Floating Islands

Name: Floating Islands
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 1 h
Yield: Serves 4
Cuisine: France
Ingredients: 50 g (1¾ oz/½ cup) flaked almonds, toasted; 50 g (1¾ oz) dark chocolate, roughly chopped (optional); 50 g (1¾ oz) caster (superfine) sugar; 1 vanilla bean; 4 egg yolks; 4 egg whites; 150 ml (5 fl oz) fresh full-cream (whole) milk; 1 litre (35 fl oz/4 cups) full-cream (whole) milk; 150 ml (5 fl oz) thin (pouring/whipping) cream

Preparation info

Serves
4

Difficulty
Easy
Ready in
1 hr

Appears in

100 Desserts to Die For

By Trish Deseine

Published 2016

About

Served with a plain or chocolate crème anglaise, floating islands are very easy to make and deliciously retro.

Ingredients

For the crème anglaise:

150 ml (5 fl oz) fresh full-cream (whole) milk
150 ml (

Europe
France
Dessert
Vegetarian
Gluten-free
Mediterranean

Method

MAKE THE CRÈME ANGLAISE. Bring the milk and cream to the boil in a saucepan with the vanilla bean, split in two lengthways.

MEANWHILE, BEAT THE EGG YOLKS WITH THE SUGAR IN A MIXING BOWL UNTIL THE MIXTURE IS PALE AND HAS DOUBLED IN VOLUME. Pour the milk and cream mixture over the beaten egg yolks and stir. Return this mixture to the saucepan and place on a very gentle heat.