Last night, I was bored and restless after my three hour nap. Whenever these bouts of boredom occur, I feel the need to cook or bake. Just Desserts was on television as I was thinking of what to create. Just then, Floating Islands was featured in the show. I’ve always wanted to try this eggy custard dessert since I watched Wolfgang Puck’s show starring Julia Child. This is a dish that I could whip up then and there since all the ingredients were available in my pantry.

Floating Island (recipe from Wolfgang Puck & Julia Child) Yields: 2 rich servings

1. Simmer 240ml milk and 1/4 vanilla bean.

2. While milk is being brought to a simmer, whisk 2 egg whites with 1/8 cup of sugar to stiff but not dry peaks.

3. Cook dollop of egg white mixture in simmering milk, 3 minutes on each side. With a slotted spoon, remove whites and set aside.

4. Whisk 2 egg yolks with 1/8 cup of sugar until ribbon stage. Temper yolks to white mixture and heat over low fire until mixture thickens. Do not overcook because the mixture will turn into scrambled eggs! Once mixture coats back of the spoon, add 1/4 tsp of vanilla extract and 2 tsps of dark rum.

5. Make a caramel and almond sauce to top it off.

And Voila!

The Verdict: It was interesting and new for my palate to feel and taste “soft meringue” with spiked custard. It was surprisingly creamy, even without the custard. Trying the meringue, rum custard and caramel topping all together was a symphony of flavors and textures. The softness and sweetness of the meringue pillowed the harsh flavor of the rum custard. The caramel topping added crunch to the dish and also mellowed the strong flavors of the dark rum. However, it was quite over the top—the sweetness was too much to handle. I would’ve enjoyed the dish if the serving was much less. Would I make this again? Probably not since the dessert was too rich.