Floating Island Dessert (Ile Flottante) (2024)

Published: Oct 10, 2020 · Modified: Feb 15, 2024. This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

Floating Island Dessert is known as Ile Flottante in France. It consists of a foaming meringue floating in a crème anglaise (custard) sprinkled with caramel and pralines. It seems difficult to make, but all components can be made in advance and with the help of the microwave it becomes mess-free.

This French floating island dessert is the perfect end to an exceptional luscious dinner.

Served in individual bowls, all the components can be made the day before and each dessert composed before serving them.

The components you need are:

• English custard is very easy to make, and you can make it the day before and keep it in a pitcher in the fridge. When you are preparing the bowls, you pour them.
• The floating French Meringue can be very messy to make. Each island of whipped egg whites and sugar are poached individually in milk. No problem, I have the solution. The French Meringues can be cooked in the microwave inside separate Ceramic Ramekin mess-free.
• The caramel can also be intimidating, it is very easy to burn or re-crystallize into sugar. Don't worry, be patient and follow each cooking instruction diligently, down to the last detail.

This is the easiest Ile flottante recipe to make from scratch, with no compromise in freshness and flavor.

For more egg whites recipes, you can check the Nougat recipe Torrone, Mini Meringues, Mont Blanc dessert, Chestnut Pavlova, or watch the web story: Desserts Using Egg Whites.

Creme Anglaise

Ingredients

For the Crème Anglaise (custard) you need:

• 2 cup milk (500 ml) half fat
• 5 egg yolks
• 1 vanilla pod
• ⅓ cup sugar 65 gr

The crème anglaise has to cook at low heat; otherwise, it curdles. The best is to cook it au bain-marie: not on direct heat but inside a pan full of water.

Making the Crème Anglaise

1. Cut the vanilla pod in half and, with a knife, scrape out all the seeds.
2. Warm up the milk and infuse the vanilla seeds and the pod in the milk for at least 30 minutes.
3. Strain the milk to remove the vanilla pod and any other large pieces.
4. In a bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the sugar until it turns a lighter color and it starts bubbling. Place the mixture in a pan, cooking in a Bain Marie.
5. Pour the warm milk into the egg mix, keep the Bain Marie water simmering, and stir the custard with a wooden spoon until it thickens. It can take up to 15 minutes.
6. Once the custard has thickened, let it cool down completely, which you can do by immersing the pan in cold water.

Top Tips

• The crème anglaise has to cook at low heat; otherwise, it curdles.
• The best is to cook it au bain-marie: not on direct heat but inside a pan full of water.
• Here I use a copper pan specifically designed for a bain-marie. You can use any small pan inside a larger pan, but make sure the small pan does not touch the bottom of the large pan otherwise, the heat will be too strong.
• Be patient, it can take up to 15 minutes.
• Ensure the water in the pan does not boil vigorously but simmers away.
• If the heat is too high and the custard curdles, remove the pan from the heat and either strain the custard or mix it with a blender.
• You can also cook the custard the day before and store it in the fridge overnight.

French Meringue

Ingredients

For the Meringue, you need the:

• 2 egg white at room temperature (you can freeze the remaining 3 egg whites for later use)
• 1 cup icing sugar 115 gr
• 1 pinch salt

Before you get started

Making the meringues is not difficult as long as you follow these key rules strictly:

• The egg whites should be at room temperature
• There should be no trace of egg yolk
• The bowl and whisk should be completely clean
• Add a pinch of salt to the egg white

Whisking the egg whites

1. Using an electric mixer, whisk the egg whites at high speed until they become stiff.
2. Add half of the icing sugar and continue to whisk
3. Once the mix reaches a firm peach, combine the remaining icing sugar until they are completely combined and firm.

Cooking French Meringue in the Microwave

1. Butter 4 small but deep ceramic (or microwave-resistant) cups and pour the egg white mix into 4 equal amounts.
2. Make sure there is enough room at the top of the cups, as the meringue will rise while cooking
3. Cook the meringues in the microwave at medium power (800 watts) for 2 min 30 sec
4. They will be the islands floating on the dessert.

Assembly of each serving

Before you make the caramel, assemble all the servings so you can pour the spun sugar directly over the bowls. Once you add the caramel, the Ile flottante should be served immediately. If you store it in the fridge, the caramel will melt.

1. In a soup bowl pour ¼ of the crème anglaise.
2. Position one of the meringues over the crème anglaise in the center of the plate to make the island.

You can also serve the floating island in long ice cream glasses or small bowls.

Caramel topping

Ingredients

For the caramel and the topping, you need:

• Sprinkle of praline
• ½ cup sugar 100 gr
• ½ cup water 100 ml

Plus, butter or light vegetable oil for coating

Top tips for making the Caramel

For the caramel, you need to follow these key rules strictly:

• Never stir, touch or move the pan while the syrup is cooking otherwise, it will crystallize, transforming back into sugar
• Use a small but heavy and even pan. The heat should distribute evenly, as you cannot stir the syrup
• Keep the heat to medium, as a movement of vigorous boiling can also crystallize the syrup
• Be patient and be vigilant; caramel can burn in seconds

Instructions

Here is how to make it

1. In a pan, pour the sugar and the water and bring to a boil at medium heat
2. With a thermometer, keep measuring the temperature of the syrup. The caramel will be ready when it reaches 260 F - 125 C. Don’t get distracted; once it is formed, the caramel can burn within seconds.
3. Once the temperature is reached, immediately remove the caramel from the heat. Move the pan gently but not too far. Better to bring the bowls closer to the stove. Remember, too much shaking can re-crystallize the caramel.
4. Let it rest a few seconds until the bubbling stops, but not too long otherwise, it will solidify.
5. With a spoon, swirl the caramel over the French meringue

Or to make a little cup

5. Oil 4 small bowls with light vegetable oil or butter and place them upside down. Whirl the caramel in the bowl with a spoon making swirl shapes.
6. The caramel will solidify very quickly.
7. Remove the caramel cup and place it over the French meringue

Finishing the Ile flottante

7. Sprinkle with the praline and top the meringues with caramel curls.
8. Serve and enjoy!

More meringue recipes

For more meringues recipe you can check:

• Mini meringue
• Mont Blanc dessert
• Pavlova with chestnuts mousse
• Apricot jam cake with marshmallow frosting
• Italian torrone

Ile flottante served in French school canteen

Ile Flottante is one of my favorite French desserts, the first French dessert I discovered in Paris.

I decided to master this recipe when my son Francesco told me he had it for lunch at his French school canteen. He loved it and supposed that if they could make it at his school canteen, I should be able to make it at home.

I did not want to disappoint him, and I couldn’t declare a defeat against a primary French school canteen (even if Saint Paul school canteen has a fantastic reputation), so I decided to try it.

I have been very happy with the results, and now that I have my chickens and fresh eggs, I make them very often.

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