Île Flottante/Floating Island

A floating island is a French dessert consisting of meringue floating on crème anglaise,a milky vanilla custard.. The meringues are prepared from whipped egg whites with a pinch of salt cooked either in hot water or in microwave oven. The crème anglaise is prepared with the egg yolks, vanilla,sugar and hot milk, cooked over stove top until they get slightly thicken...I tasted this delectable dessert before 12years when i landed Paris for the first time in a French restaurant..Immediately i have fallen in love with this delicious dessert and its one of our family favourite dessert after chocolate mousse, i prepared this floating island today after a long for our dessert coz few of our family friends came to home for lunch, everyone relished each and every spoon of this yummy dessert, my teddies enjoyed the cooked egg whites just topped with the caramel syrup...Needless to say this famous french dessert goes to AWED-French guest hosted by me, event by DK and to Kid's Delight -Holiday Special hosted by Srivalli..



For Crème anglaise ( vanilla custard):
3cups Full fat milk
1tsp Vanilla extract
4nos Egg yolks
1/2cup Sugar

For Meringue:
4nos Egg whites
1pinch Salt

Bring boil the milk in simmer in a pan, meanwhile beat the egg yolks and sugar until they turns creamy pale mixture, gradually add the boiled milk, vanilla extract, mix continously (else the yolks will get cooked), now transfer this mixture to the pan and cook in simmer until they turns creamy and slightly thick..cover it and keep aside..

Beat the egg whites with salt until they turn foamy, beat until soft peek forms..Bring boil two cups of water in a heavy bottomed large pan, scoop the egg whites and drop gently to the boiling water, cook on both sides until the egg whites turns slightly hard or cook in microwave oven for few minutes....

Drop gently the cooked egg whites in already prepared vanilla custard, arrange them in fridge atleast for two hours..While serving garnish the floating islands with caramel syrup or candied nuts..