Strawberry Eton Mess Recipe

5 from 2 votes

Crisp sweet layers of meringue combined with light whipped cream and juicy fresh strawberries. A British classic, this Strawberry Eton Mess makes a perfect summer dessert.

Prep Time15

Cook Time1

Total Time16

Course: Meringue

Cuisine: British

Servings: glasses

Calories: 398kcal

Author: Emma Duckworth

Equipment

Stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment

Ingredients

Meringue

2 large eggs whites
100 g caster sugar (superfine)
½ teaspoon lemon juice
½ teaspoon cornflour (corn starch)

Whipped Cream

240 ml double cream (heavy cream)
15 g powdered icing sugar (confectioners sugar) sifted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Strawberries

400 g fresh strawberries washed, hulled, chopped
15 g powdered icing sugar (confectioners’ sugar) sifted

Metric - US Customary

Instructions

Make the Meringue

Prepare. Preheat oven to 140°C (280°F). Line a baking tray with parchment paper.
Whisk egg whites. In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, add your eggs and whisk on medium-low speed until frothy and soft peaks form.
Add sugar. Then, one tablespoon at a time, add the caster sugar whisking all the time. Ensure the sugar is incorporated before adding the next spoonful. Then whip for another five minutes until the meringue mixture is smooth, glossy, and stands in firm peaks.
Add lemon and corn flour. Add the lemon juice (or white vinegar) and corn flour, then continue whipping for a further 5 minutes. The meringue should not be grainy (rub it between thumb and index finger to see), and should be thick, shiny and hold its shape when ready.
Bake. Spoon meringue onto a lined baking tray and level with an offset spatula into a rectangle about 1cm (½ inch) thick. Bake for 1½ hours. Don’t open the door. Remove from the oven and allow the meringue to cool completely on the tray. Then break the meringue into different-sized pieces.

Prepare Strawberries and Cream

Whip cream. Add the cream, powdered icing sugar, and vanilla extract and whip to soft peaks.
Prep Strawberries. Add half the strawberries to a shallow bowl and using the back of a fork, crush the strawberries well, until pureed. Add the remaining strawberries and powdered icing sugar and mix together.

Assemble

To serve. In a glass, layer strawberries, cream, and then meringue, and repeat until the glass is full. Finish with the strawberries and add a couple of halved strawberries for decoration. Serve immediately.

Notes

Step-by-Step Photos: My blog post includes helpful step-by-step photos to help guide you through making this recipe.

To Store and Make in Advance: The meringue, Whipped cream, and pureed strawberries can all be made a up to 2 days before serving. Store in separate air-tight containers, the meringue at room temperature, and the cream and strawberries in the refrigerator. The cream may need re-whipping quickly before assembling.

Tip 1: Clean and dry equipment. If making your own meringue then your equipment and utensils must be oil-free and dry to successfully whip the meringue.

Tip 2: Get speedy. Buy store-bought meringue cookies and make this dessert in under 15 minutes.

Tip 3: Buy ripe fruit. For maximum flavour buy fruit that is juicy and ripe.

Tip 4: Can be made ahead of time. All three components can be made ahead of time. Assembling takes just minutes.

Nutrition