Floating Islands With Chocolate Mousse And Crème Anglaise Recipes

Steps:

• In a large, wide saucepan, bring the milk and vanilla bean to a simmer.
• To make the meringues: In a mixing bowl, beat the egg whites until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in 1/2 cup sugar and continue beating until stiff but not dry. Scoop up several large serving spoonfuls and poach on the simmering milk, about 3 minutes on each side. Remove with a slotted spoon and place on serving plate. Repeat until all the egg whites have been used.
• To make the creme Anglaise: in another large mixing bowl, whisk together egg yolks and 1/2 cup sugar until light and ribbon-y. Add the warm milk to the egg yolk mixture and return to the saucepan. Cook, over low heat, stirring constantly without letting it come to a boil, until mixture thickness and coats back of spoon. Strain and flavor with rum and vanilla extract. Ladle creme Anglaise around poached meringues.
• To make the Caramel: in a small saucepan, cook the remaining 1 cup sugar until caramelized, stirring constantly. Stir in the almonds. Turn off heat, being careful not to burn the caramel. Carefully spoon caramel over the meringue.

Steps:

• Separate two of the eggs. In top of double boiler, combine 1 whole egg and 2 yolks with 1/4 cup sugar and the salt, whisking until smooth. Whisk in the milk and cook over simmering water, stirring constantly with a spatula or wooden spoon. When the custard thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon, remove it from the heat. (Do not boil. If custard should start to curdle, remove from heat and beat vigorously until smooth.) Pour the custard through a strainer into a bowl and stir in the vanilla extract. Cool and refrigerate.
• In a heat-proof bowl, lightly whisk the 2 egg whites with the remaining 1/4 cup sugar, just enough to dissolve the sugar. Place the bowl on top of a pot of simmering water and stir constantly until the temperature of the whites reaches 145 degrees F (63 C) or hotter. Immediately remove the bowl from the heat, and use an electric mixer to beat the warm egg whites until they form stiff, glossy peaks.
• Pour the chilled custard into a serving dish. Drop the meringue by heaping tablespoons onto the custard to make islands. Chill before serving.

Steps:

• Heat the milk and vanilla in a pan until steaming. Whisk the egg yolks and sugar in a large bowl until smooth and creamy. Continue whisking while you pour the hot milk over the egg yolks in a steady stream, until combined. Transfer back to the pan, and heat over a medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until thickened, about 10 mins. It shouldn't be custard thick, more of a thick double cream consistency. Transfer to a bowl, cover the surface with a scrunched piece of baking parchment and leave to cool. Once cool, chill until ready to serve.
• Put the egg white in a stand mixer. Whisk for 4-5 mins until you get soft peaks. With the motor still running, add the sugar 1 tbsp at a time, allowing it to be incorporated before adding the next. When all the sugar has been added, whisk for another 2-3 mins until stiff.
• Pour the milk and 200ml water into a wide pan or medium frying pan and heat until steaming, but not boiling. Add heaped teaspoons of the meringue mix into the milk, using another teaspoon to slide the meringue off the spoon, and gently poach for 3-4 mins (you don't need to move them around). Carefully turn the meringues over and cook the other side for 3-4 mins until set. Remove the meringues from the milk and leave to cool on a plate.
• To make the caramel, heat the sugar, 1 tbsp water and pinch of salt in a small pan and cook on a medium heat until you get a lightly golden caramel, about 10 mins. Keep warm for drizzling at the end.
• To serve, briefly stir, then spoon the custard into four ramekins or small bowls. Top each with a meringue and a drizzle of caramel.

Steps:

• Make the meringue: Heat oven to 250 degrees. Butter the inside of a 2-quart soufflé mold or baking dish, at least 3 and 1/2 inches deep, then use 2 tablespoons sugar to coat butter, knocking out excess over the sink.
• Using an electric mixer set on medium-slow speed, beat egg whites until they begin to froth. Add salt and cream of tartar, increase speed to fast, and continue to beat until whites hold soft peaks. Add remaining sugar a tablespoon at a time and beat until whites hold stiff peaks. Beat in vanilla. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold in almond flour.
• Spoon mixture into the prepared dish and smooth the top. It might overfill the dish; that's O.K. Do not press mixture down. Bake until meringue has risen at least 1/2 inch and is very lightly colored on top, 30 to 40 minutes. Let cool at room temperature for 30 minutes, then refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 1 day.
• Prepare the crème Anglaise: In a medium, heavy saucepan, bring milk to a simmer. In a bowl, vigorously whisk together yolks, sugar and salt until pale yellow and thick. Whisking constantly, dribble in about half of the hot milk. (Don't stop whisking or you risk curdling the eggs.) Pour yolk mixture into the pan with the rest of the milk and gently cook over low heat, stirring constantly and thoroughly, especially around the sides of the pan. When mixture starts to thicken enough to coat the spoon, about 5 minutes, add apricots and cook for 2 minutes longer, just enough to soften the fruit, while continuing to stir.
• Transfer apricot mixture to a food processor or blender, add vanilla and purée until just smooth. Don't overdo it: you don't want a mousse-like froth. Chill until serving, at least 1 hour and up to 3 days.
• Run a knife around the sides of the meringue to loosen it from the dish and unmold it onto a large platter or, even better, into a wide, shallow bowl. The sugar syrup that's formed will run down the sides of the meringue. Pour apricot crème Anglaise around the island, creating a pale orange sea. Serve garnished with sliced almond and apricots, if you like.