Creme Anglaise with Floating Islands

Creme Anglaise

1. Scald the milk with the vanilla bean and leave covered off the heat to infuse, about 30 minutes. Just before making the custard, run a few inches of ice cold water into the sink, set a clean bowl into it with a strainer on top.
2. Stir the yolks and sugar together with a wooden spoon in a saucepan. When the milk has infused, heat again, and pour gradually over the egg mixture, stirring constantly.
3. Set the saucepan on the stove over medium-high heat, and cook stirring until the foam disappears and the mixture thickens to coat a spoon. Immediately pour the custard through the strainer into the bowl on ice and let cool. Cover and refrigerate. Keeps 48 hours refrigerated.

Floating Islands

1. Heat the oven to 325°F/160°C. Butter a 3-cup/750 ml soufflé dish, or 6 to 8 1/2 cup/125 ml ramekins, and sugar the insides, just as you would flour a cake tin.
2. Beat the whites, cream of tartar, and salt to soft peaks. Scatter over one tablespoon of the sugar and beat until stiff and glossy. Fold in 3 tablespoons more sugar.
3. Pour the mixture into the mould and bake until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean, 25 minutes for a single dish, or 20 minutes for ramekins.
4. Before the “islands” come out of the oven, melt the remaining 1/4 cup/50 g sugar in a saucepan with a splash of water. Remove from the heat when it turns a dark, amber caramel.
5. Take the “island” from the oven and invert into a large serving dish with a rim. Pour the very cold custard all around, and drizzle over the dark, mahogany caramel. Serve.
6. *Slivered nuts toasted are nice in the meringue if you like. For this amount of meringue, about 2/3 cup/60 g is good.