Dessert Recipes - Oeufs a la Neige Recipe

Ingredients

• 3 eggs, separated

• 100 g/4 oz/1/2 cup caster (superfine) sugar

• 5 ml/1 tsp vanilla essence (extract)

• 450 ml/2 cups milk

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Method:

1. Whisk the egg whites until stiff.  Add half the sugar and whisk again until stiff and glossy. Fold in half the vanilla  essence.

2. Put the milk in a wide shallow pan and heat gently until very slowly simmering but not boiling.

3. Drop spoonfuls of the meringue mixture into the milk and poach gently for 5 minutes, turning once. Carefully lift out of the  milk with a draining spoon and drain on kitchen paper.

4. Whisk the egg yolks with the remaining sugar until thick and pale. Gradually pour on the milk, stirring all the time.

5. Return to the saucepan and heat gently, stirring, until the custard thickens. Do not allow to boil.

6. Remove from the heat immediately and plunge the base of the pan in cold water. Stir in the remaining vanilla essence.

7. Pour into a glass serving dish. Put the poached meringues on top and chill until ready to serve.