Eton mess

1 h
Eton mess

Eton mess is a traditional British dessert consisting of crushed meringue, berries, and whipped cream. It is delicate and fresh and can be served in a variety of ways, so there are plenty of reasons to get acquainted with this delicious dessert. The combination of fresh, juicy strawberries, sweet and crispy meringue, and velvety vanilla-flavoured whipped cream is mouth-wateringly good. So, try our easy strawberry Eton mess recipe to discover just how tasty it is and pamper your family and guests with an outstanding dessert.

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Ingredients

Meringue:

Egg whites
3
Sugar (approx. 1 dl)
85 g
Icing sugar (approx. 1½ dl)
75 g

Filling:

Strawberries, rinsed
500 g
Double cream
½ l
Vanilla pod, seeds only
½

Garnish

Fresh mint or lemon balm leaves
Green, unsalted pistachios, chopped

Instructions

Meringue:

  • Preheat oven to 100°C (convection oven).
  • Whisk the egg whites until they foam, then add sugar little by little, continuing to whisk until the mixture is stiff.
  • Add icing sugar and whisk for a short time.
  • Transfer half of the meringue mixture to a piping bag with a star nozzle and pipe small meringue cookies onto a lined baking tray.
  • Spread the rest onto a piece of baking paper lining another tray. Place both in the oven and bake them for about 1 hour.
  • Let them cool off on a wire rack.

Filling:

  • Set about ⅓ of the strawberries aside and cut them in halves if they are large. Then mash the rest ⅔ with a fork.
  • Whip cream and vanilla seeds into a light foam.
  • Crush the meringue base and fold the pieces into the whipped cream along with half of the mashed strawberries.
  • In 6 glasses, layer the strawberry-meringue whipped cream with fresh berries and the rest of the strawberry mash and the meringue cookies.
  • Garnish with pistachios and herbs and serve the dessert.
Enjoy!

Tips

To make the perfect Eton mess meringue, use room-temperature egg whites. These are easy to whip to a high volume, so separate your eggs while they are chilled for ease and set the whites aside for 10-15 minutes to acclimate.

Tips

Make sure to use a dry and clean bowl, preferably one made from either glass, stainless steel, copper, or ceramic as these, as opposed to plastic ones, are less likely to hold oil traces that can negatively affect your meringue. Choose a big bowl to allow room for the egg whites to expand.

Questions about Eton mess

With a recipe for Eton mess like ours, making a tasty dessert with plenty of freshness and texture is easy. To learn more about this traditional dessert, you can read the answers to the most frequently asked questions about it just below.

What is Eton mess?

A classic Eton mess is a delicious dessert made by folding crushed meringue, whipped cream with vanilla, and strawberries together. Since it is believed to have been invented at Eton College in the late 19th century, the dessert has been named after this well-known institution. It may be served in a large, clear bowl or individual glasses with the ingredients folded together or more decoratively layered like a trifle. No matter how it is presented, it is usually served chilled for a refreshing treat.

How to make Eton mess?

To make a quick Eton mess from scratch, start by preparing your French meringue by whisking egg whites and combining them with sugar. As the meringue base and cookies bake and cool, you can prepare the vanilla-flavoured whipped cream and berries. ⅓ of them should be kept whole, while the rest are mashes. Half of this mash is folded into the whipped cream along with the crushed meringue base. Layer this whipped cream with the rest of the mash, the fresh berries, and the meringue cookies in six individual glasses and garnish with pistachios and herbs before serving the dessert.

How long does Eton mess keep in the fridge?

An easy Eton mess with fresh berries, whipped cream, and meringue can be stored in the fridge for up to 2 days. To ensure the best texture, it is recommended to assemble the dessert just before serving it, allowing just a bit of time to chill. Any leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge. However, the longer it sits in the fridge, the more the French meringue will soften and lose its crunch as the whipped cream and strawberries soften and release liquid.

Can you make Eton mess in advance?

Yes, it can be made in advance, but it is best to assemble it just before serving. However, you can prepare the components ahead of time and store them separately. Whip the cream and chop the fruit, then store them in airtight containers in the fridge. You can also make the meringue in advance and store it in an airtight container at room temperature. When you are ready to serve it, simply layer the ingredients in individual glasses or one large serving bowl. This is the best tip for how to layer Eton mess to ensure the meringue stays crisp rather than soggy.

Can you freeze Eton mess?

It is not recommended to freeze an assembled dessert Eton mess. However, you can freeze the fresh strawberries and homemade French meringue separately and make the whipped cream fresh when you need it. Meringue may be frozen for up to 1 month and strawberries for 4 months. To avoid both meringue and berries sticking together, flash-freeze them on a lined baking tray to freeze them solid. Then place the berries in a freezer bag and the meringue in an airtight container lined with greaseproof paper. Use more paper to separate the layers. Wrap the container in cling film to prevent the meringue from taking on taste and smell from other foodstuffs in your freezer.

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Strawberry Eton mess dessert with meringue

A fresh strawberry Eton mess is the perfect way to end a delicious meal. It is sweet and creamy without being heavy. The pieces of airy meringue provide a lovely crunch and their crispness pairs well with the silky whipped cream as well as the crushed strawberries that become almost sauce-like. The whipped cream has been flavoured with warm vanilla to give the dessert a subtle floral quality that complements the fruity sweetness of this classic strawberry dessert wonderfully.

Easy homemade meringue

The French meringue for Eton Mess is known for its crunchy exterior and chewy interior. This textual contrast and their light, airy nature make them delightful to eat on their own and as part of delectable desserts such as this one. Of course, their sugary sweet flavour does not hurt either. 

The swirly look of the meringue cookies made with a star nozzle is quite decorative and enhances the dessert concerning taste as well as appearance. Place one on top with the fresh herbs and pistachios to give your dessert a restaurant-like quality.

For more lovely meringue desserts, check out our recipes for blueberry meringue cake, pavlova, and chocolate macarons.

Serve a delicious trifle with layers of meringue, strawberries, and cream

Rather than simply folding all of the ingredients together, we have chosen to layer them, making this more like a decorative and fancy Eton mess trifle recipe. Our layered Eton mess trifle is best served in glasses to display the beautiful layers of bright red strawberries, vanilla-white whipped cream, and green sprinkles of pistachios. It is the perfect dessert to entice your dinner companions with its promise of delicious tastes and textures.

Served with crunchy, nutty pistachios and lemony herbs on top, our strawberry Eton mess trifle has a beautiful colour scheme with white, red, and green complementing each other. This makes for a harmonious-looking dessert that is sure to impress and delight. By layering the meringue, whipped cream, and juicy strawberries, we created a decorative and fancy dessert that is perfect for any special occasion, and in our opinion, almost any occasion is perfect for this classic Eton mess trifle.

Experiment with an Eton mess dessert with a twist

An easy way to play with the flavour profile of this dessert is to add more fresh berries. A mixed strawberry and raspberry Eton mess, for instance, is incredibly tasty. The sweet and tangy berries create a burst of flavour with each bite and perfectly balance each other. A strawberry and rhubarb Eton mess is also a classic as the tartness of the rhubarb complements the sweetness of the ripe strawberries.

A traditional Eton mess with strawberries is also tasty with a bit of alcohol in it for a more adult version. Inspired by a classic trifle, you can soak the fresh berries in nutty, fruity sherry or use liqueur in the whipped cream, for example, to make a chocolatey Baileys Eton mess.

If you would like to make your dessert rich and decadent without using alcohol, an easy way is to incorporate chocolate. This may be done in multiple ways, shards of chocolate may, for instance, be folded into the whipped cream, sprinkled on top for a decorative effect, or melted and used to coat the homemade meringue kisses. No matter if you prefer a dark, milk, or white chocolate Eton mess, the combination of creamy chocolate, whipped cream, and fresh strawberry is a winner.

For added brightness, you can make a lemon Eton mess with a twist by using the sour fruit in different ways. You can, for instance, mix up our simple Eton mess trifle with layers of tangy lemon curd, use a bit of lemon zest in the whipped cream for a burst of flavour and flecks of colour, or steep the strawberries in freshly squeezed lemon juice to make them tender and refreshing.

https://www.arlafoods.co.uk/recipes/eton-mess/