Eton Mess
British strawberry, crisp meringue and softly whipped cream dessert.
Preparation: 20 min · Cooking: 0 min · Total: 20 min · 4 servings
Ingredients
- 400 g fresh strawberries
- 100 g ready-baked crisp meringues
- 300 ml cold whipping cream
- 1 tbsp granulated sugar
- 2 g fresh mint leaves (optional)
Instructions
Wash and cut the strawberries
Rinse the 400 g strawberries under cool running water and pat dry. Hull and quarter them, cutting large berries smaller. Reserve a few pieces for serving.
Let the fruit release its juice
Mix the remaining strawberries with 1 tbsp granulated sugar. Leave for 10 minutes until they release a little juice, then lightly crush about a quarter with a fork; keep the rest in pieces.
Let the fruit release its juice: 600 seconds
Whip the cream to soft peaks
Pour 300 ml cold whipping cream into a clean, cold mixing bowl. Whisk until a soft peak bends over when the whisk is lifted. Stop before the cream becomes stiff or grainy; keep it refrigerated if you are not assembling immediately.
Break up the meringues
Break the 100 g ready-baked crisp meringues into roughly 1–2 cm pieces, leaving some larger pieces for crunch. No oven is needed.
Fold together just before serving
Just before serving, add the broken meringues and sugared strawberries with their juice to the whipped cream. Fold gently a few times, lifting from the bottom; leave visible streaks of fruit.
Portion and serve immediately
Divide among four clean glasses. Top with the reserved strawberries and, if using, rinse and add the 2 g mint leaves. Serve immediately while the meringue is crisp.
Soft cream with visible berry streaks and crisp meringue pieces.
Tips
- Keep the cream cold and fold the meringue in only just before serving so it stays crisp.
Common mistakes
- Overwhipping the cream makes it grainy.
- Assembling too early softens the meringue.
Substitutions
- Replace some of the strawberries with the same weight of raspberries; keep the total fruit at 400 g.
Storage
Serve freshly made. Keep covered at 4°C or below and use within 24 hours. Discard if left unrefrigerated for more than 2 hours, or 1 hour when the surrounding temperature is above 32°C.
Reheating
Do not reheat. Assemble just before serving to keep the meringue crisp.
About this recipe
Eton mess is a British summer dessert associated with Eton College, made by loosely combining strawberries, meringue and whipped cream.
Editorial approval does not establish independent kitchen testing. Check allergens and follow safe food handling.