VERONICA HINKE
author • speaker • journalist • coach
Recipes & Food Styling
Blueberry Floating Islands

For Bastille Day: Blueberry Île Flottantes (Floating Islands)
Île Flottantes (Floating Islands) are one of my favorite vintage summer desserts! So light, refreshing and wonderfully sweet!
I made these Blueberry Floating Islands with berries we picked today – Bastille Day! – at the fabulous Tammen Treeberry Farm in Braidwood, Illinois. A dear friend and I make an annual pilgrimage there each year.
For the Bourbon Crème Anglaise, I dusted off a fantastic recipe from Miramar Bistro, Bar & Banquet in Highwood that was the star of my 2009 story about Derby Day foods.
Joyeaux Jour de Bastille!
Blueberry Île Flottantes (Floating Islands)
Makes 4 Servings
Poached Meringues
5 egg whites
3 1/2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 cups milk
In a stand mixer or using a hand-held beater, beat the egg whites, sugar and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract until stiff peaks form.
In a small kettle on the stovetop, bring milk to boil with 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract. Reduce heat a bit, and place 2 large spoonfuls of the meringue in the milk. Poach the meringues for approximately 2 minutes on each side. Remove and set aside to cool. Repeat with remaining meringue.
Bourbon Crème Anglaise
(From Miramar Bistro, Highwood, Illinois)
2 cups milk
6 egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar
1 vanilla bean (or 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract)
Bourbon to taste (approximately 2 tablespoons)
Pour milk into sauce pan.
Cut vanilla bean in half and add to milk. Simmer with 1/4 cup sugar.
In a separate bowl, beat egg yolks. Gradually add remaining 1/4 cup sugar while beating. Slowly stir in milk mixture. Return to stove and cover over medium heat., stirring constantly until slightly thickened.
Temperature should not exceed 187 degrees.
Remove vanilla bean. Add bourbon to taste. Place in refrigerator to cool.
Blueberry Sauce
2 cups blueberries
1 cup water
1 tablespoon sugar
In a small kettle on the stovetop over high heat, mix the ingredients together and bring to a boil. Boil berries until they open up and form a sauce with a thick consistency, approximately 5 to 10 minutes.
Place in refrigerator to cool.
To assemble: Fill 4 shallow bowls approximately 3/4 full with crème Anglaise. Place 1 large poached meringue into the center of each bowl full of cream. Use a spoon to drizzle berry sauce across the top of each bowl.


