Île Flottante (Floating Island)

Lori Wilson

Île Flottante — French for "floating island" — is a classic dessert made of soft poached meringue served on a pool of vanilla custard and finished with a drizzle of caramel. The meringue is whipped to stiff peaks and gently poached, giving it a light, cloud-like texture. From start to finish, the whole dessert comes together in about 45 minutes.

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Prep Time 30

Cook Time 20

Total Time 50

Course Dessert

Cuisine French

Servings plates

Calories 438 kcal

Equipment

Whisk
Saucepan
Mixing Bowl
Baking sheet
Parchment Paper
Spoon

Ingredients

For the Meringue:

4 large egg whites room temperature
½ teaspoon cream of tartar
1 cup granulated sugar divided

For the Custard:

4 large egg yolks
2 cups whole milk preferably organic
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the Caramel Sauce:

½ cup granulated sugar
¼ cup water

Instructions

Meringue:

In a mixing bowl, whisk the egg whites with cream of tartar until soft peaks form. Gradually add 1/2 cup of sugar, whisking until stiff, glossy peaks form.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Spoon the meringue into six large dollops onto the parchment. Bake gently in a preheated oven at 200°F (93°C) for about 15 minutes until set but not browned.

Custard:

While the meringues are baking, heat the milk in a saucepan over medium heat until almost simmering. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks and remaining sugar, then slowly add in the hot milk, whisking continuously to prevent cooking the eggs.
Return the mixture to the saucepan. Stir constantly over gentle heat until the custard thickens and coats the back of a spoon. Stir in the vanilla extract.

Caramel Sauce:

In a clean saucepan, combine the sugar and water. Heat over medium-high until the sugar dissolves and caramelizes to a golden brown.

Notes

Lori’s Tips:

For an impressive twist, infuse the custard with a hint of lemon or almond extract.
If you're avoiding sugar, use a sugar substitute in the meringue and custard, keeping in mind the caramel will need real sugar for the proper consistency.

Nutrition

Calories: 438kcalCarbohydrates: 82gProtein: 10gFat: 9gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 198mgSodium: 111mgPotassium: 320mgSugar: 81gVitamin A: 443IUCalcium: 176mgIron: 1mg

Keyword Floating Island, French Dessert, Île Flottante

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