Iles Flottantes Food

ILE FLOTTANTE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• For the caramel, heat 1 1/2 cups of the sugar and 1/2 cup water in a small, heavy-bottomed saucepan until the sugar dissolves. Cook over medium heat until the syrup turns a warm caramel color. Don't stir, just swirl it in the pan. Off the heat, add 1/2 cup water and 1/2 teaspoon of the vanilla; be careful, the syrup will bubble violently. Stir and cook over high heat until the caramel reaches 230 degrees F (thread stage) on a candy thermometer. Set aside.
• For the praline, combine the almonds with 1/4 cup of the caramel and spread them on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the almonds are lightly browned. Allow to cool at room temperature and then break up in pieces.
• Lower the oven to 250 degrees F. Line 2 sheet pans with parchment paper.
• For the meringues, beat the egg whites, salt, and cream of tartar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment on medium speed until frothy. Turn the mixer on high speed and add the remaining 1 cup of sugar. Beat until the egg whites are very stiff and glossy. Whisk in the remaining teaspoon of vanilla. With dessert spoons place 12 mounds of meringue on the parchment paper and bake for 20 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean.
• For serving, pour creme anglaise on the bottom of individual plates. Place a meringue on top of each serving, drizzle with caramel sauce, sprinkle with praline, and serve.
• To make a day or two ahead, leave the caramel and praline at room temperature
• and refrigerate the creme anglaise. Bake the meringues before guests arrive and assemble the desserts just before serving.
• Beat the egg yolks and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on medium-high speed for 3 minutes, or until very thick. Reduce to low speed, and add the cornstarch.
• With the mixer still on low, slowly pour the hot milk into the eggs. Pour the custard mixture into a saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until thickened. The custard will coat the spoon like heavy cream. Don't cook it above 180 degrees F or the eggs will scramble!
• Pour the sauce through a fine strainer, add the vanilla extract, Cognac, and vanilla seeds, if using, and chill.

ILES FLOTTANTES (OEUFS A LA NEIGE)

Steps:

• Pour the milk into a wide saucepan and whisk in the vanilla bean paste. Heat this on medium-low.
• Whip the egg whites in a stand mixer fitted with the whip attachment or using electric beaters on high speed until the whites are frothy, and then slowly pour in 2/3 cup (140 g) of the sugar while whipping, and continuing to whip until the whites hold a stiff peak when the beaters are lifted. Fold in the cornstarch.
• Make sure that the milk is hot, but not showing signs of 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 5 minutes in total, and gently flipping them over halfway through cooking. Use a slotted spoon to lift the meringues out to a dish to cool. Continue in batches until all of the meringue has been used, getting 16 meringue portions (2 per person). Chill these until ready to serve.
• Strain the milk into a fresh medium saucepan (and top up the milk to equal 2 cups/500 mL again) and bring to just below a simmer on medium heat. Whisk the reserved 6 egg yolks in a bowl with the remaining 1/3 cup (70 g) of sugar. Slowly pour the hot milk into the yolks while whisking, until all has been added. Return this 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 cover with plastic wrap so that it is directly over the surface of the custard. Cool this to room temperature, then chill completely before serving.
• To serve, ladle spoonfuls of crème anglaise into the bottom of a flat dish and top with 2 meringues and then prepare the caramelized sugar.
• For the caramelized sugar, add a splash of water and the lemon juice to a small saucepan and then add the sugar. Bring this up to a full boil over high heat without stirring, but occasionally brushing down the sides of the pan with water, cooking until caramelized, about 2 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat, let cool a moment, and then use a spoon to drizzle the caramelized sugar over the meringues and custard (the chilled sauce & meringue will immediately cool & set the sugar). Serve immediately.

ILES FLOTTANTES

Steps:

• For the creme anglaise: Mix the sugar and egg yolks together in a bowl.
• Place the vanilla pod and seeds in a pan with the milk and pepper and bring to a boil. Remove the pod (you can rinse and dry it and use it for vanilla sugar). Then pour a little of the hot milk onto the egg yolk mixture, whisking continuously. Gradually whisk in the rest of the milk, and then pour the mix into a clean pan, set over a gentle heat and whisk constantly. Do not let the custard simmer at any point or it will split. After 5 minutes it will begin to thicken slightly and become the consistency of single cream (it will thicken more when it cools down). Transfer to a bowl and chill in the fridge for at least 4 hours.
• For the praline: Line a baking tray with baking paper.
• Put the sugar and 1 fluid ounce/25 milliliters water into a large pan; heat gently until the sugar dissolves, and then increase the heat to high. When the mixture starts to bubble, add the almonds and continue to cook for 5 minutes, stirring continuously to prevent the almonds sticking to the bottom of the pan and burning. Once the sugar and nuts have become a dark golden-brown caramel colour, pour onto the prepared tray and spread as thinly as possible with a palette knife (be quick as it sets fast). Set aside to cool.
• For the meringue islands: Put half the egg whites into a clean glass or metal bowl. Add the sugar, lemon juice and salt and whisk until snow white. Add the rest of the egg whites and continue whisking until the meringue forms stiff peaks when the whisk is removed.
• Gently drop 6 spoonfuls of meringue into a large pot of simmering water and simmer until they are slightly puffed up and just set, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and place onto a sheet of baking paper until needed.
• To assemble, pour a ladleful of creme anglaise into each of 6 glasses and gently place a meringue in the centre. Snap the praline into small pieces and sprinkle on top.

CHOCOLATE îLES FLOTTANTES

Steps:

• To make the custard, pour the milk into a saucepan, preferably non-stick. Using the point of a knife, split the vanilla pod down the length and scrape out the seeds. Cut the pod into three and add to the milk with the seeds. Heat gently, then simmer for 5 minutes.
• Put the egg yolks and sugar in a bowl. Whisk together until pale and thick, then gradually whisk in the hot milk. Return to the pan and cook over a gentle heat, stirring all the time, until slightly thickened. Don't rush this, it should take about 10 minutes, and take care not to let the custard boil or it will curdle. It won't be as thick as bought custard, it will just lightly coat the back of a wooden spoon.
• Strain into a clean bowl, discard the vanilla pods, cover with cling film and cool. (Can be made up to 2 days ahead or frozen.)
• To make the meringue, whisk the egg whites until they form stiff peaks, then whisk in a third of the sugar, then another third, and finally the remainder.When the meringue is ready, it will stand in peaks that dip at the end, like a bird's beak.
• Sift the cocoa powder and whisk in. Spoon the meringue into six tea cups, and microwave (500W) individually for 10-15 seconds until firm to the touch. Leave to cool.
• Just before serving, spoon the custard into six glasses or glass dishes. Invert each île flotante on to your hand, then slide carefully on top of the custard. Scatter with chocolate curls or grated chocolate and serve. (The desserts can be assembled and chilled for up to 1 hour before serving.)