Ile Flottante or popularly known as floating island is a globally savored French dessert. This simple yet exotic sweet dish is classic in appearance and amazing in taste.
History of Ile Flottante Recipe
Though the history of Ile flottante is not known, because of its rustic flavor it is assumed to have originated in the French countryside. It is also very popular in the cities and towns of France and can be found being served in most French bistros. Floating Island has been a popular dessert in France for a long time. As the name suggests, this sweet has a ball of meringue floating in a sea of custard.
Method of Preparation and ingredients used in Ile Flottante recipe
The main ingredients used for this dish are eggs, milk and sugar. The eggs are required to prepare both the meringues as well as the custard. Vanilla pod or essence is also an important ingredient mentioned in the recipe.
While preparing Ile Flottante, the meringues and the custard are prepared separately. The meringues or the islands can be prepared by beating the egg whites and then poaching them in water or milk. They can also be cooked in the oven. The custard for this dessert can be made at home following the instructions given in the recipe or can be bought readymade from the market. Topping the dessert with caramel sauce and almonds gives it a unique taste.
The meringues were originally prepared on a hob but can also be prepared in the oven or in a microwave also. The custard however needs to be prepared on the stove.
Serving and Eating of the Flottante
The floating island tastes best when freshly made and served cold but also tastes good at room temperature. It can be consumed at any time of the day but is not usually considered a good option for breakfast. Ile Flottante is ideally served after meals but can be relished on its own as well.
Popular Variations of Ile Flottante Recipe
Few changes are made to the recipe to create different variations of this dessert. The first noticeable variation is in the preparation of the islands. It is poached as well as baked depending on how one likes it. The egg meringues can also be cooked in a microwave oven.
Some serve this sweet dish with caramel sauce and almonds whereas others prefer it all by itself. It also tastes good when the vanilla custard is drizzled over the meringues. Caramelized nuts are also a popular garnish for this dessert.
The custard is usually thin and milky for the dish but is sometimes made quite thick. The egg islands should ideally float in the custard sauce but variations where the egg dumplings are submerged in the custard is also quite popular.
Those who are not fond of eggs can follow the eggless recipe. Here the meringues are replaced by eggless sponge cakes and also eggless custard is used.
Health and Nutrition Facts of the Flottante Dessert
Ile Flottante is a very light and low fat dessert. The custard does contain some calorie but it is very less compared to other desserts. Ile Flottante can be consumed by people with diabetes and heart disease.