If you look for an elegant and sophisticated dessert, for example, on Valentine's Day, this Ile flottante recipe is a good way to go! It is an easy and delicious gluten-free dessert made in less than 50 minutes. Plus, there is a make-ahead option!

Today I will be focused on a festive dessert - Ile flottante (plural Iles flottantes) or a floating island dessert that is perfect for the upcoming Valentine's Day.
The whole dessert is not red or pink as traditional colors of the holiday - it is pinkish to be precise.
Pink Praline adds color, a new taste, texture, and romantic touch to the dessert. Make Pink Praline yourself, following the recipe, or purchase pink crushed pralines.
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Jump to:
- What is Ile Flottante in English?
- What is a floating island dessert?
- Ile flottante history
- What is custard?
- Why you should try this recipe
- Ingredients
- How to make Ile flottante
- Expert tips
- Frequently asked questions
- Love holiday desserts? Try these next!
- Need to adjust your baking pan size?
- Recipe card
- Comments
What is Ile Flottante in English?
Ile Flottante is a dessert of French origin which is translated as a floating island in English.
What is a floating island dessert?
Floating island is a meringue floating on a vanilla custard sauce (creme Anglaise).
Cooked or baked egg whites and custard are the two mandatory elements of the dessert.
As for the decoration, almonds, praline, crushed pink praline, caramel, or zest of lime/lemon is up to the imagination of a chef.
Just be creative and you can make your own ile flottante!
Ile flottante history
Originally, at the end of the 19th century, Ile flottante or floating island was made from slices of sponge cake, soaked with liquor, separated with the apricot marmalade, and served with custard.
Over the years, the recipe of Ile flottante was changed. Today, it is made of egg whites cooked in milk, or in the oven and/or bain-marie/water bath and then placed on the custard.
The egg whites really float because of their lightness. That is why the dessert is called "floating island."
What is custard?
Custard is a sweet sauce made of milk, eggs, and sugar. It can be made as a thin sauce (creme Anglaise) used to pour over Ile flottante or thick pastry cream (crème pâtissière) with the addition of flour, starch, or gelatin to fill pastries.
You have probably heard these culinary terms such as custard, crème anglaise, and pastry cream. What is the difference between custard and crème anglaise?
Creme Anglaise is the same as custard, but it is made as a pouring sauce.
What is the difference between custard and pastry cream? Again, pastry cream is the same as custard, but it is thicker due to included flour or starch.
Why you should try this recipe
- This dessert is the cutest romantic treat on Valentine's Day. Moreover, the dessert itself is light enough to accompany a "heavy" holiday dinner.
- The recipe is easy and quick to make. There are no decorating and/or piping skills needed.
- Making pink praline a few days ahead, baking the meringue in snow, and making the custard on the same day, allows serving Ile flottante in a minute.
Ingredients
Here is a quick overview of what ingredients you will need. Follow the full recipe below for exact amounts and instructions. I recommend making the recipe as written for the best results.
Milk: use whole milk to make the recipe.
Whipping cream: make sure to use whipping cream with at least 30% fat content.
Vanilla bean: use the most flavorful Madagascar vanilla beans.
Egg yolks and egg whites: separate them using an egg separator while the eggs are chilled. Then bring both to room temperature.
Caster sugar: it is superfine sugar that dissolves more easily while making the meringue. You can process granulated sugar in a food processor for a few seconds to make it superfine.
Lemon zest: use unwaxed organic lemon to make the zest.
Pink praline: make it yourself or purchase crushed pink praline. Replace it with pistachios or toasted almonds if desired.
How to make Ile flottante
To make creme Anglaise, heat milk, whipping cream, scraped vanilla seeds, and the rest of the vanilla bean in a small, heavy-bottomed saucepan.
In a separate bowl, mix egg yolks and sugar with a hand whisk (photo 1).
Add the hot milk/cream mixture, stir and pour back in the saucepan. Cook over medium heat, constantly stirring with the whisk.
It takes about 2 to 3 minutes when custard starts thickening and the temperature reaches 181 F/83 C (use a candy thermometer).
Take the saucepan out of the heat and cool down the bottom of the pan in a cold "bain-marie."
Remove the empty vanilla bean from the ready custard (photo 2). Cover with plastic film in contact and refrigerate.
To make the meringue, preheat the oven to 300 F/150 C. Beat egg whites with an electric mixer until frothy. Gradually add sugar and whisk at high speed until the meringue is stiff and glossy.
Add crushed pink praline with lemon zest (photo 3) and mix with a rubber spatula (photo 4).
Place one large tablespoon of the meringue on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper (photo 5).
Continue with the rest of the whites (you will get 6 meringue mounds). Bake for about 5 minutes and let cool afterward.
To serve Ile flottante, pour creme Anglaise on the bottom of martini glasses and place the meringue on top of each serving. Sprinkle with chopped pink praline and serve (photo 6).
Expert tips
- Check the readiness of creme Anglaise with a cooking thermometer. If you do not have it, cook the mixture for about 2-3 minutes on medium heat.
- To make a cold "bain-marie," pour cold water into a large bowl, add some ice. This step is necessary to stop cooking the vanilla custard.
- Make Pink Praline yourself or purchase pink crushed pralines.
- Make-ahead option: make the meringue and refrigerate for up to 3 hours. Prepare creme Anglaise in advance and keep in the fridge for up to 2 days. Then serve Ile flottante dessert in a minute.
Frequently asked questions
You can make creme Anglaise two days in advance and keep it in an air-tight container in the fridge. Make the meringues in advance, but the same day, refrigerate for up to 3 hours. Then serve Ile flottante dessert within a few minutes.
No, you cannot freeze any part of this dessert.
Love holiday desserts? Try these next!
- Heart-Shaped Puzzle Cookies
- Rosewater Meringue Roulade
- Raspberry Oreo Cheesecake
- Browse all Valentine's Day Recipes
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Recipe card
Ile Flottante With Pink Praline
If you look for an elegant and sophisticated dessert, for example, on Valentine's Day, this Ile flottante recipe is a good way to go! It is an easy and delicious gluten-free dessert made in less than 50 minutes. Plus, there is a make-ahead option!
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 6 1x
- Category: Gluten-Free Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: French
Ingredients
For creme Anglaise:
- 11.5 fl oz (340 ml) whole milk
- 3.5 fl oz (105 ml) whipping cream
- 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
- 4 large egg yolks (70 g) egg yolks
- 5 tablespoons (70 g) granulated sugar
For the meringue:
- 4 large egg whites (150 g) egg whites, at room temperature
- 6 ½ tablespoons (90 g) caster sugar
- ½ teaspoon lemon zest
- 1.2 oz. (35 g) Pink Praline
For the decoration:
- 0.5 oz. (15 g) chopped pink praline
* If needed, please refer to Baking Conversion Charts.
Instructions
-
To make creme Anglaise, heat milk, whipping cream, scraped vanilla seeds, and the rest of the vanilla bean in a small, heavy-bottomed saucepan. In a separate bowl, mix egg yolks and sugar with a hand whisk. Add the hot milk/cream mixture, stir and pour back in the saucepan. Cook over medium heat, constantly stirring with the whisk. It takes about 2 to 3 minutes when the custard starts thickening, and it reaches the temperature of 181 F/83 C (use a candy thermometer). Take the saucepan out of the heat and cool down the bottom of the pan in a cold "bain-marie." Remove the empty vanilla bean from the ready custard. Cover with plastic film in contact and refrigerate.
-
To make the meringue, preheat the oven to 300 F/150 C. Beat egg whites with an electric mixer until frothy. Gradually add sugar and whisk at high speed until the meringue is stiff and glossy. Add crushed pink praline with lemon zest and mix with a rubber spatula. Place one large tablespoon of the meringue on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper. Continue with the rest of the whites (you will get 6 mounds). Bake for about 5 minutes and let cool afterward.
-
To serve Ile flottante, pour creme Anglaise on the bottom of martini glasses and place the meringue on top of each serving. Sprinkle with chopped pink praline and serve.
Notes
- Check the readiness of creme Anglaise with a cooking thermometer. If you do not have it, cook the mixture for about 2-3 minutes on medium heat.
- To make a cold "bain-marie," pour cold water into a large bowl, add some ice. It is necessary to stop cooking the vanilla custard.
- Make Pink Praline yourself or purchase pink crushed pralines.
- Make-ahead option: make the meringue and refrigerate for up to 3 hours. Prepare creme Anglaise in advance and keep in the fridge for up to 2 days. Then serve Ile flottante dessert in a minute.
Nutrition
- Calories: 260
- Sugar: 33.1g
- Sodium: 61mg
- Fat: 11.5g
- Saturated Fat: 5.6g
- Carbohydrates: 33.8g
- Fiber: 0.2g
- Protein: 7.4g
- Cholesterol: 189mg
Keywords: ile flottante, ile flottante recipe, floating island, flottante recipe, iles flottantes
The recipe was adapted from http://www.leparisien.fr/. It was originally published on January 07, 2019. The recipe has been revised to include improved content and photos. All posted pictures are mine.
The nutritional information has been calculated using an online recipe nutrition calculator such as Verywellfit.com and is intended for informational purposes only. These figures should be used as a general guideline and not be construed as a guarantee.
Elaine says
I love the fact that I can make this ahead of time! It's a beautiful light dessert, perfect for serving after a heavy meal. Your instructions are complete and easy to follow! Thanks for a great recipe!
★★★★★
Irina says
Thank you, Elaine! This dessert is so light that it is perfect to finish dinner. It is true:)
Jayne says
Served these at a baby shower last weekend and everyone loved them. Will be on the dessert list from now on.
★★★★★
Irina says
WOW! It seems that this pink dessert is a great baby girl shower idea! Thank you Jayne!
Maike says
This is what I am going to make for my husband for Valentine's Day. I've just bookmarked it. It looks so good and I know he will just love it.
★★★★★
Irina says
I am happy to serve you with a new Valentine's Day idea! Thank you, Maike!
Tonje says
This looks so fluffy and light, and perfect for Valentine's!
★★★★★
Irina says
I hope you will make it, Tonje! Enjoy!:)
Kelley says
This looks divine! I will have to try your method soon.
★★★★★
Irina says
Thank you, Kelley! Happy making and enjoy!:)
Pam Greer says
What a delicious and elegant dessert! I was looking for something that I hadn't tried before for Valentine's Day and this is perfect!
★★★★★
Irina says
You will love it more once you taste this dessert! Please, let me know how it went:) Thanks for your comment.
Rebecca says
I've never made a recipe like this, but now I want to try it! it looks delicious
★★★★★
Irina says
Thank you, Rebecca! You will love it. Guaranteed!:)
Michelle says
Such a pretty and unique dessert. Love the pretty pink!
★★★★★
Irina says
It is just all right for Valentine's Day, isn't it?:) Thank you, Michelle, for your comment.
Renee | The Good Hearted Woman says
What a lovely and unique dessert - and thank you for the detailed instructions! This is perfect for Valentine's Day!
★★★★★
Caroline says
This looks like a tasty dessert - I've often meant to try making ile flottante, and I love the sound of the pralines in there (and great being conveniently pink for V day).
★★★★★
Irina says
Caroline, thanks for visiting the recipe. I hope you will make it one day 🙂
Dannii says
I have never heard of this before, but it looks delicious. The perfect color for Valentine's Day too.
★★★★★
Irina says
Yes, it is a light festive dessert perfect to finish a holiday dinner. Please, enjoy the recipe, Dannii.
Kushigalu says
What a delicious treat to try for Valentine's Day. Love it. Thanks for sharing.
★★★★★
Irina says
You are very welcome, Kushigalu. Please, enjoy it!
Amanda Wren-Grimwood says
I love that you can make this ahead, and it sounds perfect for Valentine's dinner.
★★★★★
Irina says
Yes, you can serve this dessert within a few minutes with a make-ahead option. Please, enjoy it, Amanda!
Claudia Lamascolo says
Wow, this is so gourmet yet easy to make; you gave perfect instructions; everyone will love this here. It is light and so pretty!
★★★★★
Irina says
Thank you, Claudia. Please, enjoy the recipe. 🙂