This Little-Known French Dessert Was One Of Julia Child's Favorites

Making the perfect island

At first sight, the floating island might appear to be a modest dessert. It certainly lacks the towering presence of other meringue-based treats, like delicate macarons or the flamboyant baked Alaska. Instead, it presents itself in a straightforward manner. The dish consists of just two primary elements: crème anglaise and floating poached meringues. A single scoop of these two components is enough to secure its place among the great desserts.

It is precisely this simplicity that makes the dish so effective. The crème anglaise base is made from just egg yolks, sugar, milk, and vanilla. Cooked on the stovetop, it transforms into a custard that can vary in thickness from a sauce to a nearly solid form. The meringue is typically prepared using egg whites and sugar, which are poached in simmering milk. Here, Julia Child's recipe tip introduces a delightful variation. Child preferred her meringues to be baked, which technically classifies her recipe as "eggs in snow" or "œufs à la neige" in French. However, this is merely a variation of the floating island dish, not an entirely different one. You can make your meringues according to your own taste. Baking them yields a crunchier, airier texture, akin to meringue candy, while poaching results in a softer meringue, reminiscent of a pie topping.