This recipe takes me back to my childhood and my grandmother’s Christmas dinners. It always brings a tear to my eye, as it reminds me of her traditions. Floating islands, or œufs à la neige, are light and fluffy meringue clouds served on a smooth vanilla custard base—simple, yet magical.
For the "Islands" / fluffy meringue :
5 eggs
20g sugar
For the custard :
60g sugar
25 cl milk
25 cl heavy cream
1 Madagascar Vanilla Bean
For the caramel :
80g sugar
3 cl water
Preparation :
Separate the eggs, placing the whites into a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a mixer. Prepare the crème anglaise with the egg yolks. Pour it into a deep, oven-safe dish, then set aside in the fridge. For the caramel, combine sugar and water in a saucepan, and cook over medium heat until it reaches a golden color, then pour it into the bottom of an oven-safe dish.
On the day of serving, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Towards the end, add sugar and whisk at high speed to tighten the whites. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Pour boiling water into a larger dish than the one containing the caramel. Place a ring or pastry cutters over the caramel and spoon the beaten egg whites into the ring. Smooth the surface with a spatula or the back of a spoon. Place the dish with the egg whites into the larger one with boiling water. Bake for about 6 to 8 minutes in a water bath, keeping an eye on them. Once the egg whites have doubled in volume, they are ready. Flip the baked egg whites and unmold them onto the crème anglaise.
Tip: If you’re in a hurry and have a microwave, you can cook the egg whites in it for 5 minutes. The result is impressive, and you’ll surprise everyone!
Bon appétit!