Raspberry Floating Island 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.

FLOATING ISLANDS WITH LEMON-SCENTED CUSTARD SAUCE AND RASPBERRIES

Steps:

• For sauce:
• Bring cream and milk to simmer in heavy medium saucepan. Using whisk, beat egg yolks and sugar in medium bowl until light, about 2minutes. Gradually whisk hot cream mixture into yolks. Return mixture to saucepan and stir over medium-low heat until custard thickens and leaves path on back of spoon when finger is drawn across, about 3 minutes (do not boil). Pour custard into bowl. Stir in lemon juice and peel. Cool slightly, then chill uncovered until cold. do ahead Sauce can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and keep refrigerated.
• For meringue islands:
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Generously butter six 3/4-cup soufflé dishes and dust with sugar. Place on baking sheet. Using electric mixer, beat egg whites with pinch of salt in large bowl until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in sugar. Continue beating until stiff and glossy. Divide meringue among prepared souffl dishes, mounding slightly. Bake until meringues puff and begin to brown lightly on top and tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 15 minutes. Cool to room temperature, at least 20 minutes and up to 3 hours (meringues will deflate).
• Divide custard sauce among 6 shallow soup bowls. Carefully run small sharp knife around edge of meringues to loosen, if necessary. Invert meringues, then turn top side up and place on sauce. Garnish with lemon slices and sprinkle with raspberries.

RASPBERRY FLOATING ISLAND

Steps:

• Make the raspberry puree: Place 1 half-pint raspberries in a small skillet over medium heat; add 2 tablespoons sugar. Cook, stirring occasionally, until sugar is dissolved and raspberries start to break down, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Pass through a fine sieve into a small bowl, pressing down to extract as much pulp as possible. Set puree aside to cool.
• In a high-sided 10-inch skillet, bring milk to a boil. Reduce heat to a gentle simmer while you make the meringue.
• Make the meringue: In the heat-proof bowl of an electric mixer, combine remaining 3/4 cup granulated sugar with egg whites and cream of tartar. Place over a pan of simmering water; whisk constantly until sugar is dissolved and mixture is warm to the touch, 1 to 2 minutes.
• Transfer bowl to the mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on low speed, gradually increasing to high speed until glossy peaks form, 5 to 7 minutes. Add vanilla, and mix to combine. Transfer meringue to a large bowl, and spread out with a large spoon or spatula. Drizzle 1 to 2 tablespoons raspberry puree on top; run a knife back and forth to streak.
• Make the floating islands: Using two soup spoons, scoop and slide about 1/4 cup of meringue into simmering milk. Do not overcrowd; you will need to make these in three batches. Poach until firm, about 2 minutes per side. Remove with a slotted spoon, and transfer to paper towels to drain. Repeat, skimming surface skin from milk between batches.
• Divide creme anglaise among six soup bowls. Place two meringue islands on top of each. Garnish with remaining half-pint raspberries, raspberry puree, and a dusting of confectioners' sugar.

ILE FLOTTANTE WITH CARAMEL

Steps:

• Meringue: Preheat oven to 375°F. Brush a 10-to-12-cup Bundt pan with oil, and invert onto a paper towel to drain excess.
• Bring a kettle of water to a boil. Beat egg whites, cream of tartar, and salt with a mixer on medium speed until soft peaks form. Beat in superfine sugar, 1 table- spoon at a time, gradually increasing speed to high, until stiff, glossy peaks form, 3 to 4 minutes. Reduce speed to low and beat in vanilla.
• Transfer meringue to pan, pressing to remove air pockets. Smooth with a small offset spatula. Set Bundt pan in a roasting pan; transfer to oven. Carefully pour boiling water into roasting pan until it's 2 inches up sides of Bundt pan. Bake until meringue is puffed and lightly browned, about 20 minutes. Transfer Bundt pan to a wire rack. Let cool completely.
• Crème Anglaise: Combine milk and cream in a saucepan. Scrape vanilla seeds into pan, and add pod. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. In a heatproof bowl, whisk together egg yolks, granulated sugar, and salt. Pour half of milk mixture into yolk mixture, whisking constantly. Return entire mixture to pan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 5 minutes. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl. Press plastic wrap directly onto surface (to prevent a skin from forming) and refrigerate until cool, about 2 hours. Meanwhile, unmold meringue onto a cake plate; refrigerate until ready to serve.
• Caramel: Fill a medium bowl with cold water. Heat granulated sugar and 3 tablespoons water in a small saucepan over high, swirling, until sugar dissolves. Bring to a boil and cook, swirling occasionally, until mixture is dark amber in color, 3 to 6 minutes.
• Reduce heat to medium. Carefully stir in 1/2 cup water (mixture will spatter), and swirl to combine. Cook until caramel reaches 220° on a candy thermometer. Remove from heat. Dip bottom of pan into bowl of cold water to stop cooking. Drizzle caramel over meringue (it should pool on cake plate), then slice and transfer to serving plates. Serve with crème anglaise. (Meringue can be refrigerated, uncovered, up to 3 hours. Crème anglaise can be refrigerated in an airtight container up to 2 days.)

FLOATING ISLAND

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, beat the yolks with 6 tablespoons of the sugar until pale and thick (about 5 minutes). In a medium saucepan scald the milk with 1 of the vanilla beans. Split vanilla bean. Beat the milk very gradually into the egg mixture. Return the mixture to the pan and cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, for about 10 minutes, until the custard thickens enough to coat the back of the spoon. (Be careful not to let the mixture boil or the eggs will curdle). Remove vanilla bean. Place the pan over ice and stir occasionally to prevent a skin from forming.
• While the custard is cooling, beat the whites with the salt, 4 tablespoons of the sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar until stiff peaks are formed.
• In a 12-inch skillet, bring the water to a boil with the lemon juice. Lower the heat. Using a large kitchen spoon, carefully slide 8 scoops of meringue, one scoop at a time, into the simmering water. Poach the meringue for 1 1/2 minutes then turn over and poach for 2 minutes longer. Remove the meringues with a slotted spoon to a clean kitchen towel.
• For the caramel syrup: Place sugar and water in saucepan and swirl (shake pan with circular motion) over moderately high heat until the sugar has dissolved completely. Then let the sugar boil, swirling the pan occasionally, until the syrup turns a light, nut brown. This will take 3 to 4 minutes. Remove saucepan from heat as soon as the desired color is reached; if you let it darken too much, it will have a bitter taste. Pour 1/3 cup of water into the preceding caramel and simmer, stirring, until the caramel has dissolved.
• To assemble the dessert, pour the custard in a large serving bowl and float the meringues on top. Combine. Immediate drizzle the caramel syrup over the meringues and serve.

FLOATING ISLANDS

Steps:

• Heat the milk and vanilla in a pan until steaming. Whisk the egg yolks and sugar in a large bowl until smooth and creamy. Continue whisking while you pour the hot milk over the egg yolks in a steady stream, until combined. Transfer back to the pan, and heat over a medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until thickened, about 10 mins. It shouldn't be custard thick, more of a thick double cream consistency. Transfer to a bowl, cover the surface with a scrunched piece of baking parchment and leave to cool. Once cool, chill until ready to serve.
• Put the egg white in a stand mixer. Whisk for 4-5 mins until you get soft peaks. With the motor still running, add the sugar 1 tbsp at a time, allowing it to be incorporated before adding the next. When all the sugar has been added, whisk for another 2-3 mins until stiff.
• Pour the milk and 200ml water into a wide pan or medium frying pan and heat until steaming, but not boiling. Add heaped teaspoons of the meringue mix into the milk, using another teaspoon to slide the meringue off the spoon, and gently poach for 3-4 mins (you don't need to move them around). Carefully turn the meringues over and cook the other side for 3-4 mins until set. Remove the meringues from the milk and leave to cool on a plate.
• To make the caramel, heat the sugar, 1 tbsp water and pinch of salt in a small pan and cook on a medium heat until you get a lightly golden caramel, about 10 mins. Keep warm for drizzling at the end.
• To serve, briefly stir, then spoon the custard into four ramekins or small bowls. Top each with a meringue and a drizzle of caramel.

FLOATING ISLAND PUNCH

Steps:

• Bring water to a boil. Add the sugar and boil until it becomes a syrup. Let cool.
• In a punch bowl combine lemonade, orange juice, ginger ale, and carbonated water. Mix in the sugar syrup. Add ice and sherbet.
• Just before serving add cherries and cherry juice and float orange slices on top.

FLOATING ISLAND

Steps:

• Stir 1 1/2 cups sugar and 1/2 cup water in heavy medium saucepan over medium-low heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat to high and boil without stirring until syrup turns deep amber, occasionally brushing down sides of pan with wet pastry brush and swirling pan, about 8 minutes. Remove from heat and mix in 2 cups water (mixture will bubble vigorously). Stir over high heat until any hard caramel bits dissolve. Boil until syrup is reduced to 1 cup, about 15 minutes. Set aside. Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly butter rimmed baking sheet. Toss almonds with 2 tablespoons caramel syrup in bowl to coat. Spread almond mixture on prepared sheet. Bake until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Cool. Maintain oven temperature. (Caramel syrup and almond mixture can be made 1 day ahead. Cover separately and store at room temperature.)
• Spray 9x5x3-inch loaf pan with nonstick vegetable oil spray. Coat pan lightly with sugar. Using electric mixer, beat egg whites on high speed in large bowl to soft peaks. Gradually beat in 1 cup sugar. Beat until stiff and glossy. Transfer meringue to prepared pan. Bake until top is puffed and golden brown and tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Turn meringue out onto lightly oiled baking sheet. Let stand 15 minutes. Using serrated knife, cut meringue into 1-inch-thick slices.
• Spoon Vanilla Custard Sauce onto plates. Top with meringue slice, then drizzle with caramel sauce. Sprinkle with caramelized almonds and serve.