Best Manhattan Floating Island Recipes

FLOATING ISLANDS

Steps:

• In a saucepan, bring the milk to a boil with the vanilla bean. Let sit 15 minutes to infuse. Whisk yolks with 1 cup of the sugar then temper with hot milk. Return to the heat and cook gently to thicken. Strain and place over ice water and stir to cool and thicken. Chill.
• Simmer 2 quarts of water in a large frying pan but do not boil. Meanwhile, beat the whites until stiff but not dry. Gradually add the remaining 3/4-cup of sugar and continue beating until glossy, about 30 more seconds. Place a large sheet pan next to the water, lined with waxed paper dampened slightly. Using a large star tip or 2 dessert spoons or an ice cream scoop, squeeze out rosettes onto the paper.
• Using a spatula, lift the rosettes off the paper 1 at time and slide them into the simmering water. Poach for 7 minutes on the bottom then turn over for 3 minutes, not allowing them to touch while poaching. Drain on a dish towel. Remove to a sheet pan and chill.
• Crystallized Rose Petals: Whisk water and egg white in medium-sized mixing bowl. Dip rose petals into mixture and stick to inside rim of bowl to drain. Dip both sides of drained petals in sugar and place on a sheet pan with parchment paper. Let dry for 4 hours in a warm place.
• Serve floating islands in a bowl of the vanilla sauce, garnished with rose petals.

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

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:

• For the creme anglaise: Add the milk, heavy cream and a pinch of salt to a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the vanilla seeds and scraped pod. When the cream begins to simmer, remove it from the heat and allow to steep for 10 minutes. Remove the pod and bring the cream mixture back to a simmer.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and sugar. Temper the eggs by pouring in a small amount of hot cream while continuously whisking. Pour the egg mixture back into the pan with the remaining cream mixture and continue to whisk over medium-low heat until fully incorporated.
• Continue to whisk until the mixture begins to thicken, being careful not to let it boil, as this may scramble your eggs. When the creme anglaise can coat the back of a spoon, it's ready to strain through a fine-mesh strainer. Cover and refrigerate until completely chilled, at least 1 hour.
• For the meringue islands: add the egg whites to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Whisk the egg whites on medium-low speed until foamy and beginning to froth. Stop the mixer and add the cream of tartar. Continue to whisk on high while streaming in the sugar. Add a pinch of salt and continue whipping on high. When the whites are glossy and can hold stiff peaks, about 3 minutes, the meringue is ready.
• Meanwhile, add the milk to a medium saucepan and bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Set out a clean tea towel on your countertop.
• Using two large spoons, make quenelles by moving the meringue between the bowls of 2 large spoons, using the edge to scrape the center of the spoon holding the meringue, until you have a three-sided oval
• Gently set each meringue quenelle in the warm milk. Poach for 1 minute then gently flip and poach 1 minute more. (The meringues may shrink a little during cooking.) Remove the poached meringues to the clean tea towel to drain. Transfer the meringues to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and chill for at least one hour before serving.
• For the caramel cage, add the sugar and 1/3 cup water to a very clean medium saucepan. Do not stir or whisk, rather swirl the pot until all the sugar is moistened. Cook the sugar over medium heat until it starts to turn golden, 2 to 3 minutes. Continue to cook, swirling occasionally, until the sugar is amber colored, about 1 more minute; turn off heat. Allow the caramel to cool slightly for 30 seconds and thicken a bit.
• Prepare 4 small, heatproof bowls or metal domes by spraying with cooking spray (this will allow the caramel to release after hardening). Use a spoon to carefully drizzle the hot caramel in a zigzag motion over the interior of the bowl. Repeat with additional spoonfuls, drizzling in the opposite direction to create a crisscross pattern for your caramel cage. Allow the caramel to cool completely before delicately removing.
• Spoon a small pool of chilled creme anglaise in the center of each plate. Place 2 to 3 poached meringues in the center of each pool. Top with a caramel cage.

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.

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.