Foods to Die For: Floating Islands (France)

Tuesday, August 14, 2012

Floating Islands (France)

    Well my friends, today marks the momentous hundredth birthday of the ever famous queen of French Cooking the late and great Julia Childs. Of all of my idols in the culinary world, she is one of my all time favorites. In fact, hers was the first cook book which I had ever read. I remember being a 10 year old in the cookbook section of my local library reading her recipes with as much enthusiasm as if I were reading a canonized epic. She had a way with her words that the rest of us fail to mimic and she will always be remembered for it.
      My all time favorite find in Julia's 'Mastering the Art of French Cooking' was her recipe for floating Island's, or as the French call them "Ile flottante". Beautiful poached meringues swimming in a sea of Creme Anglaise then drizzled with caramel sauce.   Floating Islands just has an excellence to it's simplicity, much like the little black dress.
     Now although I love Julia's version of the recipe, I gave it yet another one of my ethnic twists back when I was in college. Rather than have the white meringues against a white background with a hint of color from the caramel; I gave the dish a chocolaty spin with a cinnamon anglaise which is then drizzled with Dulce de Leche (recipe available in the blog of the same name). Bon Appétit!

Chocolate Floating Islands

8 egg whites

pinch of salt

1 cup sugar (divided)

1 tablespoon unsweetened coco powder

4 egg yolks

2 cups milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 cup hazelnuts, chopped

Dulce de Leche

In a large bowl beat the egg whites and salt together until the mixture begins soft peaks. Slowly add 3/4 cup of the sugar beating well after each addition. Continue to beat until the egg white become very stiff fold in the coco powder. Place the meringue mixture into a pastry bag fitted with a star tip.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil then reduce to a gentle simmer. Pipe a mound of the meringue mixture onto a metal spatula then using a knife or another spatula slide the meringue into the hot water. Poach the meringue in the water for about 2 minutes then flip it over to continue poaching for another 4 minutes, then remove from the water and set on a wire rack to dry. Repeat the process until you have 12 meringues.

While the meringues dry, beat the egg yolks with the remaining sugar. In a medium sized pan, scald the milk and add it to the egg mixture in a slow steady stream. Whisking constantly to prevent the eggs from cooking to much. Place the bowl over a pot of boiling water to create a double boiler. Cook stirring constantly until the cream begins to thicken and coats the back of a spoon. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Whisk in the vanilla and cinnamon and set aside.

Place the chopped hazelnuts in a skillet over medium heat and toast for at least 5 minutes, do not allow to over brown.

To assemble spoon a portion of the creme anglaise onto the plate. Place two of the cooked meringues onto the sauce. Sprinkle the chopped hazelnuts over top. Finish with a drizzle of the Dulce de Leche. Serve immediately.

Serves 6

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Dictionary of Cooking Terms

Al Dente: Italian meaning 'to the tooth' used to describe pasta or other food that is cook only until it is tender but not yet soft.
Baste: to spoon or brush food as it cooks with melted butter or other fat, meat drippings, or liquid (try a small amount of wine).
Beat: Making a mixture smooth by adding air from a stiff stirring motion with a wooden spoon, spatuala, or electric mixture.
Blanch: To plunch a fruit or vegetable into hot water for a short time, then into cold water to stop the cooking process. Used to cook vegetables while keeping the color. Great to loosen skin from fruits and vegetables.
Blend: To mix two or more ingredients with a spoon, fork, or spatula just until combined
Boil: Heating a liquid until it begins to reach a consistent boil.
Braise: Cooking teqhnique to where food is first browned in fat, then cooked on a low heat covered in a small amount of liquid. first done on the range then finished on the range or in the oven.
Bread:to coat food in a type of carbohydrate. Usually done by first coating in a liquid then coating in a type of breading (bread, crumbs, or crackers).
Broil: to cook food directly over or under a heat source with no covering.
Candied: To either cook in a sugar or a sugar syrup. Either the syrup is poured over the food or it is cooked in the syrup until translucent.
Carmelize: To melt sugar over low heat until it browns. This term can apply to the cooking of meats as well with you are creating a thick brown coating to the meat.
Chill: to cover and place in the refrigerator in order to reduce the temperature.
Chop: to use a knife or cleaver to cut food into small pieces. When chopping food the pieces should be larger and more course then minced food.
Cool: to remove from a heat source and allow to come down to room temperature.
Cream: to beat until a mixture is soft and smooth. When applied to mixing a fat, such as butter or shortening, and a sugar you should mix until fluffy.
Curdle: Most commonly occurs in milk based sauces and in some egg products. It is when the Curds(the lumps most commonly associated with spoiled milk) seperate from the Whey (the liquid). Usually trigured by heat.
Cut In: a term used when you mix shortening with flour. Usually done with a pastry blender or two knives. Cutting continues until the mixture reaches the "Small Peas" phase.
Dash: adding an ingredient that is less than 1/8th of a teaspoon. Usually can be measured with a small amount of the ingredient in the palm.
De-Glaze: Done after cooking in a pan and fat has been removed. Liquid is added to the pan and heated while stirring to remove the brown bits and possibly create a base for a sauce.
Dice: to cut food into small uniform cubes.
Dredge: to lightley coat food which will later be fried. First dredge in a liquid then in crumbs, this process may be repeated for a better coating.
Egg Wash: Brushing a pastry with either a whole egg, egg white, or egg mixed with water or milk. Usually done to give better appeal.
Flambe: To add liquor to foods and set ablaze with with a long match or flame from a gas range.
Fold: A technique used to gently combine a light, airy mixture (such as egg whites, or heavy cream) into a heavier mixture.
Fry: A generic term used when cooking food in hot fat over medium to high heat. If "Pan Frying" a shallow layer of fat is added to the pan and the food is not fully emersed in the fat. If "Deep Frying" then the food is completely submerged in the hot fat to cook.
Garnish: An edible decoration given to finished dishes.
Glaze:A mixture applied to food which hardens or becomes firm and adds flavor and a glossy appearance.
Grate: To rub a food item on a grater that separates the food into very fine particles.
Grease: To rub the bottom and sides of a pan with butter, shortening, cooking spray, or oil.
Grill: To prepare food on a grill over some form of heat source. Usually hot coals, gas flame, or wood.
Knead: To work dough with the heal of the hand pushing down against the dough and then folding.
Marinate:To allow a food to stand in a liquid to tenderize or add flavor.
Mince: to cut food into very small pieces. When mincing food the pieces sould be larger than a long grain of rice but smaller than a dime.
Poach: To cook food in hot liquid just below boiling point, being careful that the food holds its shape while cooking.
Puree: To process foods to a smooth mixture in a blender, food processor, food mill, or sieve.
Reduce: To boil a liquid until the volume has "reduced" by evaporation, which thickens the consistency of the liquid and amplifies the flavor.
Render: To melt animal fat (ie bacon) over low heat to separate it from any meat. The remains are called cracklings (named for the sound made by when chopping the remains)
Roast: To cook uncovered without any added liquid. Usually done in an oven.
Roux: A mixture of flour and fat which, after being cooked slowly, is added to soups, stew, chowders and sauces to thicken.
Saute: To cook food quickly in a small amount of fat in a skillet or saute pan over direct heat.
Scald: to bring to a temperature just below the boiling point where tiny bubbles form at the edge of the pan.
Scallop: To bake food, usually in a casserole, with sauce or other liquid. A crunchy topping is usually added during the end of the baking process.
Score: To cut narrow grooves into the skin of some sort of meat.
Sear: To brown the surface of the meat very quickly with intense heat.
Shred: To tear the food narrow strips either by hand or by the use of a machine or tool.
Sift: To pass dry dingredients through a fine mesh sifter so any large pieces can be removed. This process also adds air to the ingredients.
Simmer: To cook food genly in a liquid on a heat low enough that only tiny bubbles begin to form.
Skewer: A long thin pointed rod that comes in various sizes. Used to hold the food in place during the cooking process.
Skim: To remove fat or foam from surface of liquid with a spoon.
Soften: To let cold butter, cream cheese, etc stand at room temperature until it reaches a soft consistency.
Soft Peaks: To beat egg whites or whipping cream till peaks are formed when beaters are lifted, but the tips still curl over.
Steam:To cook in a small amount of water in order for steam to form and cook the food lightly. More water may be added when all the original water has evaporated.
Steep: To extract color, flavor, or other qualities from a substance by leaving it in liquid just below the boiling point.
Stew: To simmer slowly in a small amount of liquid
Stiff Peaks: To beat egg whites or whipping cream until the peaks stand straigh when beaters are lifted, but are still moist and glossy.
Stir Fry: A Chinese method of cooking diced food in a small amount of hot oil over high heat, stiring consitently
Toss: To turn pieces of food over multiple times in order to mix the ingredients together.
Truss: A method which allows food (mainly poultry) to hold its shape during the cooking process. This is done with either cooking twine or bamboo skewers.

Tuesday, August 14, 2012

Floating Islands (France)

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