It’s hard to say how long I would have owned Dorie Greenspan’s cookbook before eventually trying these floating islands. First off, they look like they’d take a lot of work. Second, they’re very eggy. Third, they look a bit like something you’d see on a B-movie about aliens who populate the earth with pod-like beings. [This is obviously an eye of the beholder situation. I asked my husband what he thought the floating island looked like and he said "an iceberg wrapped in fine gold threads." Okay, then!] I do think they’re beautiful, in an other-worldly kind of way.
In any event, Shari of Whisk chose this dessert and I dutifully set about making it. After quickly reviewing the recipe, I started to see the error of my ways. I love vanilla crème anglaise. I love caramel. That’s 66.6% of the dish right there.
But still, there were those islands. I like meringue, but I don’t get overly excited about meringue, mostly because it’s occasionally just frothy enough to seem like whipped egg whites. Which, of course, it is. But I don’t want to eat whipped egg whites unless they’ve altered their character substantially enough that they seem like something else entirely.
Anyway, this isn’t about me. It’s about the floating islands. The vanilla creme anglaise at the base is delicious. The strands of hardened caramel cascading across the top are irresistible. The caramel provides a crème brulée-like quality to the dish, and who among us can resist crème brulée? Beware: It’s possible to crack your teeth trying to gnaw that hardened caramel off a spoon during clean-up. But the floating island at the center, even with the sugar whipped in, tasted just a bit too much like a poached egg for me to be entirely happy.
I had some World Peace cookie dough still in the freezer and decided to try Floating World Peace Islands, just in case this combination could push World Peace into the next dimension. Universal peace. But the crème anglaise and the cookies weren’t really meant for each other. I’ll have to keep searching….
It looks gorgeous! Great job.
Floating World Peace Islands = Universal peace! Ha! That is the funniest thing I’ve read all week.
Couldn’t agree more about the creme brulee — delicious roasted caramelly-flavor.
Now that you mention it, though, you’re right about the pod-like beings.
That was my problem with this recipe as well – the islands tasted like eggs, not meringue. I do recommend trying other versions of this recipe though – when the flavours are spot on, it’s a wonderful dessert! I mention this in my post but Ina Garten has a perfect recipe.
Hmm.. now I have pods in my mind and I can’t get rid of the idea!
Your caramel looks all light and golden-y. I, on the otherhand, sort of overcooked mine… Ooopss..
Your floating island looks perfect. I love your caramel strands.
Interesting combo of World Peace and Floating Islands! Too bad you didn’t like the meringues! Thanks for trying it though!
LOL, World Peace Islands… too funny!
Well, for not being in love with the meringue, you sure do make a fine looking one. Your caramel looks so neat.
I love the way you analyze this dessert. Your picture is amazing, and I guess in baseball you’d be batting pretty well. Too bad the islands didn’t hold up their percentage of dessert deliciousness. The WP/creme combination was a worthy effort, even if it was a ‘miss.’
Nancy
The world peace floating islands does sound like an innovative idea! Sorry it didn’t work out! Here’s to the Devil’s Food Cake!
All I can say is WOW! I love the way your dessert came out!
I still love your pic!!!
I’m sorry its not your favorite.. but maybe we can adjust something to make it better?
POD PEOPLE!!! That was a scary movie when I was little. Along with Day of the Triffids. But your islands are anything but scary, they are lovely.
[...] that have fallen flat for me from Dorie’s cookbook were, very simply, too eggy: 1) the floating islands (though I’m in love with the stunning caramel threads) and 2) the lemon cup custard. So [...]