Ile Flottante (Floating Island) ~ A French Delight

Leave it to the french to come up with an elegant dessert that is worthy to be on any

fancy restaurant menu and simple enough for homemakers.

For the Ile Flottante, or Floating Island,

the crème anglaise represents the water

and the meringue represents the floating island. How cool!

Later in the post, I’ll share with you photos of my final pastry course days at

The French Culinary Institute in New York City.

I love this dessert. Of the three components (creme anglaise, meringue and almond praline),

my favorite is the creme anglaise. It tastes like ice cream and is very easy to prepare. Oh, and about the almond praline...this is so delicious to snack on!

ILE FLOTTANTE (FLOATING ISLAND)

By Ina Garten (Barefoot Contessa)

Adapted by Carmen Ortiz of Baking is my Zen

Total Time: 2 hr 40 min

Prep: 20 min

Inactive: 2 hr 0 min

Cook 20 min

Yield: 12 servings

Level: Intermediate

Ingredients:

Creme Anglaise:

4 extra-large egg yolks

1/2 cup sugar

1 teaspoon cornstarch

1 3/4 cups scalded milk

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 1/2 teaspoons Cognac (I used Amaretto Disarrono)

Seeds of 1/2 vanilla bean, optional (I used vanilla bean paste; use about 1/4 teaspoon)

Pinch of salt (optional)

caramel: (1/4 cup used for almond praline)

1 1/2 cups sugar

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup water (add off the heat)

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Pinch of salt (optional)

ALMOND praline:

1 1/2 cups (5 ounces) sliced almonds

¼ cup caramel (get from caramel batch)

Pinch of sea salt (optional)

Meringues:

8 extra-large egg whites, at room temperature

1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Splash of Amaretto – (optional)

Directions:

1.      Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

2.      for the crème Creme Anglaise: Beat the egg yolks and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on medium-high speed for 3 minutes, or until very thick.

3.      Reduce to low speed, and add the cornstarch.

4.      With the mixer still on low, slowly pour the hot milk into the eggs.

5.      Pour the custard mixture into a saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until thickened.

6.      The custard will coat the spoon like heavy cream.

7.      Don't cook it above 180 degrees Fahrenheit or the eggs will scramble!

8.      Pour the sauce through a fine strainer; add the vanilla extract, Amaretto, vanilla bean paste, and salt.

9.      Chill. Yield: 2 cups

10.  For the caramel, heat 1 1/2 cups of the sugar and 1/2 cup water in a small, heavy-bottomed saucepan until the sugar dissolves.

11.  Cook over medium heat until the syrup turns a warm caramel color.

12.  Don't stir, just swirl it in the pan.

13.  Off the heat, add 1/2 cup water and 1/2 teaspoon of the vanilla extract; be careful, the syrup will bubble violently.

14.  Stir and cook over high heat until the caramel reaches 230 degrees Fahrenheit (thread stage) on a candy thermometer.

15.  Set aside.

16.  For the ALMOND praline, combine the almonds with 1/4 cup of the caramel and spread them on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper.

17.  Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the almonds are lightly browned.

18.  Allow to cool at room temperature and then break up in pieces.

19.  Lower the oven to 250 degrees Fahrenheit.

20.  For the meringues, Line 2 sheet pans with parchment paper.

21.  Beat the egg whites, salt, and cream of tartar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment on medium speed until frothy.

22.  Turn the mixer on high speed and add 1 cup of sugar.

23.  Beat until the egg whites are very stiff and glossy.

24.  Whisk in 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.

25.  With dessert spoons place 12 mounds of meringue on the parchment paper and bake for 20 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean. MY NOTE: (I used a piping bag and pastry tip (Ateco #849) and swirled mounds onto the parchment paper.

For serving, pour and spread crème anglaise on the bottom of individual plates.

Place a meringue on top of each serving, drizzle with caramel sauce (I didn’t drizzle), sprinkle with almond praline, and serve.

NOTE: To make a day or two ahead, leave the caramel and praline at room temperature

and refrigerate the crème anglaise. Bake the meringues before guests arrive and assemble the desserts just before serving.

RECIPE PHOTO TUTORIAL

ILE FLOTTANTE
(FLOATING ISLAND)

Recipe by Ina Garten

Adapted by Carmen Ortiz of Baking is my Zen

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

for the crème Creme Anglaise:

Beat the egg yolks and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted

with the paddle attachment on medium-high speed for 3 minutes,

or until very thick.

 Reduce to low speed, and add the cornstarch.

With the mixer still on low, slowly pour the hot milk into the eggs.

Pour the custard mixture into a saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until thickened.

The custard will coat the spoon like heavy cream.

Don't cook it above 180 degrees Fahrenheit or the eggs will scramble!

Pour the sauce through a fine strainer.

Add the vanilla extract.

Add the Amaretto.

Add the vanilla bean paste.

(Love this product. Since I learned of it, I never buy vanilla beans anymore.)

Add the salt.

Chill. Yield: 2 cups

(NOTE: I added way too much vanilla bean paste. I remade it using less.

My final photos of the dessert show it with the lesser amount;

namely, ¼ teaspoon vanilla paste.)

For the caramel:

Heat 1 1/2 cups of the sugar and 1/2 cup water in a small, heavy-bottomed saucepan until the sugar dissolves.

Cook over medium heat until the syrup turns a warm caramel color.

Don't stir, just swirl it in the pan.

Off the heat, add 1/2 cup water and 1/2 teaspoon of the vanilla extract (I combined both in a cup); be careful, the syrup will bubble violently.

Stir and cook over high heat until the caramel reaches 230 degrees Fahrenheit (thread stage) on a candy thermometer. Set aside.

For the almond praline:

Combine the almonds with 1/4 cup of the caramel.

Spread them on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper.

Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the almonds are lightly browned.

Allow to cool at room temperature and then break up in pieces.

MY CARAMEL EXPERIENCE: Caramel is difficult to work with. Sometimes it comes out correctly, other times it doesn’t. My caramel was just a bit overdone. I was able to make the almond praline, which tasted fine. But, had to toss the caramel sauce because it hardened. I couldn’t get a pourable sauce. However, for this recipe, I actually preferred just adorning the meringue with the almond praline.

For the meringues:

Lower the oven to 250 degrees Fahrenheit.

Line 2 sheet pans with parchment paper.

Beat the egg whites,

salt, and cream of tartar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the

whisk attachment on medium speed until frothy.

Turn the mixer on high speed and add 1 cup of sugar.

Beat until the egg whites are very stiff and glossy.

Whisk in 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.

With dessert spoons place 12 mounds of meringue on the parchment paper and bake for 20 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean.

NOTE: (I used a piping bag and pastry tip (Ateco #849) and swirled mounds onto the parchment paper.)

For serving, pour and spread crème anglaise on the bottom of individual plates.

Place a meringue on top of each serving, drizzle with caramel sauce (I didn’t drizzle caramel sauce), sprinkle with almond praline, and serve.

NOTE: To make a day or two ahead, leave the caramel and almond praline at room temperature and refrigerate the crème anglaise. Bake the meringues before guests arrive and assemble the desserts just before serving.

Simply delightful!

 ~          ~          ~          ~          ~        

French Dessert is THE BEST!

A year ago today, 9/18/11, I signed up for an Amateur Pastry Techniques Course at

The French Culinary Institute.

462 Broadway

(between Grand St and Broome St)

New York, NY 10013
Neighborhood: SoHo

(888) 324-2433

Finally getting around to posting the final photos from class.

I took this course because I wanted to learn a bit more about baking from the pros.

The (100 hours-once a week for 26 weeks) course ran from

September 18, 2010 through March 12, 2011.

There wasn’t any particular reason why I selected to learn french pastry.

Must say, it was THE best decision I made. I discovered that

french pastries are ‘exquisite’. The best in the world! (dare I say it)

Saturday classes started at 9 a.m. The one thing I didn’t miss was the commute.

I took public transporation instead of taking my car into the city.

Taking the bus, then the subway, then walking a few blocks was

challenging with my books and stuff that I had to carry back and forth.

But, let me be clear, I’m not complaining…just saying! (Smiles)

When I arrived at The French Culinary Institute, at times,

I would sit in the lounge area reading until class started or

I would go to the classroom and help Chef Rebecca prepare for class.

In the lounge area, on the wall, is a whimsical display of hand prints of FCI Alumni.

Can you recognize any of the names?

Class in sesson…

Chef Rebecca Kaiser demonstrates how to decorate a Frazier Cake.

Chef Rebecca demonstrates how to decorate a Genoise Cake.

Final class project ~ Decorate a cake in fondant.

Truth be told, I do not like to use fondant.

However, it was a class assignment. Had to do it.

For the decorating idea, I used elements that described ‘me’.

I’m Latin. Thus the words, ‘Latin Soul’. I play guitar and love roses.

Here we all are…final class…March 12, 2011…with our decorated fondant cakes.

A special “Thank You” to Chef Rebecca Kaiser

for teaching us how to bake, ‘The French Way’.

Here is a collection of all blog posts

about my days at The French Culinary Institute.

5/15/10 The French Culinary Institute ~ Pastry Techniques

http://bakingismyzen.blogspot.com/2010/05/french-culinary-institute-pastry.html

11/25/10 Bonjour! A French Apple Tart For You

http://bakingismyzen.blogspot.com/2010/11/bonjour-french-apple-tart-for-you.html

12/21/10 Crepes Suzette ~ A FLAMBE Experience

http://bakingismyzen.blogspot.com/2010/12/crepes-suzette-flambe-experience.html

1/30/11 Charlotte Russe ~ My Sweet Serendipity

http://bakingismyzen.blogspot.com/2011/01/charlotte-russe-my-sweet-serendipity.html

9/18/11 Ile Flottante (Floating Island) ~ A French Delight

http://bakingismyzen.blogspot.com/2011/09/ile-flottante-floating-island-french.html

Peace in Baking,

Carmen

Baking is my Zen…sweet nibbles for the soul