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Moulded Œufs à la Neige
Created by Chef Juliette
Poached meringue ovals held inside a chilled ring of crème anglaise, pale, trembling, and cleanly unmoulded. The dessert turns on one moment: pour the custard cold, but still flowing.
Œufs à la neige moulés (moulded snow eggs) teach one severe little lesson: gelatined custard has a pouring point. The crème anglaise (English custard) must be cold enough not to soften the poached meringues, yet fluid enough to surround them in one smooth layer. Miss that moment and the mould records every hesitant pour.
The book assumed the full eight-white Ordinary Meringue (No. 2382), separate hands tending meringue and custard with the concentration of a saucier, and a border mould held in ice. For four people, one cook uses a quarter batch, a 1-litre ring mould, an ice bath, and the refrigerator. The proportions and intention remain intact. One cook, one stove, one evening.
The separate hands and great ice surround were brigade scaffolding, so they can go. The poaching, the gelatine, and the single cold but flowing pour are the dish, so they stay. Watch that ribbon from the spatula; when it falls smoothly without setting into threads, fill the mould at once.
Ingredients
Ordinary Meringue
Quantity
¼ batch Ordinary Meringue (No. 2382), about 2 cups (475 ml / 175 g)
freshly prepared
whole milk
Quantity
3 cups (710 ml / 730 g)
for poaching
crème anglaise (English custard)
Quantity
2 cups (475 ml / 500 g)
freshly prepared and strained
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| Ordinary Meringuefreshly prepared | ¼ batch Ordinary Meringue (No. 2382), about 2 cups (475 ml / 175 g) |
| whole milkfor poaching | 3 cups (710 ml / 730 g) |
| crème anglaise (English custard)freshly prepared and strained | 2 cups (475 ml / 500 g) |
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