This classic British dessert is perfect all year round! Layers of flavour and texture make Eton Mess one of my favourite desserts to serve to family and friends. Crispy and chewy meringue, fresh fruit, lightly spiced strawberry syrup and a sweet and sharp kick from the balsamic reduction. Keep scrolling to enjoy this cracker yourself!
sponsored by Koonara Wines, Coonawarra
Ingredients Needed
There isn't anything out of the ordinary here to make this dessert. In fact, any 1/2 decent grocery store will have all the ingredients needed. I've included my recipe for some homemade meringues but feel free to use some shop-bought ones if you are under a time crunch.
- egg whites
- castor sugar
- strawberries
- orange
- icing sugar
- cream
- vanilla
- balsamic reduction
- mint
How To Make Eton Mess
The beauty of this dessert comes in its simplicity and the fact it has the word MESS in it. No need to be Mr Fancypants and make it look perfect or all of them the exact same when serving. Make a mess, have some fun, and make it look like organised chaos 😉
You will find the full instructions the recipe card below on how to make Eton Mess but here are some step-by-step videos of layering it to help you out!
Wine Pairing
You've seen how to make Eton Mess now let's discuss what to drink with it 😉
Eton mess is fun, light and fresh so I've paired it with a cracking drop from my friends at Koonara Wines. The "Flowers For Lucy" Moscato is the perfect drop for this delicious dessert. Light with a little effervescence and coming in at only 7.9% the wine is vegan-friendly and to put it simply CRACKING!
Beautiful stone fruit notes such as peach and apricot. A little Turkish delight, rose petals and some lychee too. A great balance to the wine with some lively acidity too. Enjoy a glass pre-dinner and then finish the bottle of over some Eton Mess 😉
Ingredients
Meringue
- 2 egg whites
- 120 g castor sugar
Strawberry Syrup
- 500 g strawberries
- 100 g castor sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla paste
- 3 tbsp water
- 1 orange zested
Other
- 600 ml heavy cream
- 2 tbsp icing sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla paste
- balsamic syrup
- 250 g strawberries
- mint
Essential Tools
- Chef Knives
- Chopping board
- baking tray
- stand mixer
- saucepan
- mixing bowl
- wooden spoon/spatula
Instructions
Meringue
- In a stand mixer whisk egg whites until stiff peaks approx. 7-8mins
- Add sugar in 3 batches and whisk each time until stiff peaks form approx. 3mins
- Spoon 8 dollops of meringue mixture onto lined baking sheet and bake @ 110c for 1hr or until firm. Allow to cool in the oven
Strawberry Syrup
- Dice strawberries and add to saucepan with vanilla, sugar, orange zest and water
- Simmer for 8-10mins, allow to cool completely
- Store in the fridge until ready to use
Other
- Whip the cream with icing sugar until it holds it’s shape
- Chop berries into bite sized pieces
- Pick some mint leaves for garnish
Serving
- Layer strawberries, meringue, cream, strawberry syrup into a bowl/glass and repeat with a second layer
- Add drizzle of balsamic and mint leaves for garnish
Notes
Tips/Tricks
- every element can be made in advance – making this a great dessert for a dinner party. Just don’t put it all together until serving it
- shop bought meringues work great too if you don’t have time!
- store cooked meringues in an airtight container
- don’t worry if your meringue cracks in the oven as we are breaking them up anyway 😉
oh yum this looks pretty! Yes it's a great name isn't it? and that moscato sounds very delicious too. Sigh - if only i still drank, and ate sweets ...