Oeufs à la neige

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Pierre Koffmann's oeufs à la neige recipe stays true to the classic French dessert of light-as-air meringues floating on a bed of vanilla custard. A thin layer of caramel adds an elegant touch to the final dish.

First published in 2015
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Ingredients

Metric

Imperial

Custard

  • 600ml of whole milk
  • 1 vanilla pod, split lengthways
  • 6 egg yolks
  • 100g of sugar

Meringue

Caramel

  • 50g of sugar
  • 1 tbsp of water

Method

1
To make the crème anglaise, bring the milk to the boil with the vanilla pod. Meanwhile, whisk the egg yolks and sugar in a bowl until pale in colour
  • 600ml of whole milk
  • 1 vanilla pod, split lengthways
  • 6 egg yolks
  • 100g of sugar
2
Gradually pour the boiling milk over the egg mixture, whisking continuously. Pour the custard mixture into a saucepan over a low heat and cook gently, stirring with a wooden spatula until you can run your finger through the custard on the spatula and leave a clear mark
3
Pass the custard through a sieve into a bowl and leave until almost cold – stirring from time to time
4
Fill a medium saucepan with water and bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer
5
Beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt until stiff, then gently fold in the sugar
6
With a large metal spoon, shape 4 large scoops of egg white and place them in the pan of simmering water. Poach for 2 minutes, then turn over and poach for a further 2 minutes on the other side. Carefully lift out the meringues and place on a tray
7
To make the caramel decoration, place the sugar and 1 tablespoon of water into a thick-bottomed pan and heat gently until a deep golden brown colour
  • 50g of sugar
  • 1 tbsp of water
8
Divide the cooled custard into 4 separate serving dishes and carefully place a meringue on top of the custard. Drizzle the caramel over each meringue and serve
First published in 2015
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Pierre Koffmann has achieved superlative success in his long career, holding three Michelin stars at his groundbreaking La Tante Claire for 15 years and setting the standards for French cuisine in Britain.

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