Eton mess
Broken crisp meringue folded through softly whipped cream with fresh strawberries and a quick strawberry sauce, served in glasses.
Method
- 1
Heat the oven to 110°C and line a baking tray with baking paper.
- 2
Whisk the egg whites in a clean bowl until they hold stiff peaks.
- 3
Add the caster sugar a spoonful at a time, whisking well after each, until the meringue is thick, glossy and smooth.
- 4
Spoon the meringue onto the tray in 6 rough mounds.
- 5
Bake until crisp on the outside and they lift cleanly off the paper.
- 6
Turn off the oven and leave the meringues inside to cool and dry out completely.
- 7
Hull the strawberries. Chop two thirds of them into quarters.
- 8
Mash the rest with the icing sugar using a fork to make a loose, juicy sauce.
- 9
Whip the cream with the vanilla until it just holds soft peaks.
- 10
Break the meringues into bite-sized chunks.
- 11
Lightly fold the meringue, chopped strawberries and half the sauce into the cream, leaving it streaky.
- 12
Spoon into glasses, drizzle over the remaining sauce and serve straight away.
Notes
- Assemble at the last minute. The meringue starts to soften as soon as it meets the cream.
- Shop-bought meringue nests work well if you are short of time, which turns this into a 15-minute dessert.
- Raspberries or a mix of summer berries can replace some of the strawberries.
Equipment
Baking tray, Baking paper, Large clean mixing bowl, Electric mixer, Fork, Four serving glasses