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    You are here: Home / Other Desserts / Eton mess

    Eton mess

    Published: Dec 6, 2020 · Modified: Nov 22, 2022 by Sarah Brooks

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    Two jars of Eton mess with fresh strawberries on the side with text overlay, Eton mess, KCAEIC.

    The classic Eton mess is a delicious summery British dessert made with fresh strawberries, whipped cream and crunchy meringues.

    Two jars of Eton mess with fresh strawberries on the side.
    Jump to:
    • Ingredients
    • How to make Eton mess
    • How to serve
    • How to store
    • Looking for more yummy desert recipes
    • 📋 Recipe
    • 💬 Comments

    What is Eton mess?

    Eton mess is a traditional British dessert with strawberries, cream and meringues mixed together.

    Can Eton Mess be prepared in advance?

    Eton mess contains meringues that slowly start to soften and go chewy as soon as they are cooked. Mixing the meringue into the whipped cream makes this happen even faster.

    For the yummiest Eton mess with lovely crunchy meringues it's best to assemble it just before serving. You can make the strawberry sauce, whipped cream and meringues the day beforehand which makes it quick and easy to assemble on the day.

    For an easy Eton mess you could use store-bought meringues if you don't have time to make your own, in which case you could have this on the table in as little as 20 minutes.

    Why is it called an Eton mess?

    Eton mess is thought to have originated from Eton College in England. It was served in the school tuck shop in the 1930s with strawberries and cream or ice cream, with the meringues added at a later day. It can be made with many different types of fruit, but strawberry is considered the most traditional.

    Of course if you're looking for more yummy strawberry desserts you could try making my fresh strawberry and rhubarb tartlets, or easy strawberry popsicles with just three ingredients.

    Ingredients

    Eaton mess ingredients, strawberries, raspberries, white sugar, eggs, thickened cream, sour cream, vanilla essence, cream of tartar.

    Berries: traditional Eton mess is made with strawberries. I've added some raspberries on top for an extra pop of color and flavor. This recipe is very adaptable and you could add or swap your favorite summer fruit. It would be great with other berries such as blackberries or blueberries or with some luscious summer stone fruit such as cherries, peaches or apricots.

    Cream: an essential component of this classic English dessert. I used thickened cream but you could use heavy cream or heavy whipping cream.

    Sour cream: helps to add some creaminess and extra tang to this recipe. You could swap the sour cream for crème fresh or mascarpone or for a lighter healthier version you could use Greek yogurt instead.

    Meringues: this recipe uses easy homemade meringues for crunch, made with egg whites, sugar and cream of tartar. If you don't have time to make the meringues yourself you could use store brought instead for an easy Eton Mess.

    Cream of tartar: also known as tartaric acid. It's a common ingredient in baking and helps stabilize the meringues and stop them from deflating and is commonly thought to make the most stable meringues. You can substitute with the same amount of lemon juice or vinegar but your meringues won't be as stable.

    Two jars of Eton mess with fresh strawberries on the side, spoons and a linen cloth.

    How to make Eton mess

    To start with make the meringues then you can make this delicious dessert.

    To make the meringues

    Preheat your oven to 175°F (80°C) (fan forced) and line a baking tray with baking paper.

    Separate the egg whites and put the yolks for another recipe, such as one of my delicious ice creams.

    whipping egg whites to soft white peaks.
    adding sugar to whipped egg whites.
    adding cream of tartar to whipped egg whites.

    Put the egg whites into a very clean bowl. Beat on a medium speed with an electric hand mixer until soft peaks start to form. Add the sugar, about a third at a time, mixing well between each addition. Add the cream of tartar and mix well. Your meringue mix should be smooth, glossy and not gritty when you rub some mix between your fingers.

    spooning meringue mix onto tray lined with baking paper.
    meringues on tray ready to bake.
    baked meringues on tray.

    Spoon the mix in dollops onto the prepared baking tray. If I was making my pretty rainbow meringues I would put the mix into a piping bag but for this recipe there is no need since the meringues will be broken up and mixed in any way.

    Bake for two hours, then allow to cool completely in the oven before taking out. Store in an airtight container lined with baking paper until you make the rest of the dessert.

    To make the dessert:

    chopping strawberries.
    adding strawberries to food processor for sauce.
    adding sugar to strawberry sauce in food processor.

    Hull the strawberries and cut into quarters. Blitz (250gms) in a food processor until smooth. A sugar for sauce and mix well.

    cream whipped into soft peaks.
    stirring sour cream to loosen up.
    adding sour cream to whipped cream.
    adding sugar to whipped cream.

    Add the vanilla to the cream and whip with a electric hand beaters or in a stand mixer until soft peaks form. Put the sour cream in a separate bowl and give it a stir to loosen it up. Add the sour cream and sugar for cream to the whipped cream beat well.

    made up ingredients ready to assemble, cream mix, meringues, chopped strawberries and strawberry sauce.

    Set up an assembly station with the cream mix, meringues, strawberry sauce, chopped strawberries and raspberries.

    adding first layer strawberries to glass.
    adding first layer strawberry sauce.
    adding first layer cream mix and broken up meringues.

    Add about a third of the chopped strawberries to the bottom of the glasses. Drizzle with a third of the strawberry sauce. Add half the cream mix and top with broken up pieces of meringue.

    adding second layer of strawberries, strawberry sauce and cream.
    adding final layer strawberries and strawberry sauce.

    Repeat again for the second layer, chopped strawberries, strawberry sauce, cream mix, meringue. Finally top with the rest of the strawberries, drizzle with strawberry sauce and add top with some lovely fresh raspberries.

    How to serve

    Jar of Eton mess on a board, with strawberry on the side and spoon.

    You can make this dessert in cute individual glasses, or a a large serving bowl. The assembly method is the same either way.

    How to store

    This dessert is best served immediately after assembling, other wise the meringues will go soft and mushy. The meringues themselves can be made the night before making this dessert. Other wise the ingredients are best stored individually until you are able to make this delicious dessert.

    Have you made this recipe? Tell me how it went in the comments below and tag me on instagram so I can see your delicious creations! @keep_calm_and_eat_icecream

    Looking for more yummy desert recipes

    Why not try making

    • Strawberry ice cream
    • Strawberry and rhubarb tartlets
    • Strawberry popsicles
    • Mini strawberry cheesecake
    • No churn strawberry ice cream

    Follow me on Facebook or Pinterest for many more delicious

    Two jars of Eton mess with fresh strawberries on the side and vintage spoons leaning against the jars.

    📋 Recipe

    Two jars of Eton mess with fresh strawberries on the side.

    Eton mess

    Author: Sarah Brooks
    The classic Eton mess is a delicious summery British dessert made with fresh strawberries, whipped cream and crunchy meringues.
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate this Recipe
    Prep Time 30 mins
    Cook Time 2 hrs
    Total Time 2 hrs 30 mins
    Course Dessert, Snack
    Cuisine British
    Servings 8 individual serves, approx.
    Calories 288 kcal

    Equipment

    • Electric hand beaters or stand mixer

    Ingredients

    Meringues

    • 3 egg whites from large eggs
    • ½ cup (110gms) white sugar
    • ¼ tea spoon cream of tartar

    Other ingredients

    • 3 cups (750gms) ripe strawberries
    • 1 tablespoon white sugar for strawberry sauce
    • 1 and ½ cups (375mls) thickened cream, heavy cream or heavy whipping cream
    • ½ cup (125mls) sour cream
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
    • 1 tablespoon white sugar for cream
    • ½ cup ripe raspberries

    Instructions
     

    • Make the meringues first, then make the rest of the dessert

    To make the meringues

    • Pre heat your oven to 176°F (80°C) (fan forced). Line a baking tray with baking paper.
    • Separate the eggs and put the yolks aside for another recipe, such as one of my delicious ice creams.
    • Whip the egg whites using electric hand beaters or a stand mixer until soft peaks start to form. Add the sugar, about a third at a time, mixing well in between each addition.
    • Once the sugar is all mixed in add the cream of tartar and mix well.
    • Spoon mix onto baking paper in large dollops and spread out a little.
    • Bake in the oven for two hours. Meringues should be crisp on the outside and make a hollow sound when tapped. Return to oven, turn off oven and allow meringues to cool completely in oven for maximum crispness.
    • Remove from try and store in an airtight container lined with baking paper until you make the rest of your Eaton mess.

    To make the Eaton mess

    • Hull the strawberries and cut into quarters.
    • Take one cup of strawberries and blitz in a food processor until smooth. Add one table spoon of sugar and mix well.
    • In a separate bowl. add the vanilla to the cream and whip with an electric hand beaters or stand mixer or until soft peaks form.
    • Add the sugar to the cream. Measure the sour cream and stir well to loosen up, then gently fold sugar and sour cream into whipped cream.
    • Get your four elements ready to assemble the dessert, cream mix, broken up meringues, strawberry sauce and fresh strawberries.
    • Put a third of your chopped strawberries in the bottom of a large serving bowl or individual glasses. Top half the cream mix.
    • Add a third of the strawberries on top of the cream. Drizzle with half the strawberry sauce. Break apart and scatter over half the meringues.
    • Add the second half of the cream mix. Top with remaining strawberries, strawberry sauce and broken up meringues.
    • Serve immediately, dig in and enjoy!

    Notes

    Eton mess is very adaptable.
    I used traditional strawberries here but you can use whatever summer berries you like or even mix things up with some luscious summer stone fruit.
    If you don't have time to make your own meringues you can skip this step and use store bough instead, in which case you could have this delicious dessert on the table in just 20 minutes.  

    Nutrition

    Calories: 288kcalCarbohydrates: 28gProtein: 4gFat: 19gSaturated Fat: 12gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 59mgSodium: 36mgPotassium: 243mgFiber: 2gSugar: 24gVitamin A: 757IUVitamin C: 55mgCalcium: 61mgIron: 0.5mg

    Nutritional Disclaimer

    Nutritional information is an estimate based on an online database. The nutritional content of ingredients may vary by brand. If you require accurate nutritional information, you should calculate this based on the specific brands and products you are using.

    Keywords: Eaton mess, traditional Eton mess
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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    Two jars of Eton mess with fresh strawberries on the side with text overlay, Eton mess, KCAEIC.
    14 shares
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Sylvie

      December 08, 2020 at 9:46 pm

      5 stars
      Always a great dessert, especially around the Holidays! Love how you presented it in individual cups, they would be great for a dinner party

      Reply
      • Sarah Brooks

        December 10, 2020 at 7:47 am

        Thanks Sylvie. So good with the fresh strawberries at this time of year. Deceptively easy and impressive 🙂

        Reply

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