Floating island is a 250-year dessert which I think tastes best with caramel

The floating island dessert (île flottante) originated in France, beginning its triumphant journey around the globe in the 17th century. The original version contained whipped egg yolk mixed with salt butter, with the meringue only added later. The dish was known as ‘œufs à la neige’ , or eggs on snow. Around the same time, another version of the dessert also became popular: the ‘îles flottantes’, or floating islands. With this recipe, like souffle, the meringue is baked in a bain-marie, and instead of smaller dumpling-like shapes, a larger meringue island ‘swims’ on top of crème anglaise. The dish is usually topped with caramel and sprinkled with toasted almond slices. 

Interestingly, the first written account of the desert came from Benjamin Franklin in 1711, who spoke appreciatively of île flottante in a letter. At Zazie, we serve the floating island with candy floss and salted caramel.