Mexican Floating Island With Kahlua Custard Sauce And Sesame Pumpkin-Seed Brittle
Serves: 2
Magnus Pfeffer
1 January 1970
Based on User reviews:
58
Spice
52
Sweetness
59
Sourness
39
mins
Prep time (avg)
5.4
Difficulty
Ingredients:
1 cup
Sugar6 large
Egg White1 tsp
Cream Of Tartar2 cups
Half-And-Half6 large
Egg Yolk1.5 tsps
Sesame SeedDirections:
1
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
2
Pour the caramel into a 1 1/2-quart ring mold
3
Using potholders to hold the mold tilt and rotate the mold to coat the bottom and let the caramel cool
4
Preheat the oven to 350°F
5
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
6
Beat in the remaining 3/4 cup sugar, a little at a time, and beat the meringue until it holds stiff glossy peaks
7
Spoon the meringue into the ring mold, rapping the mold sharply on a hard surface to expel any air bubbles, and smooth the top
8
(The meringue will fill the mold completely
9
) 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
10
(The meringue will rise completely and will deflate as it cools
11
) Turn off the oven and let the meringue stand in the oven for 15 minutes
12
Transfer the mold to a rack and let it cool completely
13
The meringue may be made 1 day in advance and kept covered and chilled
14
Invert the meringue onto a deep serving plate, letting the melted caramel drip over the top and down the sides
15
Some of the caramel will remain, hardened, in the bottom of the mold
16
Put the mold in a skillet of simmering water and heat the caramel, stirring occasionally, until it has melted
17
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
18
Serve the remaining custard sauce separately
19
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
20
Pour the caramel into a 1 1/2-quart ring mold
21
Using potholders to hold the mold tilt and rotate the mold to coat the bottom and let the caramel cool
22
Preheat the oven to 350°F
23
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
24
Beat in the remaining 3/4 cup sugar, a little at a time, and beat the meringue until it holds stiff glossy peaks
25
Spoon the meringue into the ring mold, rapping the mold sharply on a hard surface to expel any air bubbles, and smooth the top
26
(The meringue will fill the mold completely
27
) 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
28
(The meringue will rise completely and will deflate as it cools
29
) Turn off the oven and let the meringue stand in the oven for 15 minutes
30
Transfer the mold to a rack and let it cool completely
31
The meringue may be made 1 day in advance and kept covered and chilled
32
Invert the meringue onto a deep serving plate, letting the melted caramel drip over the top and down the sides
33
Some of the caramel will remain, hardened, in the bottom of the mold
34
Put the mold in a skillet of simmering water and heat the caramel, stirring occasionally, until it has melted
35
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
36
Serve the remaining custard sauce separately
37
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
38
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
39
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
40
On a candy thermometer
41
(The sauce will thicken as it cools
42
) 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
43
Chill the sauce, covered, for at least 2 hours, or until it is very cold
44
The sauce may be made 2 days in advance and kept covered and chilled
45
Makes about 2 cups
46
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
47
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
48
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
49
On a candy thermometer
50
(The sauce will thicken as it cools
51
) 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
52
Chill the sauce, covered, for at least 2 hours, or until it is very cold
53
The sauce may be made 2 days in advance and kept covered and chilled
54
Makes about 2 cups
55
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
56
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
57
Let the brittle cool and break it into small pieces
58
The brittle may be made 1 week in advance and kept in an airtight container
59
Makes about 1/2 pound
60
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
61
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
62
Let the brittle cool and break it into small pieces
63
The brittle may be made 1 week in advance and kept in an airtight container
64
Makes about 1/2 pound