This decadent dessert is served at Angelina, an elegant salon de thé parisien that has drawn the Tout Paris' aristocracy and intellectual élite since 1905. Coco Channel and Proust were said to be regulars, how exciting to think they may have savoured this thick and creamy hot chocolate on a cold Sunday afternoon! With such a history and poetic name, serve it on Burns night with a dash of Scottish whisky in the chocolate for a more appropriate version ;-)
Floating snow island on a sea of chocolate
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Recipe by: Adapted from Sebastien Bauer, Patisserie Chef at Angelina, Paris Busy:30 min, Total prep time: 30 min Serves: 6 |
Beat the egg whites into stiff peaks. To give them maximum volume, start beating on medium-low speed until the liquid becomes greyish and bubbly, then slowly increase the speed of the mixer to high. Add the vanilla extract and the sugar slowly, beating continuously until reaching a stiff and shiny meringue.
Spoon 6 even-sized balls of meringue and poach them in gently boiling water for 2 minutes, turning over each ball halfway through. When ready, place them on absorbing paper and reserve. If you have a microwave, use this simpler method: stretch some cling film over a humid plate and place the balls on the film. Microwave on low power (350Watts) for 30 seconds. Check the whites, they should have densified a bit. If not, microwave for another 20 seconds or so on low power again, and reserve.
Prepare the chocolate sea:
Break the chocolate into pieces.
Bring the milk to the boil, add the chocolate and let it soften in the milk off the heat.
Mix it with the milk with a spatula until obtaining a homogeneous texture, stir in the sugar and bring back to the boil. This last step will make the chocolate thicker and more unctuous. Stir in a dash of whisky, if using.
Pour the chocolate into 6 glasses and add a floating island in each. Serve immediately.
Prepare the snow islands:
Beat the egg whites into stiff peaks. To give them maximum volume, start beating on medium-low speed until the liquid becomes greyish and bubbly, then slowly increase the speed of the mixer to high. Add the vanilla extract and the sugar slowly, beating continuously until reaching a stiff and shiny meringue.
Spoon 6 even-sized balls of meringue and poach them in gently boiling water for 2 minutes, turning over each ball halfway through. When ready, place them on absorbing paper and reserve. If you have a microwave, use this simpler method: stretch some cling film over a humid plate and place the balls on the film. Microwave on low power (350Watts) for 30 seconds. Check the whites, they should have densified a bit. If not, microwave for another 20 seconds or so on low power again, and reserve.
Prepare the chocolate sea:
Break the chocolate into pieces.
Bring the milk to the boil, add the chocolate and let it soften in the milk off the heat.
Mix it with the milk with a spatula until obtaining a homogeneous texture, stir in the sugar and bring back to the boil. This last step will make the chocolate thicker and more unctuous. Stir in a dash of whisky, if using.
Pour the chocolate into 6 glasses and add a floating island in each. Serve immediately.
The egg whites will keep a few hours in the fridge so can be prepared ahead. It is best to prepare the hot chocolate a the last minute though to enjoy the shiny and thick consistency you get right after making it.
Ingredients
For the floating islands:
2 egg whites
80 g icing sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the sea of chocolate:
300 g 70% cocoa dark chocolate
1 l whole milk
1 heaped tablespoon caster sugar
For the floating islands:
2 egg whites
80 g icing sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the sea of chocolate:
300 g 70% cocoa dark chocolate
1 l whole milk
1 heaped tablespoon caster sugar
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