Île flottante
Photo: Marianne Casamance · CC BY-SA 4.0

History

The dish takes its name from a 19th-century Carême creation called œufs à la neige, a stiffer egg-white meringue. The simpler floating-island form spread through Parisian bistros in the 20th century as a use for leftover egg whites from sauces and crème pâtissière. Bistrot Paul Bert on Rue Paul Bert has plated the dessert for two on a single oval platter since opening in 1959; the version sets the city's benchmark. Bouillon Chartier still serves a €3.50 single-portion version that has not changed in price since the Euro changeover. The technique is gentle: the meringue must poach, not boil, and the crème anglaise must hit 82°C without scrambling.

Book a food experience

Tours, tastings and classes from the cities on this page, bookable on GetYourGuide.

Browse every bookable food experience

Common allergens: Egg, Dairy

Make it at home

Yield 4Hands-on 30 minTotal 1 hrDifficulty Intermediate

Ingredients

  • For the crème anglaise: 500ml whole milk
  • 1 vanilla pod split lengthways
  • 5 large egg yolks
  • 80g caster sugar
  • For the meringue: 4 large egg whites, 100g caster sugar, pinch of salt
  • For poaching: 1L whole milk + 1 vanilla pod
  • For the caramel: 150g caster sugar, 50ml water

Method

  1. Make the crème anglaise: bring the milk and vanilla pod to a simmer. Whisk yolks with sugar until pale. Pour the hot milk over the yolks, return to the pan, cook over low heat stirring constantly until it reaches 82°C and coats the back of a spoon. Strain into a chilled bowl and refrigerate.
  2. For the meringue, whip the whites with salt to soft peaks, then add the sugar a tablespoon at a time, whipping to firm glossy peaks.
  3. Bring the poaching milk to 80°C in a wide shallow pan. Use two large spoons to form quenelles of meringue and poach each for 90 seconds per side. Lift onto a tray with a slotted spoon.
  4. Make the caramel: heat the sugar and water in a clean pan over medium heat without stirring until amber. Take off the heat the moment it turns deep amber.
  5. To serve, pour the cold crème anglaise into shallow bowls, float two meringue quenelles per portion, drizzle warm caramel across the top in zig-zag lines.

Tip from the editors. Crème anglaise must not boil. If it nears 85°C, lift the pan off the heat and whisk briskly until it cools two degrees.

Where to eat île flottante

Île flottante in Paris

Bistrot Paul Bert ★ 4.4

€€ French Bistro11e

Bistrot Paul Bert is Paris's textbook bistro: zinc bar, chalkboard menu, steak frites cooked rare with hand-cut fries, île flottante for two on a single.

OrderSteak frites cooked saignant, île flottante for two, a pichet of house red.

TipClosed Sunday and Monday. Book two weeks ahead for a weeknight or take the 19:30 first seating.

Directions

Bouillon Chartier ★ 4.0

€ Brasserie

Bouillon Chartier in Paris is the 1896 workers' brasserie still plating œuf mayonnaise at €3 and a full bistro 3-course set under €18, no reservation.

TryThree-course bistro classics

TipQueue moves fast. Arrive at 11:30 lunch or 18:30 dinner for the first wave of seating.

Directions

Bouillon Pigalle ★ 4.1

€€ French bistroUntil Open until 00:00

Bouillon Pigalle in Paris pours classic bouillon dishes until midnight. At 22 Boulevard de Clichy. Booking recommended. Reservations advised.

TryBouillon classics

TipAfter 22:30 the queue thins. Order onion soup, steak tartare and île flottante for the late triple.

Directions

Le Comptoir du Relais ★ 4.4

€€ French Bistro6e

Yves Camdeborde's Le Comptoir du Relais in Paris helped invent the term bistronomie in the 1990s and still serves the dining-room version every weeknight.

OrderThe pâté en croûte for two and whatever offal main is on the chalkboard.

TipLunch and weekend service runs walk-in; dinner Mon-Fri needs a booking six weeks out.

Directions

All Paris signature dishes →

More cities are in research. Want île flottante covered somewhere specific? Tell us where you want to eat.

Browse all dishes →