I’ve reached the age where staying on track with my weight is truly an uphill battle. I try to skip out on carbs when possible, eat a healthy and balanced diet, and strive to get in at least a short workout or walk each day. And, sadly, I very rarely eat dessert. When I allow myself any extra calories, it’s usually in the form of a glass of wine or some dark chocolate after dinner. I follow the everything-in-moderation lifestyle as closely as possible and have preached it to my children their entire lives. But sometimes dessert is just too good to pass up.
Recently, I again had the privilege of eating a delicious meal at my mother-in-law’s house. She never fails to surprise me with her fun and amazing recipes, and that night, she really didn’t disappoint! After eating more than I thought possible, she brought out the piece de resistance: Eton Mess with homemade meringue. The strawberries were perfectly in season, and she whipped the cream right before serving, so everything was light, fluffy, and oh-so-fresh. I had never heard of Eton Mess before, and I’d certainly never considered making my own meringue. She told me it’s actually pretty easy, though, and I plan on giving it a go on my own in the near future. I need to do it when guests come over, though. Otherwise, I foresee myself eating all of it by myself. It’s been known to happen.
What I really love about these recipes is the opportunity to improvise and mix them up to suit what fruits are in season or what you’re craving at the time. While I had it with strawberries, it would be delicious with pretty much any fruit. If raspberries, blueberries, or peaches are in season, they will work very well. Even sliced bananas would taste good. Or, use a variety of each! For the meringue, you can flavor it with coffee or some cocoa powder or add some food coloring to liven up your plate. The possibilities are seemingly endless.
So, the next time you’re entertaining or simply want to treat your tastebuds to something extraordinary, give Eton Mess a try. And if you elect to use store-bought meringues, there will be zero judgment – any time-saving hack is a good one!
Eton Mess
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups whipping cream
- 1 tbsp castor (or fine) sugar
- 3 cups fresh strawberries, blueberries, or raspberries (or any fruit, really!)
- 1 2/3 cup meringue (See the recipe below to make them fresh, but store-bought will also work.)
Directions
If making meringue from scratch, follow the directions in the recipe below. Keep in mind that they take at least 2-3 hours to set, so plan accordingly.
- Place whipping cream in a large mixing bowl. Add the sugar and whip with an electric whisk until the cream is light and fluffy.
- For the correct consistency, the whipping cream peaks should stand up with the tips gently falling over. Do not overwhip.
- Break the meringue into large, bite-size chunks and place them in serving bowls or glasses.
- Place half of the fruit into another bowl and gently press it with a fork to squeeze out some of the juice. Don’t press too hard; you don’t want a puree, just slightly broken fruit.
- Stir the fruit into the whipped cream, and place the mixture onto the meringues.
- Quarter the remaining fruit, then garnish the dishes.
- Optional: Refrigerate for 30 minutes before serving.
- Sprinkle confectioners sugar over the portions and serve.
Homemade Meringue
Ingredients
- 2 egg whites, room temperature
- 2 pinches cream of tartar
- 1/2 cup superfine sugar
- pinch of salt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract or 1/2 vanilla bean with seeds removed from the pod
Directions
- Preheat oven to 200 degrees.
- Beat egg whites, cream of tartar, salt, and vanilla using an electric mixer. When stiff peaks begin to appear, gradually add half the sugar. When peaks become glossy, add the remaining sugar.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Using either a pastry bag with a star tip or a ziplock bag with the corner cut off, form small mounds of meringue mixture (they should be about 1 inch wide and 1 inch tall).
- Bake the meringues until hard (it should take about 2 hours).
- When the meringues will release from the parchment paper, you’ll know they’re done baking. Turn off the oven, open the door, and allow them to sit for an additional hour.
If you elect to make this dish with strawberries, consider using any extras to make this tasty strawberry basil bourbon cocktail. It’ll make a night of entertaining a fun one for sure!
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