A simple and beautiful way to end any dinner, this classic French floating island dessert will impress all of your guests.
This Floating Island Dessert Was One of Julia Child’s Favorites
Updated on Mar. 01, 2023
Julia Child is known for helping American home cooks feel comfortable with complex French recipes. (Here are Julia’s cooking lessons we’re still applying today.) The movie Julie & Julia made her Coq Au Vin and chocolate cream pie famous all over again. One of her favorite desserts however, was a somewhat forgotten French classic: île flottante, also known as the floating island dessert.
What Is a Floating Island Dessert?
This quintessential dessert is made of a cooked meringue served in a thick custard sauce. The meringue is the sweet island floating in an ocean of custard or creme anglaise (English cream).
What Is Served on Top of a Floating Island?
Spun sugar, caramel sauce or sugar art are used as a garnish to add color and a crunchy texture to the dessert. Since it is very sweet, a floating island is often served with fresh berries to provide a tart contrast to the sweetness.
How to Make a Floating Island Dessert
Julia’s dessert was a baked meringue served over a custard sauce. This recipe from Tonya Burkhard of Palm Coast, Florida is a little more approachable and produces similar results by poaching the meringue on the stove top. In France, this variation of the Floating Island Dessert is called œufs à la neige or “eggs in snow.”
Ingredients
- 4 large egg whites
- 4 large egg yolks
- 2 large eggs
- 1-1/2 cups sugar, divided
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 6-1/4 cups whole milk, divided
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, divided
- 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1/2 cup store-bought caramel sauce
- 1 cup sliced fresh berries
Directions
Step 1: Get the egg whites to room temp
Place your egg whites in a large bowl; let stand at room temperature 30 minutes.
Step 2: Create the custard
In a large heavy saucepan, whisk egg yolks, eggs, 1 cup sugar and cornstarch until blended. Stir in 4 cups milk. Cook over medium-low heat 10-15 minutes, stirring constantly until mixture is just thick enough to coat a metal spoon. Don’t allow your milk to come to a boil! Immediately remove from heat and strain through a fine-mesh strainer into a large bowl.
Place the bowl in an ice-water bath. Stir occasionally as mixture cools off for 5 minutes. Stir in 1-1/2 teaspoons of vanilla. Gently press plastic wrap onto the surface of custard. Let it chill out in the fridge for about 1 hour.
Step 3: Make the meringue
Editor’s Tip: This is a delicate process. Check out our tips before getting started.
Add cream of tartar to egg whites and beat on medium speed until nice and foamy. Gradually add the remaining sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating on high after each addition until sugar is dissolved. Stir in remaining vanilla. Continue beating until the desired stiff glossy peaks form.
Step 4: Cook the meringue
In a large heavy skillet, bring remaining milk to a very low simmer over medium-low heat. Drop meringue by 1/3 cupfuls into milk; poach meringues 2 to 3 minutes on each side, until firm to the touch. Carefully place cooked meringues on a paper towel to drain. Repeat with remaining meringue, making a total of 12 pretty snowballs. Discard remaining milk.
Step 5: Assemble the dish
Pour custard sauce onto a lovely dessert plate, and top with 2 to 3 meringues. Drizzle your dessert delicately with caramel sauce and garnish with a few fresh berries.
Voilà: You have your floating island dessert! If this recipe inspired you and you’d like to try cooking like Julia for a week, read this personal account for tips. If you’re looking for more recipes from her cookbook, don’t forget to try this Julia Child’s chocolate mousse recipe.
Try These French Desserts
PalmiersPalmiers take just two ingredients to make these impressive but easy-to-do French pastries, which are often called palm leaves. —Taste Recipes Test Kitchen, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
French MacaronsLearning how to make macarons takes a bit of time, but these delicious cookies are worth it. —Josh Rink, Taste Recipes Food Stylist
French Butter CookiesThe Brittany region of France is known for its use of butter. These French butter cookies, also known as sable Breton, shine the spotlight on the famous ingredient. This recipe is mildly sweet, rich, crisp and has a hint of salt. You won't be able to resist having a second—or third. —Taste Recipes Test Kitchen, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
French Hot ChocolateOne of my fondest memories of Paris was sipping a cup of thick, dark hot chocolate at one of their patisseries. French hot chocolate is velvety smooth, rich, decadent and almost the consistency of a molten chocolate bar. It is meant to be sipped slowly and savored. —Darlene Brenden, Salem, Oregon
Very Blueberry ClafoutisThis blueberry clafouti is somewhere between a fruit-filled pancake and a fruity egg custard. Wrong season for fresh berries? Use frozen berries thawed in a colander and discard the juice. —Ken Hulme, Venice, Florida
Meringue Snowballs In CustardMy family has passed down this elegant dessert generation by generation. It started with my Russian great-grandmother, who traveled to America more than 100 years ago. I love continuing the tradition with her recipe. —Tonya Burkhard, Palm Coast, Florida
Decadent Chocolate Crepe CakeNo other dessert has wowed family and friends the way this stunning crepe cake did the first time I made it. A showstopper in every sense of the word, it features layers of tender chocolate crepes and rich white chocolate buttercream frosting draped in a semisweet chocolate ganache. —Tina Sawchuk, Ardmore, Alberta
Springtime Beignets & BerriesI've always loved beignets, but never thought I could make them myself. Turns out they're easy! Sometimes I'll even make a quick berry whipped cream and pipe it inside for a fun surprise. —Kathi Hemmer, Grand Junction, Colorado
Shortbread Lemon TartBe patient when making the crust for this lemon tart. It will take a few minutes of pulsing for the food processor to work its magic. —Taste Recipes Test Kitchen
Hazelnut Madeleine CookiesThese soft, cakelike cookies have a delicate hazelnut flavor—perfect for making great memories! They’re baked in the distinctive shell-shaped madeleine pan, available in kitchen specialty stores. —Taste Recipes Test Kitchen
Maple-Apple ClafoutisThis fruit pudding could not be easier to make! A traditional comfort food in France, it is often made with cherries. I use apples and maple syrup to give it a real Midwestern flair. —Bridget Klusman, Otsego, Michigan
Creamy Strawberry CrepesWrap summer-ripe strawberries and creamy filling into these delicate crepes for an elegant brunch entree. —Kathy Kochiss, Huntington, Connecticut
Finger-Licking Good Mini Cream PuffsThis recipe is quick and easy to whip up and the kids will love it! They are perfect to pack for a picnic or to have as a snack for family game night I guarantee you can't eat just one…hey are so addicting & they're perfect for satisfying any sweet tooth! —Jennifer Erwin, Reynoldsburg, Ohio
Strawberry TartThis creamy strawberry tart boasts a crunchy chocolate layer tucked next to the crust. Try making individual tartlets instead of one big dessert. —Dawn Tringali, Hamilton Square, New Jersey
Lemony Walnut-Raisin GaletteThis flaky, buttery pastry dessert has a filling of fruit, walnuts, coconut and cinnamon. There's a lot to love! For even more appeal, dollop sweetened whipped cream on top of each serving. —Ellen Kozak, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Blood Orange Caramel Tarte TatinI never had blood oranges until I moved to California. The season is short, so I use them in everything while I can get them. That sweet orange flavor with some brown sugar is a perfect combination. Whenever I have something to go to, my friends demand that I bring this dessert. —Pamela Butkowski, Hermosa Beach, California. If you enjoyed this recipe, then you must try our favorite pear tarte tatin.
Classic Creme BruleeWith a caramelized topping and custardy filling, a creme brulee recipe will always bring an air of elegance to any dessert menu.
Festive French PancakesNot quite as thin as true crepes, these light-as-a-feather pancakes are topped with preserves and a dusting of confectioners' sugar. They're elegant, so easy to make and say "Joyeux Noel" with delicious French flair!
Meringue KissesThere's a nice chocolaty surprise inside these sweet kisses. They're my husband's top choice each Christmas.—Tami Henke, Lockport, Illinois
Semisweet Chocolate MousseA friend shared this rich velvety chocolate mousse recipe with me. I love to cook and have tons of recipes, but this one is a favorite. Best of all, it's easy to make. —Judy Spencer, San Diego, California
Chocolate Cherry CrepesOne of the reasons that we love this impressive-looking recipe is that it's easy to make. We prepare the crepes and filling in advance, and assemble them and add the topping just before serving. —Taste Recipes Test Kitchen
French ButtercreamFrench buttercream has a custard-like texture and is great if you're going to be piping shapes or decorations. —Taste Recipes Test Kitchen
Almond Pear TartI had never seen a "pie without a pan" until my daughter brought back this wonderful pear almond tart recipe from a Rotary Club exchange program in Belgium. It's still a family favorite after all these years. —Sherry LaMay, Capitan, New Mexico
Burgundy PearsThese warm spiced pears elevate slow cooking to a new level of elegance, yet they're incredibly easy to make. Your friends won't believe this fancy-looking dessert came from a slow cooker. —Elizabeth Hanes, Peralta, New Mexico
Baba au Rhum CakesDry and candied fruit stud this baba au rhum. The rum is subtle, so it is suitable as a dessert or on a brunch buffet. —Diane Halferty, Tucson, Arizona
Hot Cocoa SouffleA friend invited me to go to a cooking demo at her church years ago, and one of the recipes prepared was this luscious souffle. It was so easy—and absolutely delicious. —Joan Hallford, North Richland Hills, Texas
Chocolate Pear Hazelnut TartAs a teenage foreign exchange student in the south of France, I was horribly homesick. Then my host family's Grandmother Miette arrived and asked if I'd like to help her bake this nutty tart from scratch. It turned my trip around and inspired my lifelong passion for baking. Weighing ingredients, roasting nuts, kneading dough—the art of baking transcends language. —Lexi McKeown, Los Angeles, California
Chocolate TrufflesThese chocolate truffles with condensed milk are so quick and easy that you'll have almost no reason not to bring a batch to your next event
French Christmas CookiesThese moist treats will have everyone reaching for more. Folks tell me they enjoy these French Christmas cookies. In fact, the batches I make ahead for my family and store in the freezer until Christmas seem to mysteriously disappear each year—even though the chocolate topping I put on before serving hasn't been added yet! —Judy Wilder, Mankato, Minnesota
Chocolate EclairsWith creamy filling and fudgy frosting, this chocolate eclair recipe is extra special. —Jessica Campbell, Viola, Wisconsin
French Lemon-Apricot TartIf you like the tang of citrus, you’ll love this lemon tart. The apricot preserves on top add a nice bit of sweetness. —Peggy Lunde, Costa Mesa, California
Raspberry MousseThis raspberry mousse recipe guarantees a creamy, smooth finale to any summer meal. —Taste Recipes Test Kitchen
Apple CrostataThis apple crostata recipe has firm apple slices covered with cinnamon sugar and a drizzle of caramel topping, resting in a simple dough circle. This is a terrific dessert to make when you don't want to bother with shaping and blind-baking a pie crust.
Lemon Cream PuffsThe fluffy filling for these light crisp shells has a delectable citrus flavor. —Doreen Martin, Kitimat, British Columbia
French Crescent RollsWhenever we have rolls and coffee after church, these come along with me. Here on the high plains, we've been raising cattle, wheat and daughters for 30 years. Our two oldest are grown, and our youngest just began college. —Betty Ann Wolery, Joplin, Montana
Banana Cream EclairsTo surprise my banana-loving family, I made this dessert for a reunion, where it stood out among the usual fare. These special treats are something to look at and mouthwateringly delicious. —Ruby Williams, Bogalusa, Louisiana
Elegant White Chocolate MousseThis Elegant White Chocolate Mousse is the ideal decadent finish to a lighter summer dinner. It is buttery and sweet, with strong notes of vanilla and a silky smooth texture, making it nearly impossible to put down. It’s also a busy cook’s dream recipe, as it comes together quickly and with only a handful of ingredients, all for a deliciously impressive result.
French Noisette CupsThe word “noisette” is French for hazelnut, and these delightful tassie-style treats have a yummy toasted nut flavor in a golden and delicious pastry. —Marie Rizzio, Interlochen, Michigan
Pistachio PalmiersMy family loves palmiers from the bakery, so I created my own recipe. These have a Middle Eastern twist with the addition of rosewater, honey and a touch of cardamom. They are light and crisp—a special treat for the holidays. —Deborah Hinojosa, Saratoga, California
