Michel Roux's Floating Islands with Berry Compote

To make the mixed berry compote, tip the washed and hulled strawberries into a pan and sprinkle them with a little sugar. The exact amount of sugar depends on the sweetness of the berries. Bring this to the boil, then immediately take off the heat, cover and leave to cool.

To make the crème anglaise, bring the milk to the boil with the vanilla pod.

Remove the pan from the heat, cover and leave to infuse for 10 minutes.

Beat the egg yolks with the sugar until thick and creamy. Bring the milk back to the boil and pour it on to the yolk mixture, whisking continuously.

Pour the mixture back into the saucepan and cook over a low heat, stirring continuously with a spatula, until the custard thickens slightly. Pour this into a bowl sitting over a bowl of ice to cool down quickly. 

Beat the egg whites with a whisk until frothy, then add 340g of the caster sugar. Continue to whisk until the meringue is firm and smooth.

Bring a large pan of water, sweetened with 2 tablespoons of the caster sugar, to simmering point. Using a big kitchen spoon dipped in cold water, scoop out a big island of meringue and plunge the spoon into the simmering water. The island should come off the spoon into the water and poach in this liquid, flipping it over after 3-4 minutes to cook on both sides. Continue until all the egg whites are used.

Once cooked, gently take the islands out of the liquid with a slotted spoon and place them on a rack to cool and drain. When they’re cold, heat the rest of the caster sugar in heavy pan until liquid golden, then pour this caramel over the top of each island.

To serve, place some compote in each bowl, followed by crème anglaise flavoured with vanilla, and finally the caramel-coated floating islands.