Oeufs à la neige

Snow Eggs.
Makes 12 eggs to serve 6.

Crème Anglaise.
3 cups/750ml milk
1 vanilla bean split (or you could use essence)
6 egg yolks
5 tablespoons/75g sugar

Meringue
6 egg whites
1 cup/200g sugar.

Caramel
⅓ cup/75g sugar
¼ cup/60ml water

Heat the milk and vanilla bean for the crème anglaise in a sauté pan or shallow saucepan over very low heat while making the meringue.
For the meringue whisk the egg whites until stiff. With the whisk turning, gradually beat in the sugar and continue beating until a stiff, glossy meringue is formed.
Dip a large metal spoon (bigger than a tablespoon) into the meringue and with a second large spoon, shape an oval of meringue and drop it into the hot milk.
Add 5 or 6 of the 'eggs' to the milk and poach them over low heat so the barely simmer. Do not let them boil or they will disintegrate. Poach until slightly firm (1 to 2 minutes). Turn them and poach the other side. Transfer them to paper towels with a draining spoon and leave them to drain. They will be speckled with vanilla seeds. That's ok. Poach the remaining eggs the same way.

Use the milk from poaching to make the crème anglaise and leave it to cool stirring occasionally so it doesn't form a skin (10-15 minutes).
Pour the cooled crème anglaise into a shallow serving bowl and pile the meringue eggs on top. They can be kept in the fridge covered in glad wrap for up to 2 hours.

To finish make the caramel. Put the sugar and water in a small saucepan and heat gently without stirring until the sugar dissolves. Raise the heat and and boil until the sugar cooks to a golden brown caramel (3-5 minutes). Remove from the heat, let the bubble subside and with a fork or spoon drizzle the caramel over the snow eggs in a criss-cross trail. Serve the snow eggs within 30 minutes so the caramel doesn't soften too much.

Crème Anglaise.
3 cups/750ml milk
1 vanilla bean split (or you could use essence)
6 egg yolks
5 tablespoons/75g sugar

Heap milk with vanilla bean then allow to infuse for 10 minutes or so. Discard the vanilla pod.
Beat egg yolks and sugar until they are thick and pale. Stir the hot milk into the egg mixture and then return the mixture to the pan.
Heat gently stirring with a wooden spoon until the custard thickens enough to leave a clear trail when you draw a finger across the back of the spoon (do not allow it to boil or overcook or or it will curdle).
At once remove from heat and strain into a cold bowl. If using vanilla extract add it now.
Tightly covered it will keep for up to 2 days.
My cookbook says you can rinse the vanilla pod and re-use it. Hmmm?

And now I can cook this on holidays as well as at home :)

mmmmm it's amazing how a few simple ingredients can make such yummy food.

Floating Islands!

I put the vanilla pods in a container of sugar once they have dried out again.