Yummy Spoon
Eton Mess
Crunchy crushed meringue folded with softly whipped cream, juicy strawberries and blackberries and a ripple of quick berry sauce. A beautifully messy British dessert in 15 minutes.
Ingredients
- 1 lb fresh strawberries, hulled
- 1 cup blackberries or raspberries
- 2 tbsp granulated sugar, divided
- 1 tsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 ½ cups heavy cream, cold
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 oz crisp meringue nests or cookies, about 6 small nests
- 4 small mint sprigs, optional
Instructions
- Mash a heaping cup of the strawberries with 1 tablespoon sugar and the lemon juice in a bowl to make a chunky sauce.
- Quarter the remaining strawberries and toss them with the blackberries and the remaining sugar. Leave for 5 minutes to get juicy.
- Whip the cream with the vanilla to soft peaks.
- Break the meringues into bite-size pieces, keeping a few larger pieces for the top.
- Gently fold the meringue pieces and half of the berries into the cream, then ripple through the strawberry sauce with a few strokes.
- Spoon into bowls or glasses, top with the remaining berries and meringue and a mint sprig. Serve right away.
Notes
- Most meringues are gluten-free, but check the label if you need to avoid gluten.
Substitutions
- Lighter: replace half the cream with thick Greek yogurt, folded in after whipping.
- Fruit: raspberries, peaches, rhubarb compote or mango and passion fruit.
Storage
- Best eaten as soon as it is assembled. Leftovers keep in the fridge for up to 1 day, though the meringue softens.