Ultimate floating islands (îles flottantes)

For the crème anglaise, in a saucepan, heat the milk, cream, vanilla seeds and its pod until steaming. In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and sugar. Slowly pour the hot milk into the egg yolks, whisking to combine, before returning everything to the pan. Stir over a low heat until the custard coats the back of a spoon then strain through a sieve into a bowl or container. Cover the surface of the custard with cling film to stop it forming a skin and leave to cool. Once cool, chill in the fridge – it’s best to do this in advance so the custard can chill sufficiently

For the caramel, place the caster sugar and water in a heavy-based pan and place over a medium-high heat. Allow the sugar to melt and start to caramelise, going from clear to blonde, then golden amber. Remove from the heat and set aside in a warm place

For the meringues, in a large bowl and using an electric hand whisk, whisk the egg whites to soft peaks. Gradually whisk in the sugar until the meringue becomes glossy. Alternatively, you can do this in a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment

Bring the milk to a gentle simmer in a pan whilst you pour the chilled vanilla custard into individual serving bowls

Using 2 big metal spoons or a dough scraper against the side of the bowl, spoon the meringue into quenelles and poach gently in the simmering milk for around 2 minutes each side. Carefully remove and float 1 meringue island over the chilled custard in each bowl (alternatively you could serve this family-style in a large serving dish)

Warm the caramel slightly if it has cooled down and thickened since you made it, then drizzle over the meringues and finish with some toasted flaked almonds – you can either arrange them in the meringue, or sprinkle over the top