Oeufs à la Neige

My mother visited my husband and I once in 1982 after we moved to Houston, Texas. We had made dinner reservations at a well-known French restaurant in order to treat her to a fine dining experience during her stay, even though it was very expensive for us back then.

The first part of the dinner is a big blur, and not because it was so long ago or I drank too much. It’s because a giant cockroach appeared on the wall behind my mother. Being new to Houston, I was still not well acquainted with these monsters people referred to as Tree Roaches. Unfortunately my eyes must have revealed too much, because my mother turned around and saw the darn thing, right before it took flight over her head. So I think that a huge part of the meal was more about assuaging my mother that these creatures lived in south Texas, and we all need to co-exist. (Of course, I was downright mortified, not being a fan of creepy crawlies.)

My mother didn’t especially love the dinner or the waiter, and she never embraced the cockroach. But we wanted the dinner to end on a high note, so we all three ordered Oeufs à la Neige.

My husband and I were in dessert heaven – this fabulous crème Anglaise topped with soft egg white clouds – an unbelievable dessert. My mother hated it. She announced that she would make it for us the right way. And the next day, that’s just what she did.

I didn’t think this dessert could be better than at the restaurant, but it was oh, so much better. I don’t remember why it was so much better, but it just was. So in posting this recipe I hope I am doing justice to my mother and the real Oeufs à la Neige, the way it is meant to be.

Oeufs à la Neige

4 cups whole milk, approximately
6 large, fresh eggs, separated into yolks and whites
1 1/4 cups white sugar, divided into 3/4, 1/4, and 1/4 cups
Pinch of salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Pour three cups of milk into a large, wide saucepan. Begin heating the milk over fairly low heat; you don’t need it to boil.

Place the six egg whites in a large bowl. Beat the whites with an electric mixer until they form soft peaks. Then add 3/4 cup of sugar a little at a time, along with a pinch of salt. Continue beating until stiff peaks form.

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Make sure the milk in the saucepan in hot before you begin making the meringues. Then, using two large spoons, form quenelle-shaped blobs, or egg-shaped blobs of meringue and place them on top of the hot milk. As you can tell in the photo, mine are neither quenelle- or egg-shaped. They are simply blobs and that’s fine. And, they should preferably not touch.

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Cook the meringues about 2 minutes, then gently turn them over and cook them another 2 minutes. Then carefully remove them from the milk and place them on paper towels to drain.

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Continue until you’ve used up all of the meringue. Strain out any large blobs of meringue that are visible in the milk. Then add about 1 cup more of milk to the saucepan; there should be about 3 cups all together. I just eyeballed it, but if you prefer, strain the milk, measure it, and add the exact amount more to make a total of three cups.

Place the saucepan back on the stove over low heat, and whisk in 1/4 cup sugar until it dissolves. Now you have the sweetened, hot milk, and your bowl of egg yolks.

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Using the electric mixer with the same beaters, whisk the egg yolks until they’re smooth. Slowly introduce some of the hot milk to the yolks, mixing it in quickly so the eggs don’t cook in the hot milk. Just be slow and patient. You’ll probably use about 1 cup of milk by the time this process is complete. At that point, return the egg yolk and milk mixture to the saucepan and whisk to combine.

This next step requires that you have everything ready to go – a large serving bowl topped with a strainer, a whisk, a spoon, and a rubber spatula. Over fairly low heat, cook the custard, whisking all the time, just until the point that you can tell it thickened up. Use your spoon to quickly dip it into the custard, then draw a line with your finger down the middle of the spoon. If the sides stay separate, the custard is perfect!!!

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Whisk in the vanilla extract, then immediately pour the custard through the strainer and into the serving bowl. Use your rubber spatula to get the custard out of the saucepan, but if you see cooked custard on the bottom, leave it alone. If you’ve done a good job, there will be no blobs of overcooked custard in your strainer!

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If you’re going to be serving the custard fairly warm (it’s also good cold), let the custard cool a bit. Then gently top the custard gently with the meringues.

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Some people serve Oeufs à la Neige just like this, but I like to go a little step further and add caramel. If you have some purchased caramel, feel free to drizzle a little over each serving, maybe thinned a bit if necessary.

However, I just made my caramel by melting the final 1/4 cup of sugar in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Let the sugar slowly melt into caramel. This is the same process as when you make Crème Caramel.

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Then just drizzle the hot caramel over the top of the meringues. I’m not that artistic, so this is the best I could do!

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This kind of caramel will harden, so it adds a little interest to the dessert, as well.

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Note: You could also scrape out seeds from vanilla beans for the vanilla flavor. I just didn’t wanted the custard speckled today, and I am out of vanilla beans. There’s also vanilla paste and vanilla powder, if you prefer those to the vanilla extract.

By Published On: March 5th, 201331 Comments on Oeufs à la Neige

About the Author: Chef Mimi

As a self-taught home cook, with many years in the culinary profession, I am passionate about all things food-related. Especially eating!

31 Comments

  1. thesinglegourmetandtraveller March 5, 2013 at 10:08 AM - Reply

    These look wonderful!

    • chef mimi March 5, 2013 at 10:10 AM - Reply

      My husband and I both had some, and then I poured it down the sink! Such a shame! I don’t crave sweets, but if it’s sitting right there in front of me………

      • thesinglegourmetandtraveller March 5, 2013 at 11:24 AM

        I’ve done the same rather than eat something I don’t want more of … and more of for the same reason if it’s sweet!

  2. richardmcgary March 5, 2013 at 10:30 AM - Reply

    Truly decadent. There is no way I could pour it down the drain. Creme Anglaise is a fabulous ice cream base. So, next time, make ice cream with the leftovers and hide it in the freezer. :D

    • chef mimi March 5, 2013 at 12:00 PM - Reply

      What a great idea. I’ve made custard-based ice creams but I didn’t think of it!!! Of course, someone would have had to hide it from me!!!

  3. ladyredspecs March 5, 2013 at 2:32 PM - Reply

    Your “oeufs” look wonderful. I do empathise with feeling the need to eat what you cook. My husband has a sweet tooth and never gains an ounce so most of my desserts and baking are for him.

    • chef mimi March 5, 2013 at 3:32 PM - Reply

      Ugh. Mine, too. I have gained weight since blogging… Of course, I could always eat less…

  4. Fae's Twist & Tango March 5, 2013 at 2:39 PM - Reply

    I learn something new every time I visit your site. I have eaten Oeufs à la Neige before (never knew what it was really called other than floating meringue), but none as appetizing as what I see here. The touch of caramel on top is what got me. Thank you for the lesson. Chef Mimi, I am a devout student of yours!

  5. Charlotte March 5, 2013 at 5:11 PM - Reply

    Mimi this revives so many childhood memories!I have always liked cremes,mousses and puddings better than cakes and oeufs a la neige was one of my favorites!Though we used to call them Iles Flottantes (floating islands)..I never tried it myself though.should try your recipe!

    • chef mimi March 5, 2013 at 5:42 PM - Reply

      It’s really easy to make. But I’m not a cake fan either!
      I think iles flottantes are more like traditional meringues floating on the crème anglaise, but I’d have to check…

  6. Frank Kraemer (@FrankKraemer) March 5, 2013 at 9:48 PM - Reply

    These oeufs a la neige look delicious. I could have some right know.

  7. Choc Chip Uru March 5, 2013 at 9:58 PM - Reply

    These oeufs look wonderful my friend, I have never tried it before!

    Cheers
    CCU

  8. tableofcolors March 6, 2013 at 4:21 AM - Reply

    Beautiful story and recipe!

  9. Our Growing Paynes March 6, 2013 at 8:12 AM - Reply

    I’ve never hear of this. I’m obviously missing out! This looks amazing.

  10. ocelot81 March 6, 2013 at 9:46 AM - Reply

    Scary story Mimi but with a happy and delicious ending :)

  11. Sibella at bakingwithsibella.com March 6, 2013 at 10:18 AM - Reply

    I didn’t have these in years…. In Germany they are known as Schneenockerl. My mom was a quite a master when it came to making this dessert.

  12. petit4chocolatier March 6, 2013 at 1:27 PM - Reply

    Mimi, I have never heard of this before. I love it :)

  13. The Kat and The Falling Leaves March 8, 2013 at 9:38 AM - Reply

    Looks fantastic!

  14. StefanGourmet March 10, 2013 at 11:22 AM - Reply

    You did what?! Threw it out? That’s nuts! ;-)
    I’ve had this in France a long time ago, and there it was called iles flottantes (floating islands). I had never realised the meringues were poached, but it makes sense. I do remember liking it — a lot, but have never tried to make it yet.
    Great post!

    • chef mimi March 10, 2013 at 12:16 PM - Reply

      hahahaha! it’s not nuts when you have no control over how much you can eat!!! It’s really a fabulous dessert.

      • StefanGourmet March 10, 2013 at 12:22 PM

        That’s why I make big desserts when I have company. Otherwise we end up eating too much of it.

      • chef mimi March 10, 2013 at 2:12 PM

        Maybe I should have company more often! I feel obligated to make sweet things for the blog, but would otherwise not make them but for special occasions. I’m so glad I’m not a cupcake blogger!

      • StefanGourmet March 10, 2013 at 3:42 PM

        I have guests for dinner at least every other week, and then make a 4-course Italian-style dinner. That usually gives me enough material for 4 new posts :-)

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