The only Eton Mess recipes you'll ever need (2024)

Whether its creation was a happy accident or divine design, this thoroughly English dessert is heaven in a bowl.

Nov 09, 2021 12:00am

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  • 35 mins preparation
  • 50 mins cooking plus cooling, standing
  • Serves 10
  • The only Eton Mess recipes you'll ever need (1)

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The Eton mess, one of England's best-loved and prettiest desserts, is an absolute joy to eat. Its sublime proportions of crumbled crisp meringue, softly whipped cream and marinated strawberries don't need further embellishment - the beauty of this delicate dessert is in its simplicity.

There are many tales about the origins of Eton mess: one involves an excited labrador sitting on a pavlova at an Eton ceremony; another, a bumpy car ride muddling a strawberry and meringue dessert en-route to an Eton cricket match. Better authority on the matter comes from food historians Robin Weir and Caroline Liddell. In their book Recipes from the Dairy, they write this most British of British desserts originated at Eton's mess hall in the 1930s. Back then it was served as a bowl of bananas or strawberries mixed with ice-cream or cream. The meringue was a later addition - and a very good one at that.

It's not an Eton mess without meringues, and the trick to making great meringues is patience. To ensure a perfect crisp crust, always leave them to cool in the oven after baking. And if you can avoid the temptation to eat them on their own, you can always make the meringues in advance: they'll keep for a few days stored in an airtight container.

In our recipe, we've used raspberries as well as strawberries. This sort of dessert is open to flavour variations, so be creative and use whatever fruit is most fragrant at the time. Apricots would be wonderful, as would plums, and any type of berry is good at Christmas time. And for a lovely fresh, slightly tart note, we've added a little crème fraîche to the whipped cream.

Whether they're folded or layered, when all the Eton mess elements are piled high in a beautiful glass serving bowl, this classic dessert makes the perfect sweet finish for late-summer entertaining.

Want more Christmas desserts?

Ingredients

  • 750 gm strawberries, quartered, plus extra to serve
  • 110 gm (½ cup) caster sugar
  • 200 ml thickened cream, lightly whisked
  • 125 gm crème fraîche
  • 55 gm (½ cup) pure icing sugar, sieved
  • Scraped seeds of ½ vanilla bean
  • 125 gm raspberries

Meringues

  • 100 gm eggwhite (about 3 eggs)
  • 100 gm caster sugar
  • 100 gm pure icing sugar, sieved
  • 15 gm cornflour

Method

  • 1

    For meringues, preheat oven to 120C. Whisk eggwhite and a pinch of salt in an electric mixer until firm peaks form (3-4 minutes). With motor running, gradually add caster sugar and whisk until thick and glossy (2-3 minutes). Sieve icing sugar and cornflour over, fold to combine, then spoon 8cm-diameter mounds onto oven trays lined with baking paper. Bake until meringues lift easily from trays and are crisp but not coloured (45-50 minutes), then turn off oven and cool completely in oven.

  • 2

    Meanwhile, toss strawberries and caster sugar in a large bowl to combine, then set aside until juices begin to seep (20 minutes).

  • 3

    Whisk cream, crème fraîche, icing sugar and vanilla seeds together in a separate large bowl until soft peaks form. Scatter a quarter of the strawberries in the base of a 3-litre serving bowl, spread with a quarter of the cream mixture, and coarsely crumble a quarter of the meringue over the top. Repeat layering with remaining ingredients.

  • 4

    Scatter Eton mess with raspberries and extra strawberries and serve.

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The only Eton Mess recipes you'll ever need (2024)

FAQs

Why is my Eton Mess runny? ›

I don't recommend freezing Eton mess. The meringues will lose their texture when thawed and the berries and cream will become watery. A better option is making all of the elements ahead and assembling them when ready to eat.

What is the British prime minister's favorite dessert? ›

Discover the iconic British dessert, Eton Mess, loved by prime ministers. Indulge in the delicious combination of meringue, cream, and fresh strawberries. Try this decadent treat and escape the worries of the world.

What ingredients does an Eton Mess contain? ›

Eton mess is a combination of just three ingredients: meringue, strawberries, and whipped cream. Think of it as a deconstructed strawberry shortcake — crunchy meringue cookies stand in as a delicious alternative to cake, and instead of stacking, you get to toss everything together.

Can you buy ready made Eton Mess? ›

Tesco Finest Eton Mess Dessert 515G.

Can I use single cream instead of double cream? ›

Choose the best cream

Single cream is a richer version of milk, with around 18% fat content. You can use it for pouring or adding to coffee. Single cream will not whip and will curdle if boiled, so it can't be a substitute in recipes that call for whipping or double cream.

Can you eat eton mess the next day? ›

Recipe Tips

Both the purée and cream can be chilled for a few hours in advance – just make sure you don't over-whip the cream as it will firm up even more in the fridge. Once assembled the mess should be eaten straight away – the meringue will soften and become chewy rather than crisp if left sitting in the cream.

What is the UK's number one dessert? ›

Don't give up! So, the humble apple crumble clinched the top spot, pipping Vicky sponge to claim the title as the UK's favourite dessert. And who could blame Brits for being besotted by this classic British pud?

What was the Queen of England's favorite dessert? ›

When it's time to treat herself, McGrady revealed that all the Queen wants is a piece of chocolate biscuit cake. The cake is reportedly made in-house (or, more appropriately, in-palace), and Her Majesty consumes one slice per day.

What are the four meals a day in Great Britain? ›

The four meals of the day in Great Britain are typically breakfast, lunch, tea, and dinner. 'Tea' in this context refers to a light meal in the afternoon, while 'dinner' or 'supper' is the main evening meal.

What is the pink Baileys Eton mess? ›

Baileys Eton Mess Limited Edition blends irresistible original Baileys Irish Cream with flavours of juicy strawberries & raspberries, meringue & whipped cream to create smooth and creamy drink. Indulge in a delicious flavour mix of creamy meringue and summer berry flavours of strawberry, raspberry and blueberry.

What is the difference between pavlova and Eton Mess? ›

Both have a meringue base, whipped cream and some kind of fruit or sauce. It's really just how it's presented that is different. Eton Mess is a more relaxed version of a pavlova as you can use broken pieces of meringues. It is served in a glass so you can be more generous with whipped cream, sauces etc.

Who invented the Eton Mess? ›

The dessert hails from England's famous Eton College. As the story goes, it was either created by cheeky boys who mixed all their desserts together—and one day it happened to be strawberries, cream, and meringue—or it was invented by a crafty shopkeeper at the local food shop.

Which country made Eton mess? ›

Eton mess is a traditional English dessert consisting of a mixture of strawberries or other berries, meringue, and whipped cream. First mentioned in print in 1893, it is commonly believed to originate from Eton College and is served at the annual cricket match against the pupils of Harrow School.

Does Tesco sell Eton Mess? ›

Tesco Finest Raspberry Eton Mess Ice Cream Tub 480ml - Tesco Groceries.

Does Asda sell Eton mess? ›

ASDA Scrummy Strawberry Eton Mess Dessert 428g - ASDA Groceries.

Why has my meringue mixture gone runny? ›

All meringues will expand/spread slightly as they bake, as the air trapped in the meringue will expand slightly. If the uncooked meringue mixture itself was slightly runny then it is likely that the egg whites were not whisked quite enough before the sugar was added.

How to fix meringue that won't stiffen? ›

Fixing runny meringue is usually as simple as whisking more air into the mixture and waiting for it to develop stiff peaks. You can also add another egg white or a teaspoon of cornstarch to get the mix to the consistency you need.

Will my compote thicken as it cools? ›

The compote will thicken a bit more as it cools. The lemon peel is optional, but recommended. (1) the pectin in the peel will act as a natural thickener; and (2) it will impart a subtle lemon flavor that gives the compote so much more depth.

Can you eat runny meringue? ›

Probably not. Meringue is made with egg whites and egg whites should be cooked before they're eaten, even when mixed in meringue.

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