Île Flottante (French Classic Dessert)
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For me, Île Flottante aka ‘floating islands’ is one of the most underrated classic dessert of French cuisine. This consists in light beaten egg whites served on a homemade, velvety creme anglaise (vanilla custard sauce). I know that many shy away from preparing it, but I promise you, it’s super easy and the perfect dessert for your next dinner party!
In this article
What is an Île Flottante?
The Île Flottante (pronounced ‘EEL flo-TAUNT’) which translated into ‘floating island’ is a traditional French dessert that consists of two main components: a cold vanilla sauce (also known as creme anglaise ) and poached egg whites.
Traditionally, we serve it as a dessert thing with caramel and crunchy almond slivers.
Prepare Île Flottante: In 3 simple Steps
Step 1 : Prepare the creme anglaise
This is the base for your dessert! You use the egg yolks, while the egg whites are set aside for later. This is how it works:
- Heat up: Slowly heat milk, cream and a vanilla bean. Important: The mixture must not boil (82°C-84°C is ideal).
- Mix: Beat the egg yolks with sugar until frothy and slowly stir in the warm milk mixture.
- Thicken: Return everything to the saucepan and stir over a low heat until the sauce coats the back of a spoon thickly. Then leave to cool in the fridge.
You can find even more tips for making crème anglaise in my article.
Step 2: Prepare the egg whites islands
For the fluffy islands, use the leftover egg white from the vanilla sauce. This way, the whole egg is used! This is how it works:
- Beat until stiff: Start to beat the egg whites. In my article on beating egg whites until stiff, you will find a few of my tips on how to do it perfectly (no fat, eggs at room temperature etc.).
- Add the sugar: Then add a little powdered sugar. It acts like an anchor and makes the beaten egg whites keep their shape so that the cams don’t sink in later. Beat until stiff.
- Cooking: Use two large spoons to shape the egg whites into mounds. Gently place them into simmering milk or water and poach for 3 minutes, turning them halfway through so they cook evenly.
Express Tip (Microwave): Place individual scoops on a small microwave-safe ramekins. Heat on medium power for 30–60 seconds. They will puff up significantly and are done when they feel firm and springy to a light touch.
Step 3: Dressing & serving
Now, it’s just about assembling:
- Fill the base: Spread the cold creme anglaise (vanilla sauce) generously over deep plates or bowls.
- Place islands: Carefully place one or two egg white islands in the center of the sauce.
- Decorate: Top the whole thing off with caramel (simply heat sugar in a pan until liquid) and toasted almond slivers for the crunch. The caramel with become hard which gives a nice crunch as well.
Recipe card
Ile Flottante (French Classic Dessert)
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Ingredients
For the Crème Anglaise
- 5 egg yolks
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar 75g
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 cup heavy cream 30% fat
- 1 vanilla bean
For the Meringue
- 5 egg whites
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar 50 g
Garnish
- 1/3 cup sugar or liquid caramel
- toasted sliced almonds
Instructions
Preparing the Creme Anglaise
- Add the milk, cream, the vanilla seeds, and the scraped vanilla pod to a saucepan. Heat slowly until the mixture is just below boiling (ideally 180–183°F/ 82–84°C).
- Meanwhile, vigorously whisk the egg yolks with the sugar until the mixture becomes pale yellow and fluffy.
- Slowly pour a ladleful of the hot milk-cream mixture into the egg yolks, whisking constantly to gently temper the eggs and prevent them from curdling.
- Pour the entire mixture back into the saucepan. Over low heat, stir continuously with a spatula in a figure-eight motion. As soon as the sauce thickens and coats the back of a spoon evenly, remove it immediately from the heat.
- Transfer the creme anglaise into a cool bowl and cover the surface immediately with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.
Preparing the Islands
- Whip the egg whites until stiff. Once they become foamy, gradually sift in the powdered sugar and continue beating until the mixture is glossy and holds a very stable peak.
- Fill a large pot with water and heat it until it’s just barely simmering. Use two spoons to shape large quenelles of the meringue and gently place them onto the water. Cook the “islands” for 3 minutes, carefully turn them over, and let them poach for another minute.
- Lift them out with a slotted spoon, let them drain briefly on a kitchen towel, and chill in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
Assembling and Serving
- Evenly spread the sugar in a pan. Melt it over medium heat—without stirring—until it turns a golden brown color and become liquid.
- Pour the chilled creme anglaise into deep plates and carefully place the meringue islands on top. Drizzle the liquid caramel in a thin stream over the islands (it will set immediately). Sprinkle with toasted almond slivers and serve immediately.
Notes
- Crème Anglaise: Keep it covered (with plastic wrap directly on the surface) in the refrigerator for up to 48 hours.
- Poached egg whites: Can be stored for about 24 hours. Place it on a paper towel to absorb any excess water.
- Caramel: Prepare the caramel at the last minute. Since it hardens very quickly as it cools, pour it immediately over the chilled meringue islands while still liquid.
Nutrition
Île Flottante: Creative Ideas for Variation
Want to give this French dessert a modern twist? Here are a few simple additions for a new taste sensation:
- Citrus egg whites: Mix the zest of an organic lemon or orange directly into the egg whites before poaching.
- Fine note: Stir a pinch of grated tonka bean into the creme anglaise. It gives the vanilla sauce a sophisticated note reminiscent of marzipan and woodruff.
- Fruity contrast: Replace the caramel with a homemade raspberry or strawberry sauce.
- Crunch: Replace the almonds with chopped pistachios for a pop of color or sugared almonds to give the dessert a wintry vibe.
FAQ – Île Flottante
Simply do the pressure test: The islands should feel firm and elastic to the touch and no longer stick to your fingers. If they are still too soft, they need a few more seconds.
The vanilla sauce (crème anglaise) often tastes even better the next day, as the vanilla flavor can infuse really well. You can also prepare the beaten egg whites a few hours in advance. However, please note: if it stands for too long (e.g. overnight), it loses some of its firmness and becomes a little more compact.
This usually happens if the islands have been poached too hot or too briefly. Make sure that the water only simmers gently and that you beat the egg whites with the powdered sugar until they are nice and firm.
If the temperature rises above 183 °F (84°C), the egg yolk will curdle. My tip: use a kitchen thermometer and take the pan off the heat a second earlier to ensure perfect binding without lumps.
Oh my. I love this dessert I first tried it in a village in the south of France years ago.
Thanks for the tip using the microwave. Genius. I’ll give it a go.
You’re welcome! Let me know when you try it 🙂