Floating Islands In Cardamom Cream 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 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.

FLOATING ISLANDS WITH CARAMEL SAUCE

Steps:

• To make the caramel sauce, put the sugar in a small, heavy-based pan over a high heat and cook for a few mins until it has melted to an amber colour. Remove from the heat and carefully add 3 tbsp water - watch out as it will spit quite violently. Stir until smooth and set aside to cool completely.
• Whisk the egg whites and vanilla essence together to soft peaks, add the caster sugar and whisk until you have a stiff, glossy mix. Grease four ramekins or small pudding moulds with sunflower oil, then gently spoon the meringue mixture into a piping bag. Snip the end off the bag and pipe out the mixture to half fill the ramekins. Put them in a large shallow pan or roasting tin and pour boiling water from a kettle into the pan around the ramekins, stopping when the water comes halfway up the ramekins or before it fills the pan. Cover with a lid or tin foil and place over a medium heat so that the water is just simmering. Cook for 4-6 mins, then take the ramekins out of the water and, while still warm, run a palette knife all the way around the edge of the meringue to release it and carefully turn out onto a sheet of baking paper. Set aside at room temperature for up to 4 hrs until serving.
• To make the crème anglaise, put the milk and cream into a large pan. Cut the vanilla pod in half lengthways and scrape out the seeds. Add the seeds and pod to the pan and bring to the boil, then take off the heat to cool slightly. Whisk together the egg yolks and 75g of sugar until pale and creamy, then whisk in the cornflour and 4 tbsp sugar.
• Discard the vanilla pod, then add the egg mixture to the warm milk and cream, and heat gently for 4-5 mins, stirring continuously until it starts to thicken and coats the back of a spoon. Strain through a sieve into a large jug and cover with cling film. Leave to cool, then chill in the fridge until serving.
• To serve, pour a pool of chilled custard into each bowl then carefully top with a meringue. Drizzle over the caramel syrup and serve immediately.

FLOATING ISLANDS

Steps:

• For sauce:
• Scrape seeds from vanilla bean halves into heavy small saucepan; add beans. Add milk and bring to simmer over medium-high heat. Remove from heat, cover, and steep 10 minutes.
• Whisk yolks and sugar in heavy medium saucepan until thick, about 2 minutes. Gradually whisk in warm milk mixture (including vanilla beans). 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). Strain custard into small bowl. Cover and chill until cold, at least 3 hours and up to 2 days.
• For meringues:
• Lay smooth kitchen towel on work surface. Pour milk into medium (10-inch) skillet. Bring milk to simmer over medium heat.
• Using electric mixer, beat egg whites in large bowl until foamy. Add salt and beat until whites hold soft peaks. Add sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating until whites are stiff and glossy. Scoop some meringue (about twice the size of an egg) onto large oval spoon. Using another large spoon and gently transferring meringue from spoon to spoon, shape meringue into smooth oval. Drop oval into milk. Quickly shape 2 or 3 more meringues, dropping each into milk. Simmer meringues 1 minute. Using heatproof rubber spatula, turn meringues over in milk. Simmer 1 minute longer (meringues will puff up while poaching). Using slotted spoon, transfer meringues to towel (meringues will deflate slightly as they cool). Repeat process, shaping and then poaching enough meringues to make total of 12. Transfer meringues to waxed-paper-lined baking sheet. Refrigerate at least 1 hour and up to 3 hours.
• For caramel:
• Stir sugar and 1/4 cup water in heavy small saucepan over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat and bring to boil, brushing down sides of pan with wet pastry brush to dissolve any sugar crystals. Boil until syrup is pale golden color, occasionally swirling pan, about 6 minutes. Remove pan from heat. Let syrup cool until thick enough to fall from tines of fork in ribbons, about 8 minutes. (If caramel becomes too thick, rewarm slightly over low heat, stirring constantly.)
• Spoon some sauce into center of each plate. Arrange 2 meringues on each. Dip fork into caramel and wave back and forth over meringues so that caramel comes off in strands that harden like threads, and serve.

FLOATING ISLANDS II

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, beat egg whites with salt until foamy. Gradually pour in 1/4 cup sugar, beating until stiff peaks form.
• Bring milk to a simmer in large saucepan over medium heat. Drop egg white mixture in six separate mounds into simmering milk, leaving one inch between mounds. Poach 3 to 5 minutes, turning once. Remove meringues with slotted spoon and drain. Remove milk from heat and set aside.
• Beat eggs and egg yolks in a large bowl. Beat in 1/2 cup sugar. Stir in milk from the saucepan.
• Cook milk mixture in a double boiler over simmering water, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a metal spoon. Let cool before stirring in vanilla.
• To serve, pour custard in a dish and top with poached meringues.

FLOATING ISLANDS

Steps:

• Heat the milk and vanilla in a pan until steaming. Whisk the egg yolks and sugar in a large bowl until smooth and creamy. Continue whisking while you pour the hot milk over the egg yolks in a steady stream, until combined. Transfer back to the pan, and heat over a medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until thickened, about 10 mins. It shouldn't be custard thick, more of a thick double cream consistency. Transfer to a bowl, cover the surface with a scrunched piece of baking parchment and leave to cool. Once cool, chill until ready to serve.
• Put the egg white in a stand mixer. Whisk for 4-5 mins until you get soft peaks. With the motor still running, add the sugar 1 tbsp at a time, allowing it to be incorporated before adding the next. When all the sugar has been added, whisk for another 2-3 mins until stiff.
• Pour the milk and 200ml water into a wide pan or medium frying pan and heat until steaming, but not boiling. Add heaped teaspoons of the meringue mix into the milk, using another teaspoon to slide the meringue off the spoon, and gently poach for 3-4 mins (you don't need to move them around). Carefully turn the meringues over and cook the other side for 3-4 mins until set. Remove the meringues from the milk and leave to cool on a plate.
• To make the caramel, heat the sugar, 1 tbsp water and pinch of salt in a small pan and cook on a medium heat until you get a lightly golden caramel, about 10 mins. Keep warm for drizzling at the end.
• To serve, briefly stir, then spoon the custard into four ramekins or small bowls. Top each with a meringue and a drizzle of caramel.

"FLOATING ISLANDS" WITH CHOCOLATE MOUSSE AND CRèME ANGLAISE

Steps:

• Make meringue:
• Preheat oven to 325°F. Spray six 1/2-cup muffin cups with oil spray. Whisk sugar and egg whites in large metal bowl. Set bowl over saucepan of simmering water and whisk egg-white mixture until thermometer inserted into mixture registers 160°F, about 5 minutes. Remove bowl from over water. Using electric mixer, beat meringue until soft peaks form.
• Reserve 1/2 cup meringue in bowl. Cover; chill. Spoon remaining meringue into prepared muffin cups, dividing equally. Smooth tops with knife. Place muffin cups in large glass baking dish. Pour enough hot water into dish to come halfway up sides of muffin cups. Bake until meringue is set but still moist, about 25 minutes. Remove muffin cups from dish. Cool to room temperature. Cover; chill.
• Make mousse:
• Place 3 ounces chopped chocolate in medium bowl. Bring cream to simmer in heavy small saucepan. Pour cream over chocolate. Stir until chocolate melts and mixture is smooth. Let chocolate mixture stand at room temperature until cool to touch but not set, about 30 minutes.
• Beat crème fraîche in another medium bowl until soft peaks form. Fold crème fraîche and reserved 1/2 cup meringue into chocolate mixture. Leaving meringue in each muffin cup, scoop out center of each meringue, forming cup with 1/2-inch-thick bottom and sides. Fill meringue cups with mousse. Cover and chill until set, at least 1 hour.
• Spoon Crème Anglaise onto plates. Run small sharp knife around sides of meringue cups. Carefully turn meringues out. Place atop sauce. Sprinkle shaved chocolate over. Garnish with berries.

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.

FLOATING ISLANDS IN CARDAMOM CREAM

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 160 degrees Celsius Grease 4 (1 cup capacity) pudding basins or ovenproof cups.
• Place egg whites in a small bowl and beat to soft peaks with an electric mixer. Gradually add sugar 1 Tbsp at a time, beating well after each one until sugar has dissolved.
• Divide egg white mixture between prepared dishes. Using a spatula, smooth tops over. Place dished in a roasting tin and pour enough boiling water into the pan to reach halfway up sides of dishes.
• Bake, uncovered, in oven 12 minutes until floating islands have risen by 1/3. Remove from oven and stand in pan 2 minutes.
• As that's happening, place cream, honey and cardamom in a small jug and mix well to combine. Divede cardamom cream among serving plates or flat-ish bowls. Carefully turn out floating islands onto cream. Sprinkle with pistachios to serve.