Floating Islands
Serves: 3
Lacy Volkman
1 January 1970
Based on User reviews:
45
Spice
48
Sweetness
49
Sourness
42
mins
Prep time (avg)
3.9
Difficulty
Ingredients:
Directions:
1
Transfer meringues to waxed-paper-lined baking sheet
2
Refrigerate at least 1 hour and up to 3 hours
3
For sauce: Scrape seeds from vanilla bean halves into heavy small saucepan; add beans
4
Add milk and bring to simmer over medium-high heat
5
Remove from heat, cover, and steep 10 minutes
6
Whisk yolks and sugar in heavy medium saucepan until thick, about 2 minutes
7
Gradually whisk in warm milk mixture (including vanilla beans)
8
Stir over medium-low heat until custard thickens and leaves path on back of spoon when finger is drawn across, about 9 minutes (do not boil)
9
Strain custard into small bowl
10
Cover and chill until cold, at least 3 hours and up to 2 days
11
Scrape seeds from vanilla bean halves into heavy small saucepan; add beans
12
Add milk and bring to simmer over medium-high heat
13
Remove from heat, cover, and steep 10 minutes
14
Whisk yolks and sugar in heavy medium saucepan until thick, about 2 minutes
15
Gradually whisk in warm milk mixture (including vanilla beans)
16
Stir over medium-low heat until custard thickens and leaves path on back of spoon when finger is drawn across, about 9 minutes (do not boil)
17
Strain custard into small bowl
18
Cover and chill until cold, at least 3 hours and up to 2 days
19
For meringues: Lay smooth kitchen towel on work surface
20
Pour milk into medium (10-inch) skillet
21
Bring milk to simmer over medium heat
22
Using electric mixer, beat egg whites in large bowl until foamy
23
Add salt and beat until whites hold soft peaks
24
Add sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating until whites are stiff and glossy
25
Scoop some meringue (about twice the size of an egg) onto large oval spoon
26
Using another large spoon and gently transferring meringue from spoon to spoon, shape meringue into smooth oval
27
Drop oval into milk
28
Quickly shape 2 or 3 more meringues, dropping each into milk
29
Simmer meringues 1 minute
30
Using heatproof rubber spatula, turn meringues over in milk
31
Simmer 1 minute longer (meringues will puff up while poaching)
32
Using slotted spoon, transfer meringues to towel (meringues will deflate slightly as they cool)
33
Repeat process, shaping and then poaching enough meringues to make total of 12
34
Lay smooth kitchen towel on work surface
35
Pour milk into medium (10-inch) skillet
36
Bring milk to simmer over medium heat
37
Using electric mixer, beat egg whites in large bowl until foamy
38
Add salt and beat until whites hold soft peaks
39
Add sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating until whites are stiff and glossy
40
Scoop some meringue (about twice the size of an egg) onto large oval spoon
41
Using another large spoon and gently transferring meringue from spoon to spoon, shape meringue into smooth oval
42
Drop oval into milk
43
Quickly shape 2 or 3 more meringues, dropping each into milk
44
Simmer meringues 1 minute
45
Using heatproof rubber spatula, turn meringues over in milk
46
Simmer 1 minute longer (meringues will puff up while poaching)
47
Using slotted spoon, transfer meringues to towel (meringues will deflate slightly as they cool)
48
Repeat process, shaping and then poaching enough meringues to make total of 12
49
Transfer meringues to waxed-paper-lined baking sheet
50
Refrigerate at least 1 hour and up to 3 hours
51
For caramel: Stir sugar and 1/4 cup water in heavy small saucepan over medium heat until sugar dissolves
52
Increase heat and bring to boil, brushing down sides of pan with wet pastry brush to dissolve any sugar crystals
53
Boil until syrup is pale golden color, occasionally swirling pan, about 6 minutes
54
Remove pan from heat
55
Let syrup cool until thick enough to fall from tines of fork in ribbons, about 8 minutes
56
(If caramel becomes too thick, rewarm slightly over low heat, stirring constantly
57
) Stir sugar and 1/4 cup water in heavy small saucepan over medium heat until sugar dissolves
58
Increase heat and bring to boil, brushing down sides of pan with wet pastry brush to dissolve any sugar crystals
59
Boil until syrup is pale golden color, occasionally swirling pan, about 6 minutes
60
Remove pan from heat
61
Let syrup cool until thick enough to fall from tines of fork in ribbons, about 8 minutes
62
(If caramel becomes too thick, rewarm slightly over low heat, stirring constantly
63
) Spoon some sauce into center of each plate
64
Arrange 2 meringues on each
65
Dip fork into caramel and wave back and forth over meringues so that caramel comes off in strands that harden like threads, and serve
66
Spoon some sauce into center of each plate
67
Arrange 2 meringues on each
68
Dip fork into caramel and wave back and forth over meringues so that caramel comes off in strands that harden like threads, and serve