper the yolks with the poaching milk to make crème anglaise, then cook it to a custard. Finally, you'll make a deep amber caramel and assemble each bowl with custard, a floating meringue island, and caramel threads.
Ingredients
- Egg4 piece
- Vanilla pod1 piece
- Whole milk500 ml
- Caster sugar150 g
- Water60 ml