Floating Islands

I honestly think Floating Islands might, just possibly, be my favourite dessert… EVER!

To describe this dessert in words does not do it full justice, because it is only by eating it that you can fully appreciate how wonderful it is in its simplicity! Gently poached and fluffy white meringues are placed on a puddle of chilled, vanilla-flavoured crème Anglaise. Lightly toasted flaked almonds are scattered on top and everything is finished off by a drizzle of hot, slightly bitter caramel which sets immediately on touching the meringues and chilled custard to create a pleasing crunch against the soft creaminess of the rest of the dessert. For something that contains so few ingredients, it is truly delicious!

 

Although there are two or three processes involved, this really isn’t a difficult dessert to make and it is worth doing as it looks so pretty when it is finished and ready to serve up; a perfect dish to serve at the end of a rich meal when you want something with a sweet edge without being heavy to eat.

 

The dish may be served without the addition of the toasted nuts and the caramel, but for me their inclusion elevates this dish into something that is sublime.

 

I remember the very first time that I ever tasted Floating Islands many years ago. My Aunt Barbara had just bought her first house and had invited me, along with my Mother, Grandmother and other Aunt, Patricia to Sunday dinner in her new home. I can’t recall what she served as a starter or main course, but I do remember the dessert – Floating Islands! I had been used to eating baked meringue in Pavlova form as it had long been a family favourite, but I had never eaten poached meringues before. Served with the chilled custard, I thought they were absolutely divine and longed to eat them again.

 

I made a version of Floating islands during the semi-finals of MasterChef Ireland and whilst they weren’t perfect and I was under a huge amount of pressure competing against three other very talented cooks, it reminded me of how much I loved them. Since then I have tried out a number of different recipes and after a lot of tweaking and adjustments, this is the one that I am most happy with.

 

Although the dish is sweet, it shouldn’t be TOO sweet and I found that many of the recipes that I tried included far too much sugar, so I cut back on this a little, where possible. Although you can add vanilla paste or a good quality vanilla extract to flavour the crème Anglaise custard, I recommend using the seeds of a vanilla pod. I was recently given a package of plump, fragrant vanilla pods by one of the many wonderful people that I have got to know through writing this blog, appearing on MasterChef Ireland and tweeting on Twitter. These vanilla pods were brought back by the beautiful Brinda when she visited Mauritius this past Christmas… so Brinda, this recipe is for you, in grateful acknowledgement and appreciation of the thoughtful gift that you gave me.
 

Ingredients:

Crème Anglaise:
400ml whole milk
100ml single cream

1 vanilla pod, halved lengthways and seeds scraped out

5 large egg yolks

60g caster sugar

Meringues:

5 large egg whites

125g caster sugar

500ml milk

500ml water

To finish:

100g caster sugar

50g flaked almonds, toasted in a moderate oven or dry frying pan for about 5 minutes until light golden brown
 

Method:

Crème Anglaise:
1. Place the milk, cream, the vanilla seeds and pod into a medium sized saucepan and set over a moderate heat. Bring up to the boil. Meanwhile, place the egg yolks and caster sugar in a mixing bowl and whisk together until pale and fluffy.
2. Once the milk has just reached boiling point, remove from the heat and scoop out the vanilla pod. (Separately, this can be allowed to dry out and placed in a jar of sugar to impart a gently vanilla flavour to the sugar which can then be used when baking cakes etc.) Pour the hot milk in a steady stream onto the eggs and sugar, whisking all the time until everything is well incorporated.

3. Return the milk mixture to the saucepan and heat gently over a low temperature, stirring all the time, to ensure that the eggs do not scramble. After about 10 minutes, the custard should have thickened slightly – enough to coat the back of a spoon. Remove from the heat and place into a clean bowl. Allow to cool and then refrigerate until ready to use.

Meringues:

4. Place the egg whites in a large mixing bowl and whisk together using a hand-held electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Add the sugar, one tablespoon at a time mixing well after each addition until all the sugar has been incorporated and you have a thick, glossy meringue.

5. Meanwhile, place the milk and water into a wide saucepan with low sides. Bring up to simmering point and then allow to simmer very gently.

6. Using two large serving spoons shape quenelles out of the meringue mixture and place one at a time into the poaching liquid, turning them after about 4 minutes and poaching them on the other side. (Do not allow the poaching liquid to boil as the heat will be too intense and the meringues will expand too much and then collapse).

7. Poach the meringues in batches, fitting four or five into the saucepan at a time, depending on the size of the pan used. When poached, remove with a slotted spoon and allow to drain on a wire rack placed over some disposable kitchen paper. (This mixture will make approximately 12 poached meringues).

To finish:

8. Pour some chilled crème Anglaise into a shallow dish and place 2 poached meringues on top of the custard in each dish. Scatter over the toasted flaked almonds and set the dishes aside while you make the caramel.

9. Place the sugar in a small saucepan with 1tblsp of water over a moderate heat and allow the sugar to dissolve. Once the sugar has dissolved, you can increase the heat and allow to bubble away until a dark caramel starts to form. Remove from the heat and very carefully, using a teaspoon, drizzle some of the caramel over the meringues in each dish. Serve.
 

Serves 6-7.

 

Restaurant Review: Aniar

If what you’re looking for is an unpretentious restaurant that serves delicious, locally sourced food, Aniar in Galway City is the place for you.  The restaurant is small but in no way claustrophobic with comfortable seating and was buzzing with diners on the Tuesday we dined there despite the inclement weather outside.

The restaurant, under head chef Ultan Cooke has recently changed its menu structure and now offers a range of tasting options leaving the diner with the choice of selecting from 3, 4, 6, 8 or 10 courses from the tasting menu on offer. At first glance, the menu appears minimalist, offering only 12 choices, and between the two of us my friend Eithne and I sampled most of what was on the menu opting for 6 courses at a price of €70 (or €100 with wines specially chosen to complement each course) per person. We eschewed the wine option in favour of a carafe of Chateau Grand Champs Bordeaux.



Amuse Bouche

Breads arrived shortly after we were seated and included a sourdough with little nuggets of a cheddar-like cheese running through it and brown soda bread which we were informed was made with Dungarvan stout. These were served with a generous disc of butter topped with a few flakes of sea salt. One of my pet hates in restaurants is when the bread is whipped away as soon as the first course is finished. Not here! The bread was replenished throughout the meal which was great because they were delicious and we happily nibbled away between courses.

 

Whilst we perused the menu we were served an amuse bouche duo of kale crisp with an oyster gel and bread crisp with black garlic purée. Both were lovely.
 

To start we chose:

• Swede, Celeriac, Ramson
• Fermented Barley, Clams

Fermented Barley and Clams

It was wonderful to see swede on the menu as this is a vegetable that is often overlooked by restaurant kitchens. Here it was sweet and buttery and along with the celeriac had an earthiness that was accentuated by the gentle garlic note of the ramson.

The fermented barley and clams was fresh and light on the palate and tasted of the sea without being overpowering. This dish had a risotto-like presentation, but was more complex in character than its Italian counterpart, being at the one time sweet and salty with a very slight sour back note presumably due to the fermentation referred to on the menu. A delightful dish that remained in the memory long after we had dined.



Next up was:

• Mushroom, Egg
• Oxtail, Marrow, Garlic

Oxtail, Marrow, Garlic

The gently sautéed wild mushrooms were served with a water-bath poached egg yolk, which when pierced with a knife oozed out to create a beautiful sauce which complemented the mushrooms perfectly.

 

Slow-cooked oxtail was served with a sauce made from bone marrow. Words cannot describe how delicious this dish was. The oxtail was rich and meaty but melted in the mouth. The bone marrow sauce was rich and buttery and completely addictive. Textural contrast was provided with what seemed to be a garlicky flavoured crumb to create a dish that was perfect in every way and a wonderful example of how wonderful cheaper cuts of meat can taste. Eithne declared it to be an ‘umami orgasm’!!!

• Tea Sorbet

Tea Sorbet

Next we sampled one of the most unusual flavoured sorbets I have ever eaten. It looked absolutely fabulous with a simple borage flower setting off the pale pink of the sorbet beautifully. Our friendly waiter informed us that the tea had been specially created for the restaurant to use as the basis for the sorbet. Sorbets, served mid-meal are intended to be palate cleansers and this one did just that. It was floral and fruity but also incredibly refreshing full of the flavours of the wild blueberries and herbs that had been used to make it. I absolutely loved this dish and yearn to taste it again!

 

We were now ready for our next course.

• Pigeon, Endive, Kohlrabi
• Halibut, Seaweed, Herbs

Pigeon, Endive, Kohlrabi

The pigeon dish arrived looking resplendent with feather-like streaks of a sweet  carrot puree which really stood out as a colourful statement on the plate on which it was presented. The pigeon was beautifully cooked and beautifully tender. The endive was yielding in texture which suggested that it had been lightly braised but had a slightly charred and caramelised appearance and a gentle bitterness that cut through the sweetness of the other elements of the dish. A kale crisp finished everything off wonderfully.

 

The halibut was perfectly cooked and seasoned. Its caramelised exterior gave way to sweet, soft flakes of fish that tasted wonderful with the rich buttery sauce that included some well-chosen sea vegetables.

It was now time for dessert.

• Parsnip, Malt, Chicory
• Apple, Blackberry, Buttermilk



Parsnip, Malt, Chicory

Our desserts really turned our culinary preconceptions on their heads! Both looked beautiful and were light and sweet and unlike anything we had tasted before. The first of these, a parsnip parfait, was served with chicory meringues and wispy malt flavoured tuile curls. The parfait was velvety in texture with a wonderful natural sweetness that married wonderfully with the crunch of the granola it was served with. Little bursts of intense sweetness were provided by the accompanying carrot gel and by the chicory flavoured meringues.


Apple ‘cloud’ was accompanied by an apple gel, blackberry ‘leather’, blackberry gel, fresh apple and buttermilk served on a sprinkling of hazelnut granola. Everything about this dish was perfect. The apple ‘cloud’ mousse was as light as air but intensely apple flavoured. The different texture of apple and blackberry played tricks with your mind but ended up being completely satisfying.

 

And finally…

• Cheese, Pear, Honey



Cheese, Pear, Honey

We finished our meal with a wonderfully light blue cheese mouse served with fresh slices of pear served with a honey gel/syrup and seedy crackers which were beautifully crisp. Blue cheese, pear and honey is one of those classis taste combinations and it worked wonderfully here, each element complementing the other. The saltiness of the blue cheese with the sweetness of the honey and crisp freshness of the pear left us with nothing to complain about.

 

Coffees and petits fours finished everything off beautifully. We left Aniar promising ourselves that we would return soon.

 

This is a taste experience that is strongly recommended and well worth a visit to the west of Ireland for.

 

Aniar: 53 Lower Dominick Street, Galway. Open: Tues – Thurs 6pm-10pm; Fri & Sat 5.30pm-10pm. Tel: 091 535947.

Rhubarb & Apple Petits Fours

 

Eve's Pudding

There are times when I think it is all too easy to forget the reason why certain dishes and recipes have stood the test of time and have been popular for generations. These days we are spoilt for choice when it comes to the range of ingredients that are easily available to buy and as a result, I think that there is a desire to create increasingly weird and wacky recipes to use these ingredients in new and supposedly innovative ways. Doubtlessly, it is good to experiment and try out new ideas, because it is easy to get stuck in a culinary rut but different or new doesn’t always result in delicious! The reality is that unusual ingredients combinations often need the knowledge and skill of an experienced cook in order to become something amazing on the plate!

 

In addition to the wealth of ingredients now available, many processes that previously could only be carried out in a well-kitted out professional kitchen can now be attempted on a smaller scale in home kitchens by the enthusiastic, amateur home cook.  Water baths, vacuum packing machines, so-called molecular gastronomy kits and a whole range of other equipment has been scaled down and can be purchased -often at a reasonable cost- for use at home.

 

In this relentless pursuit of the unusual, people often eschew old reliable dishes that they have been cooking for years; foods that are simple to make and taste wonderful. I have also been guilty of this! However, there are times when you cook or bake one of these dishes and you are reminded that they have so much going for them!

 

Yesterday, my gang were looking forward to sitting down in front of the TV and watching Ireland take on England in the Six Nations rugby match taking place in the Aviva Stadium in Dublin. Both teams were unbeaten in the championship thus far so it was always going to be interesting to see which team would prevail in this showdown. The weather was cold and snowy outside so watching the sporting battle that was about to take place whilst sitting on a comfortable couch in front of a warm fire seemed an attractive option. About an hour before the match was due to start, I decided that it would be nice to have something tasty to eat during the match.

 

I had initially toyed with the idea of making an Apple & Blackberry Meringue Tart, but knew it would not be ready in time for the beginning of the match and I was determined not to miss a minute of the action. Given that I had a load of cooking apples, I briefly considered making an Apple Crumble, but decided instead to make Eve’s Pudding an old childhood favourite that I hadn’t made in years.

 

This is such a simple pudding to make and the resulting dish, which is basically baked apples topped with a light sponge, is so much more than the sum of its parts. The recipe that I use is based on the one that my grandmother had handwritten into the back of one of her old cookery books, but with the important addition of finely grated lemon zest and lemon juice. I find that the inclusion of the lemon prevents the pudding from seeming too sweet and at the same time really accentuates the flavour of the apples. This pudding is a perfect example of why we shouldn’t let these wonderful old recipes fall into oblivion.

 

Serve with a dollop of lightly whipped fresh cream or some warm custard and you will have the most wonderfully delicious dish, which from start to finish was ready in under an hour, so I didn’t miss a moment of the match!!! (For the record, the final score was Ireland 19 – 9 England).

Ingredients:

Apple filling:
500g Bramley cooking apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced

75g caster sugar

30ml water

1 lemon, finely grated zest and juice

Sponge:

75g butter, plus extra for greasing the baking dish

75g caster sugar

1 large egg, lightly beaten

100g self-raising flour

25g flaked almonds

To finish:

A little icing sugar for dusting
 

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 180C/Fan Oven 160C/Gas Mark 4. Generously butter a medium sized baking dish (about 5-6ms high with a 1litre capacity) and set aside.

Apple filling:

2. Place the sliced apples, caster sugar, water and zest and juice of 1 lemon in the prepared baking dish and mix together so that the ingredients are evenly distributed. Level the surface of the apples as much as you can and place the dish on a baking tray. Set aside while you make the sponge.

Sponge:

3. Place the butter and caster sugar in a medium sized mixing bowl and using a hand-held electric mix beat together until light and fluffy. Gradually add the egg beating well after each addition. Finally mix in the flour, but do not over-mix as this will result in a heavier sponge.

4. Drop teaspoons of the mixture evenly over the apples and spread out with a spatula or the back of a spoon. Don’t worry too much if there are small gaps as the sponge mixture will rise to cover these during baking.  Sprinkle the flaked almonds over the top of the sponge.

5. Bake in a preheated oven for approximately 35-40 minutes until the sponge is well risen and a deep golden brown and the apple juices are beginning to bubble around the edge of the pudding. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes before serving, dusted with a little icing sugar, if desired.

Serves 6.
 

 

Mini Lemon & Pistachio Bundt Cakes

Have I ever mentioned how much I love the flavour of lemons?!!! Hmmm… I may have done so once or twice! It is a well-established fact with readers of my blog posts that I am totally and absolutely head-over-heels in love with lemons. Cakes, puddings, desserts, biscuits, sweets, savoury dishes… if it’s got lemon in it, I am pre-destined to love it! I’ve said this many times before, but whilst some people may be chocoholics, I’m a lemon lover all the way! The funny thing is that two of my favourite desserts of all time are Lemon Surprise Pudding (AKA Lemon Delicious) and Lemon Meringue Pie, but I have not yet posted my recipes for either of these dishes to date. This is a situation that I am determined to rectify over the coming weeks.
 

The great thing about lemon as a flavour is that it can be paired really successfully with so many other ingredients and flavours. One of my favourite taste combos at the moment is lemon and ginger. The zingy freshness and acidity of lemon just works so well with the fragrant, spicy warmth of ginger and together they create something that enlivens and excites even the most jaded palate. Another pairing that I am currently very enamoured with is lemon and pistachio. There is nothing new about this flavour combination and these two ingredients are often seen together especially in Middle Eastern inspired recipes.

 

Here I have used them together to make mini-bundt cakes, but if you don’t have mini-bundt cake tins, you can bake these in muffin or cupcake tins. The sponge is flavoured with lemon zest and is studded with pistachios roughly chopped into small pieces. Each cake is then enrobed with an intensely flavoured lemon glacé icing and some freshly chopped pistachios. The pistachios have an earthy sweetness that compliments the acidity of the lemons beautifully so that each flavour is wonderfully highlighted.

 

This mixture makes 6-8 small bundt cakes around the size of a large cupcake.
 

Ingredients:

To prepare tins:
25g butter, melted
25g plain flour

Cakes:

175g butter, softened

175g caster sugar

3 large eggs, lightly beaten

175g plain flour

75g self-raising flour

50ml milk

Finely grated zest of 2 lemons

75g pistachios, roughly chopped into small pieces

Icing:

150g icing sugar

Juice of 1 lemon

30g pistachios, roughly chopped into small pieces
 

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 180c/Fan Oven 160C/gas Mark 4. Brush the inside of your mini-bundt tins with some melted butter using a pastry brush. Dust the inside of each buttered tin with some of the plain flour and shake out any excess. Set aside.

Cakes:

2. Place the butter and sugar into a large mixing bowl and using a hand-held electric mixer, beat together until light and fluffy. Gradually add the eggs, beating well after each addition.

3. Sift the plain and self-raising flour together and fold into the creamed mixture along with the milk. Once everything is mixed together, add the lemon zest and chopped pistachios and mix through evenly.

4. Divide the mixture evenly between the prepared mini-bundt tins, filling each one 2/3 full with the batter. Bake in the pre-heated oven for 18-22 minutes until well risen and golden brown, or until a thin skewer inserted into one comes out clean.

5. Allow to cool in the tin for 10 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to finish cooling completely.

To finish:

6. Mix the icing sugar and lemon juice together to create a slightly runny glacé icing. Drizzle the icing over the cooled bundt cakes. Sprinkle with the chopped pistachios before the icing sets.

 

Makes 6-8 mini-bundt cakes.