Description
Eton Mess is a classic British dessert featuring a delightful combination of crunchy meringue cookies, sweetened berry sauce, and fluffy whipped cream. This recipe includes a homemade berry sauce cooked to enhance flavor, but you can also choose to macerate fresh berries for a traditional twist. Perfect for serving in individual glasses for a light, refreshing treat.
Ingredients
Scale
Meringue Cookies
- 1 batch meringue cookies (prepared or store-bought)
Berries
- 2 lbs strawberries, hulled and quartered, divided
- 3 Tablespoons granulated sugar
- 2 Tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
Whipped Cream
- 2 cups heavy cream (475 ml), cold
- ½ cup powdered sugar (62 g)
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Prepare Meringue Cookies: Prepare meringue cookies at least 3 hours in advance of assembling the dessert, preferably a day before. Set aside until needed.
- Make Berry Sauce: In a medium saucepan, combine 2 cups (about 300 g) of quartered strawberries with sugar, cornstarch, and lemon juice. Stir well and cook over medium to medium-low heat, stirring constantly until the berries release their juices. Continue cooking until the mixture boils and thickens slightly, then remove from heat and stir in the remaining quartered strawberries. Allow to cool completely.
- Prepare Whipped Cream: In a large bowl, combine cold heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract. Using an electric mixer, beat the mixture until thick, fluffy, and stiff peaks form. Keep refrigerated until ready to assemble.
- Assemble Eton Mess: Just before serving, place meringue cookies in a large resealable bag and crush into bite-sized or smaller pieces using your hands or a rolling pin. Fold about two-thirds of the crushed meringue pieces into the whipped cream gently using a spatula. Spoon a portion of this mixture into chilled trifle glasses, sprinkle with some remaining crushed meringue, and top with a generous spoonful of the cooled berry sauce. Repeat layering until glasses are full. Serve immediately.
Notes
- If you prefer a more traditional Eton Mess, skip cooking the berry sauce and macerate the berries by tossing 2 lbs of hulled and quartered strawberries with ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar. Let them sit for about 30 minutes until juicy.
- Meringue cookies should be crisp and properly dried for the best texture; making them a day in advance helps achieve this.
- Chilling the serving glasses enhances the refreshing experience of the dessert.
- Adjust sugar in the berry sauce based on the sweetness of your strawberries.
- This dessert is best served immediately after assembling to maintain the texture of the meringue.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 350 kcal
- Sugar: 30 g
- Sodium: 50 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 14 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 80 mg
