Eton Mess with Homemade Meringues!
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A classic summer dessert of Eton mess with homemade meringues – utterly scrumptious!
Eton Mess
If you haven’t heard of Eton mess then you are seriously missing out on the greatness of such a simple yet utterly delicious dessert. Crisp meringue, softly whipped cream, and fresh strawberries all mashed together into a creamy, sugary, fruity mess, it doesn’t sound fancy, but it tastes absolutely incredible.
It’s one of those desserts that’s far greater than the sum of its parts. There’s something about the contrast of textures, crunchy meringue, silky cream, and juicy strawberries, that makes it dangerously addictive. Once you’ve made it once, you’ll find yourself coming back to it again and again.
It’s also a go-to dessert for so many people because it’s super yummy and super simple. With just a handful of ingredients, you can whip up a quick after-dinner pudding, a treat for a warm summer’s day, or something that will go down a storm at a dinner party without any stress at all.
Meringue
For this recipe, I use homemade meringues because I really wanted to show you that meringue doesn’t have to be scary. It gets such a bad reputation for being temperamental or difficult, but once you’ve made it a couple of times, you’ll realise just how straightforward it actually is.
The key is patience and clean equipment, that’s it. Whisking the egg whites properly and adding the sugar slowly makes all the difference, and once you’ve nailed that, you’ll be obsessed with making meringue. There’s something so satisfying about watching egg whites transform into glossy, stiff peaks.
Of course, you can absolutely use shop-bought meringues if you’re short on time. They’re inexpensive, easy to find, and still delicious. But homemade meringues have a lighter texture and fresher flavour, and they really elevate the dessert. Plus, once you know how easy they are, you’ll find yourself making them for all sorts of recipes, including my Eton Mess cheesecake, which is a must for all Eton mess lovers.
Components
I am completely in love with the strawberry and cream combination, so this dessert is basically a dream for me. It’s fresh, summery, and perfectly balanced between sweet and fruity without feeling heavy.
Strawberries are the classic choice for Eton mess, but you can easily swap them out for other berries if you prefer. Raspberries, blueberries, or even a mixed berry combination all work beautifully and still keep that fresh, light feel.
I also like to add a touch of raspberry coulis to my Eton mess because it gives a little extra depth and sharpness that cuts through the sweetness of the cream and meringue. It’s not essential, but it really does elevate the dessert and makes it feel a little bit special. Honestly, this dessert is a marriage made in heaven, and I LOVE it.
More recipes
I love to experiment with meringues especially at Easter with my Easter pavlova or my individual Easter meringues, but today’s recipe is just the basic meringue. Many of you have asked for it, and it really is simple.
I also have a couple more Eton Mess theme bakes as I just love the dessert! You can find my Eton Mess cheesecake, Eton Mess cake and my Eton Mess traybake cake – all of which are super delicious!
Tips & tricks
- This is best served on the day it is made.
- If not eaten on the day, store in the fridge and eat within 1-2 days.
- The meringue will last for 1+ months on its own, in a container.
- You can use other fruits or coulis in flavours that you like, but I love the classical strawberry combination.
- I use this baking tray for the meringues
Eton Mess with Homemade Meringues!
Ingredients
Meringues
- 5 egg whites
- 250 g caster sugar
Eton Mess
- meringues crushed
- 400 ml double cream
- 500 g strawberries
- fruit coulis
Instructions
Meringues
- Preheat the oven to 100ºc/90°c fan and line two baking trays with parchment paper
- Separate the eggs into a spotlessly clean bowl (stand mixer bowl) and discard the yolks - or use them to make something else!! - but be careful not to get anything else in the egg whites such as a spot of yolk as this will ruin the meringue!
- Whisk the egg whites on their own until soft peaks are form - it'll double/triple in volume and look foamy and white, nothing like the normal egg white
- Continue whisking the eggs on a medium-high speed and add the caster sugar a teaspoon at a time making sure its whisked in before you add the next spoonful - I realise this is time consuming, but adding the sugar any quicker will ruin it!
- Once the caster sugar is all in the mixture, the meringue should be ultra white, glossy and if you hold the bowl upside down nothing will fall out! If you're brave, hold it above your head when you test it
- Pipe the meringues onto the baking sheets - I use a Wilton 1M tip to make my little meringue shells
- Bake in the oven for 1 to 1 and a 1/2hours and then turn the oven off. Leave the meringues to cool off completely in the oven until the oven is cold! It is very important that you leave them to cool off completely as if you take them out any sooner they will taste amazing but they won't crush down and they'd have the chewy meringue feel you can get sometimes!
Eton Mess
- Whip the cream up with a whisk until soft peaks and it holds itself and fold through the coulis (I used raspberry flavour)
- Wash and chop the strawberries up then and crush the meringues.
- Fold it all together and either serve in one large dish, or in small jars for individual portions!
Notes
- This is best served on the day it is made.
- If not eaten on the day, store in the fridge and eat within 1-2 days.
- You can use other fruits or coulis in flavours that you like, but I love the classical strawberry combination.
- I use this baking tray for the meringues.
Eton Mess is a delightful mix of strawberries, cream, and meringue that creates a perfect balance of sweetness and texture
Hi. Can I freeze the Eton mess as in a parfait then let it defrost before using
Hi Jane, How much coulis are you meant to fold in?
As much or as little as you want xx