Snow Eggs
There's no need to go to a fancy restaurant when you can create this version of the snow eggs at home... Snow eggs is called "oeufs à la neige", one of the top-ranked French classics thought by our grand-mothers and mothers. I regularly add it to my menu when I personally run Lifestyle Vacations' hands-on cooking classes in Normandy, Loire Valley, Alsace or Périgord in France.
INGREDIENTS (6 serving)
6 (organic) eggs
80 g + 40 g granulated sugar
750 ml whole milk
1 vanilla pod
Caramel sauce : Put 100g granulated sugar with 25g water in a saucepan. Bring it to a boil over medium heat without stirring until sugar is dissolved. Boil until glaze registers 375°F (190°C) on cooking thermometer. It takes about 10 minutes.
DIRECTIONS
Start preparing the meringue in beating the egg whites until foamy. Add 40g sugar and whisk until stiff.
Put the milk in a shallow casserole pan and heat gently – it should steam rather than simmer. Using a small oval or round ladle, scoop out some meringue mixture. Gently slide onto the milk and poach for 1 minute, turning over half way through cooking. Put the cooked meringues on baking parchment set on wire racks and leave in a cool place (not the fridge) while you make the custard. As long as the kitchen is cool, these meringues will hold their shape for a few hours.
Split the vanilla pod along its length and scrape out the seeds. Put the pod and seeds into the poaching milk. Scald until hot - but not boiling - and leave to infuse (about 15 minutes).
Combine the yolks with 80g sugar in a bowl. Remove the vanilla pod from the milk.
Pour a quarter of milk in the eggs mixture, and stir to combine. Pour back this mixture in the shallow casserole pan, stirring constantly until the mixture has thickened enough to coat the back of the spatula. Be careful not to overheat or it will curdle. Pass through a sieve into six individual cold glass bowls. Chill.
To assemble, put a meringue snow egg on top of each bowl of custard. Drizzle with the caramel sauce.
6 (organic) eggs
80 g + 40 g granulated sugar
750 ml whole milk
1 vanilla pod
Caramel sauce : Put 100g granulated sugar with 25g water in a saucepan. Bring it to a boil over medium heat without stirring until sugar is dissolved. Boil until glaze registers 375°F (190°C) on cooking thermometer. It takes about 10 minutes.
Start preparing the meringue in beating the egg whites until foamy. Add 40g sugar and whisk until stiff.
Put the milk in a shallow casserole pan and heat gently – it should steam rather than simmer. Using a small oval or round ladle, scoop out some meringue mixture. Gently slide onto the milk and poach for 1 minute, turning over half way through cooking. Put the cooked meringues on baking parchment set on wire racks and leave in a cool place (not the fridge) while you make the custard. As long as the kitchen is cool, these meringues will hold their shape for a few hours.
Split the vanilla pod along its length and scrape out the seeds. Put the pod and seeds into the poaching milk. Scald until hot - but not boiling - and leave to infuse (about 15 minutes).
Combine the yolks with 80g sugar in a bowl. Remove the vanilla pod from the milk.
Pour a quarter of milk in the eggs mixture, and stir to combine. Pour back this mixture in the shallow casserole pan, stirring constantly until the mixture has thickened enough to coat the back of the spatula. Be careful not to overheat or it will curdle. Pass through a sieve into six individual cold glass bowls. Chill.
To assemble, put a meringue snow egg on top of each bowl of custard. Drizzle with the caramel sauce.
