Floating Islands

Total Time: 35 mins Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 20 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 1 vanilla pod
• 600 ml milk
• 3 large eggs
• 1 pinch salt
• 125 g caster sugar
• 1 1/2 tablespoons potato flour (optional)
• 1 dash lemon juice

Recipe

• 1 place the vanilla pod in a saucepan with the milk and bring slowly to a boil.
• 2 release the seeds in the pod by using a wooden spoon to smash it up against the side of the pan.
• 3 pour the milk into a wide-based pan and leave to cool without removing the vanilla.
• 4 meanwhile, separate the eggs.
• 5 place the yolks in a bowl for use later and beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt until very stiff.
• 6 fold in 25g of sugar and beat again.
• 7 reheat the milk, remove the vanilla pod and drop scoops of stiff egg on to the milk and cook for a couple minutes until firm, turning with a perforated spoon.
• 8 remove these"islands" to a plate.
• 9 beat the egg yolks with 75g sugar and the flour, if using.
• 10 add the warm milk then return to the milk pan, stirring constantly for about 10 minutes until thickened.
• 11 pour the custard into a shallow dish and float the"islands" on top.
• 12 heat the remaining sugar with a tablespoon of water and the lemon juice until it is light golden.
• 13 trickle the syrup over the"islands".
• 14 chill before serving.