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Orange and Lemon Floating Islands

This smooth and creamy dessert consists of orange and lemon crème anglaise, tart raspberry coulis, fluffy meringue, and a shortbread crumble.
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Resting Time 1 hour
Total Time 2 hours
Servings: 7
Course: Dessert

Ingredients
  

Lemon and Orange Crème Anglaise
  • 2 Cup Whole Milk
  • 7 Tablespoon Granulated Sugar
  • Pinch of Salt
  • 6 Egg Yolks
  • 3 Oranges zested
  • 5 Lemons zested
Raspberry Coulis
  • 1 ½ Cup Raspberries
  • Cup Powdered Sugar
  • ½ Teaspoon Fresh Lemon Juice
Poached Meringue
  • 3 Egg White
  • Cup Granulated Sugar
Shortbread
  • 10 Tablespoon Unsalted Butter
  • ½ Cup Powdered Sugar
  • ½ Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
  • 1 ½ Cup All-Purpose Flour
  • ½ Teaspoon Salt

Method
 

Lemon and Orange Crème Anglaise
  1. In a large saucepan, combine milk, sugar, salt, orange zest, and lemon zest. Warm over a low, gentle heat until warm (about 100° Fahrenheit, do not boil). Remove from heat and cover. Let it steep for 1 hour.
  2. Prepare a bowl of ice with a medium metal bowl inside of the ice. Place a strainer on top of the medium metal bowl.
  3. In a large bowl, whisk egg yolks until pale and fluffy.
  4. Place saucepan containing milk mixture back onto to the stove and heat until warm (about 100° Fahrenheit, do not boil). Slowly pour the milk into the egg yolks while whisking continuously. Once the eggs have tempered, pour the mix back into the saucepan and place over medium heat. Stir constantly until the custard thickens (about 165-180° Fahrenheit).
  5. Strain custard over the prepped metal bowl in the ice bath. Stir custard until cool.
  6. Add some lemon and orange zest and mix into the custard. Divide the custard into 8 bowls.
Raspberry Coulis
  1. Blend together the raspberries and powdered sugar. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve to get a smooth puree.
  2. Stir in lemon juice. Add extra powdered sugar if desired (to taste)
  3. Drizzle raspberry coulis in a circle around the outer rim of the crème anglaise.
Poached Meringue
  1. In a large bowl, whisk eggs until foamy. Gradually add the granulated sugar and beat until the meringue becomes glossy, white, and stiff.
  2. Using two spoons, shape the meringue into a quenelle and gently place in a pot of simmering water for 3 to 5 minutes. Place the meringue on a tea towel to dry. Repeat process X times.
  3. Gently place one poached meringue quenelle on top of each crème anglaise.
Shortbread
  1. In a large bowl, beat together butter and vanilla extract until creamed. Add in sugar and salt. Scape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Mix in flour.
  2. Shape dough into a rectangle with ½ inch thickness. Wrap and chill until firm (about 1 hour). Cut out rectangular cookie shapes and separate on a tray.
  3. Preheat the oven to 350° Fahrenheit and bake for 10 minutes.
  4. Crumble and decorate each crème anglaise with the shortbread crumble.