# Oeuf a la Neige - Help ASAP!



## foodie4life (Jun 29, 2007)

Quick Question

I am making Oeuf a la Neige for a luncheon I am doing. Yes I am a professional caterer, but no I have never made meringue before. I baked the meringue and they were firm when they came out of the oven. However there were not stiff where if you bit into it there would be a "crunch." When they cool do they get to that stage or did I do something wrong?


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## blueicus (Mar 16, 2005)

Oeufs a la neige aren't supposed to be crunchy.


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## foodnfoto (Jan 1, 2001)

Oeuf a la Neige are egg shaped meringues that are poached in milk then served in a sweet cream sauce such as creme anglaise. I believe the name translates as "snow eggs." 
It's a dessert that must be served immediately as the fluffy meringues shrink and become rubbery if held for too long.
Shirley Corriher has a delightful recipe in her new book BakeWise only she calls them "Floating Islands." It's worth consulting as the information she provides about meringue of all types is worth its weight in gold.


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## m brown (May 29, 1999)

for production we would poach wrapped in plastic wrap. it would hold well and could be scooped to order. It was serve in a bowl of warm anglaise. 

now that is kicking it old school!


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## ishbel (Jan 5, 2007)

When I've made this in the past, I used a recipe which called it iles flotante. Milk poached meringues seved on a bed of English custard (creme anglaise).


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## rat (Mar 2, 2006)

Quick tip, scoop about 8 fresh meringues onto a plate and microvave them until you see them start to puff, they are perfect and will hold about 1-2 hours before they get weepy. I know, I know a microwave but it works. PS a French chef told me about that one.


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## jfield (Sep 4, 2008)

Poached meringue quenelles floating on creme anglaise. Baking=crunchy. No fun to have eggs with the shells still on! :crazy:


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## harpua (May 4, 2005)

If you have ramekins or some kind of mold and also a steamer, you can butter and sugar the molds and steam for about 5 minutes. They hold longer than a day for sure. Julia Child's recipe for ile flottante is very good. 

I don't like poaching my whites. It's not my thing.


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