Description
Eton Mess is a classic British dessert featuring a delightful combination of crushed meringue cookies, whipped cream, and a luscious berry sauce made from fresh strawberries. This recipe involves preparing a homemade berry sauce, fluffy whipped cream, and assembling the layers just before serving to maintain texture and freshness. Perfect for a refreshing and elegant dessert.
Ingredients
Scale
Meringue Cookies
- 1 batch meringue cookies (homemade or store-bought)
Berries
- 2 lbs (907 g) strawberries, hulled and quartered, divided
- 3 Tablespoons granulated sugar
- 2 Tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
Whipped Cream
- 2 cups (475 ml) heavy cream
- ½ cup (62 g) powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Prepare Meringue Cookies: Prepare the meringue cookies at least 3 hours in advance, preferably a day ahead, and set them aside to cool completely before use.
- Make the Berry Sauce: Combine 2 cups (about 300 g) of the quartered strawberries, granulated sugar, cornstarch, and lemon juice in a medium saucepan. Stir well to combine. Heat over medium to medium-low heat, stirring constantly until the berries release their juices and the mixture begins to boil and slightly thicken. Remove from heat and stir in the remaining quartered strawberries. Let the mixture cool completely before using.
- 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. Store in the refrigerator if not using immediately.
- Crush Meringue Cookies: Just before assembling, place the meringue cookies in a large ziplock bag and crush them into bite-sized or smaller pieces using your hands or a rolling pin.
- Fold Meringue into Whipped Cream: Gently fold about two-thirds of the crushed meringue pieces into the whipped cream using a spatula.
- Assemble the Eton Mess: Spoon a dollop of the whipped cream and meringue mixture into the bottom of a chilled trifle glass. Sprinkle a spoonful of remaining crushed meringue over the cream, then top with a generous spoonful of the cooled berry sauce. Repeat layers until the glass is full. Serve immediately for best texture and flavor.
Notes
- You can substitute store-bought meringue cookies if preferred.
- Traditional recipes sometimes macerate berries by simply tossing them with sugar and letting them sit for 30 minutes instead of cooking a sauce. To do this, skip the berry sauce cooking step, toss 2 lbs of hulled, quartered strawberries with ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar, and let sit until juicy before assembling.
- If preparing in advance, keep whipped cream refrigerated and crush meringue cookies just before assembly to maintain texture.
- Serving sizes may vary depending on the size of the glasses used.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 320 kcal
- Sugar: 28 g
- Sodium: 45 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 80 mg
