Best Floating Island Recipes

FLOATING ISLAND (OEUFS A LA NEIGE)

Steps:

• Separate two of the eggs. In top of double boiler, combine 1 whole egg and 2 yolks with 1/4 cup sugar and the salt, whisking until smooth. Whisk in the milk and cook over simmering water, stirring constantly with a spatula or wooden spoon. When the custard thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon, remove it from the heat. (Do not boil. If custard should start to curdle, remove from heat and beat vigorously until smooth.) Pour the custard through a strainer into a bowl and stir in the vanilla extract. Cool and refrigerate.
• In a heat-proof bowl, lightly whisk the 2 egg whites with the remaining 1/4 cup sugar, just enough to dissolve the sugar. Place the bowl on top of a pot of simmering water and stir constantly until the temperature of the whites reaches 145 degrees F (63 C) or hotter. Immediately remove the bowl from the heat, and use an electric mixer to beat the warm egg whites until they form stiff, glossy peaks.
• Pour the chilled custard into a serving dish. Drop the meringue by heaping tablespoons onto the custard to make islands. Chill before serving.

FLOATING ISLAND

Steps:

• In a large, wide saucepan, bring the milk and vanilla bean to a simmer.
• To make the meringues: In a mixing bowl, beat the egg whites until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in 1/2 cup sugar and continue beating until stiff but not dry. Scoop up several large serving spoonfuls and poach on the simmering milk, about 3 minutes on each side. Remove with a slotted spoon and place on serving plate. Repeat until all the egg whites have been used.
• To make the creme Anglaise: in another large mixing bowl, whisk together egg yolks and 1/2 cup sugar until light and ribbon-y. Add the warm milk to the egg yolk mixture and return to the saucepan. Cook, over low heat, stirring constantly without letting it come to a boil, until mixture thickness and coats back of spoon. Strain and flavor with rum and vanilla extract. Ladle creme Anglaise around poached meringues.
• To make the Caramel: in a small saucepan, cook the remaining 1 cup sugar until caramelized, stirring constantly. Stir in the almonds. Turn off heat, being careful not to burn the caramel. Carefully spoon caramel over the meringue.

ISLE FLOTTANTE (BAREFOOT CONTESSA) (FLOATING ISLAND) INA GARTEN

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F.
• FOR THE CARAMEL: Heat 1 1/2 cup of the sugar and 1/2 cup of the 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.
• Turn off the heat, add 1/2 cup water and 1/2 teaspoons 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°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 parchment paper and bake for 20 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean.
• FOR THE CREME ANGLAISE:.
• 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 180F or the eggs will scramble!
• Pour the sauce through a fine strainer, add the vanilla extract, Cognac, and vanilla seeds, if using, and chill.
• 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.

GRANDMA'S FLOATING ISLAND PUDDING

Steps:

• Island: Mix all ingredients thoroughly in saucepan and.
• cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until well thickened, 8-10 minutes.
• Pour into four 6oz custard cups and.
• seal with plastic wrap laid directly on pudding to prevent film from forming.
• Refrigerate until cooled and set.
• Topping: Mix all ingredients in saucepan and.
• cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until thickened, 8-10 minutes.
• Pour into 2 cup measure and.
• seal with plastic wrap laid directly on pudding to prevent film from forming.
• Refrigerate until cooled.
• To Serve: Insert table knife between Island and custard cup and run knife around cup to loosen.
• Invert each Island on a serving plate and remove custard cup.
• Pour 1/2 cup topping over Island- topping may be served warmed in microwave or chilled.

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 WITH APRICOT CREME ANGLAISE

Steps:

• Make the meringue: Heat oven to 250 degrees. Butter the inside of a 2-quart soufflé mold or baking dish, at least 3 and 1/2 inches deep, then use 2 tablespoons sugar to coat butter, knocking out excess over the sink.
• Using an electric mixer set on medium-slow speed, beat egg whites until they begin to froth. Add salt and cream of tartar, increase speed to fast, and continue to beat until whites hold soft peaks. Add remaining sugar a tablespoon at a time and beat until whites hold stiff peaks. Beat in vanilla. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold in almond flour.
• Spoon mixture into the prepared dish and smooth the top. It might overfill the dish; that's O.K. Do not press mixture down. Bake until meringue has risen at least 1/2 inch and is very lightly colored on top, 30 to 40 minutes. Let cool at room temperature for 30 minutes, then refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 1 day.
• Prepare the crème Anglaise: In a medium, heavy saucepan, bring milk to a simmer. In a bowl, vigorously whisk together yolks, sugar and salt until pale yellow and thick. Whisking constantly, dribble in about half of the hot milk. (Don't stop whisking or you risk curdling the eggs.) Pour yolk mixture into the pan with the rest of the milk and gently cook over low heat, stirring constantly and thoroughly, especially around the sides of the pan. When mixture starts to thicken enough to coat the spoon, about 5 minutes, add apricots and cook for 2 minutes longer, just enough to soften the fruit, while continuing to stir.
• Transfer apricot mixture to a food processor or blender, add vanilla and purée until just smooth. Don't overdo it: you don't want a mousse-like froth. Chill until serving, at least 1 hour and up to 3 days.
• Run a knife around the sides of the meringue to loosen it from the dish and unmold it onto a large platter or, even better, into a wide, shallow bowl. The sugar syrup that's formed will run down the sides of the meringue. Pour apricot crème Anglaise around the island, creating a pale orange sea. Serve garnished with sliced almond and apricots, if you like.

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.

MEXICAN FLOATING ISLAND WITH KAHLUA CUSTARD SAUCE AND SESAME PUMPKIN-SEED BRITTLE

Steps:

• In a dry heavy skillet cook 1 cup of the sugar over moderate heat until it begins to melt and continue cooking it, stirring with a fork, until it is melted completely and is a golden caramel. Pour the caramel into a 1 1/2-quart ring mold. Using potholders to hold the mold tilt and rotate the mold to coat the bottom and let the caramel cool.
• Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a bowl with an electric mixer beat the egg whites with the salt until they are foamy, add the cream of tartar, and beat the whites until they just hold stiff peaks. Beat in the remaining 3/4 cup sugar, a little at a time, and beat the meringue until it holds stiff glossy peaks. Spoon the meringue into the ring mold, rapping the mold sharply on a hard surface to expel any air bubbles, and smooth the top. (The meringue will fill the mold completely.) Transfer the mold to a deep baking pan, add enough hot water to the pan to reach 1 inch up the side of the mold, and bake the meringue in the middle of the oven for 1 hour. (The meringue will rise completely and will deflate as it cools.) Turn off the oven and let the meringue stand in the oven for 15 minutes. Transfer the mold to a rack and let it cool completely. The meringue may be made 1 day in advance and kept covered and chilled. Invert the meringue onto a deep serving plate, letting the melted caramel drip over the top and down the sides. Some of the caramel will remain, hardened, in the bottom of the mold. Put the mold in a skillet of simmering water and heat the caramel, stirring occasionally, until it has melted. Spoon the Kahlúa custard sauce around the meringue, drizzle the meringue decoratively with the melted caramel, and crumble some of the sesame pumpkin-seed brittle over it. Serve the remaining custard sauce separately.
• To make Kahlúa custard sauce:
• In a small heavy saucepan bring the half-and-half just to a boil with the vanilla bean and remove the pan from the heat. In a bowl whisk together the egg yolks and the sugar until the mixture is combined well and add the half-and-half mixture in a slow stream, whisking. Transfer the mixture to a heavy saucepan and cook it over moderate heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until it thickens slightly and registers 175°F. on a candy thermometer. (The sauce will thicken as it cools.) Strain the custard sauce through a fine sieve into a metal bowl set in a larger bowl of ice and cold water, let it cool, stirring, and stir in the Kahlúa. Chill the sauce, covered, for at least 2 hours, or until it is very cold. The sauce may be made 2 days in advance and kept covered and chilled. Makes about 2 cups.
• To make sesame pumpkin-seed brittle:
• In a dry heavy skillet cook the sugar over moderate heat until it begins to melt and continue cooking it, stirring with a fork, until it is melted completely and is a golden caramel. Remove the skillet from the heat, stir in the pepitas and the sesame seeds, and, working quickly, pour the mixture onto a sheet of foil. Let the brittle cool and break it into small pieces. The brittle may be made 1 week in advance and kept in an airtight container. Makes about 1/2 pound.

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.

FLOATING ISLAND PUNCH

Steps:

• 1. Heat water and sugar until the sugar dissolves. Allow to cool.
• 2. Combine juices, soda, orange slices and 1 jar cherries with juice in your punch bowl. Add sugar syrup and stir well. Add pre-made ice ring upside down Drop in Sherbet by spoonfuls.
• 3. Ice Ring Mold: Using a gelatin mold, pour 1 jar cherries and juice in the bottom of the mold. Fill with water and do not cover. Place in freezer until fully frozen solid and ready to be placed in punch. To remove ice from mold, run surface of the mold under cold water and it should drop out.

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 (FLOATING ISLAND)

Steps:

• Place the currants in a small bowl and add warm water to cover. Let stand 30 minutes or longer. Drain and pat dry.
• Place the spongecake loaf on a flat surface and, holding a sharp knife parallel to the surface, cut the cake lengthwise into four flat slices, each approximately the same thickness.
• Arrange the slices close together. Sprinkle or brush with the kirschwasser or maraschino liqueur.
• Heat the apricot preserves in a small saucepan, stirring. When slightly liquid, remove from the heat. Brush the spongecake slices with the preserves.
• Use half of the currants and sprinkle an equal portion of them over the layers. Sprinkle each layer with an equal amount of the almonds. Reshape the loaf by piling the layers one on top of the other.
• Whip the cream and when it is partly beaten, sprinkle in the sugar. Continue beating until it is stiff. Coat the reassembled loaf with the whipped cream, top and sides.
• Sprinkle the remaining currants and the pistachios over the loaf. Set the loaf in a rectangular serving dish, leaving a margin for the sauce. Pour an English custard or a raspberry sauce around the cake and serve sliced.

OEUFS A LA NEIGE AU CHOCOLAT (FLOATING ISLAND WITH CHOCOLATE)

Steps:

• Separate the eggs. Combine the yolks with 2/3 cup sugar. Beat until the yolks are very thick.
• Heat the milk to just below boiling. Add vanilla. Whisk the hot milk into the egg yolk mixture, stirring continuously. Place the mixture in the top of a double boiler, over but not in boiling water, and continue whisking until the mixture reaches approximately 180 degrees.
• Place in the refrigerator to cool.
• Beat the egg whites with about 1/4 cup sugar until very stiff.
• Fill two pans with water and place over high heat. Bring to a high simmer but not a boil. Lower the heat and, with a soup spoon, make little snowballs (about 15 or 16) from the egg whites. Poach each snowball in water - with two pans they can be done in two batches. The water must never boil. The egg-white balls should poach approximately 3 minutes on each side. Turn them with a fork.
• Drain the egg-white snowballs on a cake rack set over a bowl so any water will drain into the bowl.
• Place the snowballs on top of the cold custard. At the last minute melt the chocolate in a double boiler, over but not in boiling water, adding a little water, 2 to 3 tablespoons, to thin the chocolate. If there is a delay and the chocolate mixture thickens, reheat it, adding more water.
• When ready to serve, pour the chocolate mixture into a warm pitcher and pass to pour over the poached meringues and custard.

FLOATING ISLAND PUDDING RECIPE

Steps:

• Heat milk. Mix the following: sugar, cornstarch, salt and egg yolks. Add a little milk to the above ingredients and stir. Add this mixture to the hot milk in kettle and stir. When kettle mixtures thickens, add butter and vanilla. Meringue Topping: In a small mixing bowl, add 5 egg whites (3 from above plus 2), cream of tartar and 1/4 cup sugar, and whip into meringue. Cut angel food cake into small blocks not to exceed 1/2" squares, and put in a casserole dish. Pour pudding mixture over cake squares. Put meringue on top of pudding. Bake at 300 degrees for 15-20 minutes until meringue is nicely browned. Makes 6-8 servings.

MANHATTAN FLOATING ISLAND

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• In a bowl whisk egg yolks and 1/2 cup sugar until it is a pale yellow, set aside. In a medium saucepan heat heavy cream, over low heat, to just a boil. Slowly add cream to yolks, whisking constantly to avoid curdling. Transfer yolk mixture back to saucepan. Cook until custard thickens and coats the back of a spoon, then add vanilla and whiskey. Keep custard over low heat to keep warm, but do not allow eggs to curdle. In a clean medium bowl whisk the egg whites, remaining 1 tablespoon of sugar, cream of tartar and salt until stiff peaks form. Drop heaping spoonfuls of the meringue onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake 8 minutes, or until peaks are golden. To assemble, divide custard into 4 shallow bowls. Top each with a meringue peak, sprinkle with berries and powdered sugar.

FLOATING ISLAND CUSTARD

Steps:

• Scald the milk in the top of a double boiler. Separate two of the eggs, set the whites aside, and beat together slightly the one egg, two yolks, four Tablespoons sugar, and salt.
• Add the scalded milk to the egg mixture, mix thouroughly, and return to top of double boiler. Cook over hot water, stirring frequently, until the mixture coats the spoon.
• Remove from heat, add vanilla, cool, and pour into a glass dish or into custard cups. Note: I pour this through a strainer to catch any fragments of cooked egg white, which can be an unpleasant surprise while enjoying the custard.
• Beat the two egg whites untill stiff, and beat two to four tablespoons of fine granulated or powdered sugar. (Another Note: I didn't have either on hand, so, not to be outdone, I put my sugar into a plastic bag and introduced it to my marble rolling pin.)
• Drop the meringue onto the custard by spoonfuls, and chill thoroughly.