Îles Flottantes

I went through so many old and modern books, and spent hours searching the World Wide Web to understand this recipe. One thing is for sure: in older books, almost no one ever dipped the egg whites in hot water. Instead, they were placed in a baking pan and allowed to set in the oven, swimming in a generous amount of hot water or in a bain-marie. This is very different from what I knew before, where I steamed those white clouds in a pan full of water.

Another notable difference is that older recipes were much sweeter — almost too sweet, making it impossible to enjoy with another sweet element, such as crème anglaise. So, I’ve worked on this recipe, reducing the sweetness while staying true to the technique of baking it in the oven.

The great thing about this recipe is that you don't have to eat it immediately. You can let the meringue rest for hours and serve it later, making it easier to serve, especially after preparing a big dinner.


4 egg whites
a pinch of sea salt
50 g white sugar (old recipes often use twice this amount)
seeds from 1/3 of a vanilla pod

to serve:
1 portion (or possibly 2) of crème anglaise


In the large bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the egg whites to medium-stiff peaks. Gradually add the sugar while continuing to whisk, until stiff and glossy peaks form (around 3 minutes).

Preheat the oven to 140°C (fan 120°C). Either butter and dust with sugar or line a pan with parchment paper. The first method, used in a few older books, makes the dish even sweeter, so I recommend using parchment paper. Use a pan that can fit inside another pan, which will hold hot water up to nearly the middle of the meringue pan.

Spoon the meringue into the prepared pan and level it out. Place the pan inside the larger pan, pour hot water into the outer pan, and bake in the oven for 25 minutes. Once baked, remove from the oven and let it cool in the pan.

Divide the crème anglaise between 4-6 bowls and place a meringue on top of the sauce. Serve as is, or in summer, add some raspberries or strawberries for extra freshness.