Isla flotante

Ingredients

Meringue

• 6egg whites
• 180 gcaster sugar
• a pinch of salt
• 1 teaspoonlemon juice
• 500 mlmilk, for poaching
• or a water bath, for baking

Custard

• 6egg yolks
• 100 gsugar
• 600 mlwhole milk
• 200 mlcream
• 1vanilla pod, split
• or 2 teaspoons vanilla

Caramel

• 150 gsugar
• 50 mlwater
• a squeeze of lemon juice

To finish

• toasted flaked almonds
• or chopped walnuts

Directions

1. Take it to eighty-two degrees. Do not let it boil, which curdles it. Chill it promptly once it is made. Never touch it or taste it while hot. Keep children well away from the pan. Have cold water nearby in case of a splash. Put the milk and cream in a pan. Add the pod itself to the pan. Warm it until it steams but does not boil.
2. Take it off and let it infuse ten minutes. Whisk the yolks with the sugar. Keep whisking until pale and thick. That takes about three minutes. Pour the warm milk slowly onto the yolks. Whisk constantly as you pour it. Add it a ladleful at a time at first. Hot liquid poured fast scrambles the yolks.
3. Return it all back to the pan. Set the pan over a very low heat. Stir it constantly with a wooden spoon. Stir in a figure of eight across the base. It should coat the back of the spoon.
4. Take it off the heat immediately then. Tip it into a cold bowl at once. Whisk it hard if it starts to grain. Strain it into a clean cold bowl. Cover the surface with cling film. That stops a skin forming on top. Use a scrupulously clean and dry bowl. Any trace of fat stops whites whipping. Add the pinch of salt to the whites. Whip them to soft peaks first. Add the lemon juice to them now.
5. Whip well between each addition. It should be thick and very glossy. Rub a little between your fingers. It should feel smooth rather than gritty. Bring the milk to a bare simmer in a wide pan. Never let the milk boil at all.
6. Spoon the meringue onto the surface. Poach it for about three minutes. Turn it carefully with two spoons. Poach the other side for two minutes. Lift it out onto a cloth to drain. Spoon it into a buttered ring mould. Set that in a tray of hot water. Heat the oven to 150C before baking. Bake it for about twenty-five minutes. It should be set and lightly coloured.
7. Let it cool completely before turning it out. Do not judge it while it is still hot. Put the sugar and water in a heavy pan. Add the squeeze of lemon juice. Warm it until the sugar dissolves. Then stop stirring it entirely. Let it boil steadily and watch it. Take it to a medium amber colour.
8. Take the pan off the heat at amber. Let it cool slightly before pouring. Pour the cold custard into a wide dish. Set the meringue gently onto it. It should float rather than sink.
9. Work quickly, since caramel sets fast. Scatter toasted almonds over it. Assemble it shortly before serving. Caramel dissolves into custard over hours. Bring the whole dish to the table. Cut the meringue with a spoon. Serve custard and meringue together. It keeps a day refrigerated at most.

Technique

• The French version uses several small poached meringues while the River Plate version is often one large island cut at the table, a scale that suits a family dessert.
• The yolks go into the custard and the whites into the meringue, so nothing is wasted from the eggs, which is why the dish exists in this form.
• The custard must be cooked to eighty-two degrees, which thickens it and handles the egg, and must not boil; hot milk poured fast onto the yolks scrambles them, so add it a ladleful at a time while whisking, which is what tempering means.

Substitutions

• Baking the meringue in a ring mould in a water bath is easier than poaching it.
• Vanilla extract stands in for a vanilla pod in the custard.

Variations

• Some cooks make several small meringues in the French style.
• Toasted almonds or chopped walnuts are scattered over.
• Assemble it no more than an hour before serving, since the caramel dissolves.

History

A dessert of Uruguayan and Argentine home cooking, adapted from the French île flottante.

Frequently asked questions

What is Isla flotante?

Isla flotante is a dessert from Uruguay: poached meringue floating on custard under a caramel drizzle. A dessert of Uruguayan and Argentine home cooking, adapted from the French île flottante.

How long does Isla flotante take to make?

Isla flotante takes 30 minutes of preparation and 30 minutes of cooking. The recipe makes serves 6. It is rated hard to make.

What can I substitute in Isla flotante?

Yes, within limits. Baking the meringue in a ring mould in a water bath is easier than poaching it. Vanilla extract stands in for a vanilla pod in the custard.

What is the most important thing to get right in Isla flotante?

Take it to eighty-two degrees. Do not let it boil, which curdles it. Chill it promptly once it is made. Never touch it or taste it while hot. Keep children well away from the pan. Have cold water nearby in case of a splash. Put the milk and cream in a pan. Add the pod itself to the pan. Warm it until it steams but does not boil.