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Traditional Eton Mess with fresh strawberries, softly whipped cream and pieces of crisp meringue, served in a glass dessert bowl.
Jane at Brit & Skillet

Traditional Eton Mess

A classic British dessert made with juicy strawberries, softly whipped cream and crisp pieces of meringue. Use store-bought meringues for a quick dessert or make the homemade version from scratch.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings: 6
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: British
Calories: 492
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Strawberries
  • 1½ pounds fresh strawberries 680 g
  • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar 25 g
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice 15 ml
For the Cream
  • 2 cups cold heavy whipping cream 480 ml
  • 2 tablespoons powdered sugar 15 g
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For Easy Eton Mess
  • 4 ounces crisp store-bought meringue cookies or nests 115 g
  • 2 large egg whites room temperature
  • ½ cup superfine or granulated sugar 100 g
  • ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Equipment

  • Large mixing bowl
  • Electric hand mixer or stand mixer
  • Baking sheet — if making homemade meringues
  • Parchment paper — if making homemade meringues
  • Mixing bowl — for strawberries

Method
 

Make the Meringues — Optional
  1. If using store-bought meringues, skip this section. Otherwise, preheat the oven to 225°F (110°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment.
  2. In a completely clean, dry mixing bowl, beat the egg whites and cream of tartar until soft peaks form. Gradually add the sugar, about 1 tablespoon at a time, beating until the meringue is thick, glossy and holds stiff peaks. Beat in the vanilla.
  3. Spoon small mounds onto the prepared baking sheet and bake for approximately 1 hour. Turn off the oven and leave the meringues inside with the door closed for another 45–60 minutes, until dry and crisp. Cool completely.
Prepare the Strawberries and Cream
  1. Set aside a few strawberries for garnish if desired. Hull and halve or quarter the remaining berries.
  2. Combine approximately two-thirds of the strawberries with the granulated sugar and lemon juice. Gently crush some with a fork while leaving plenty of pieces intact. Add the remaining strawberries and leave for 10–15 minutes to become juicy.
  3. Beat the cold heavy cream with the powdered sugar and vanilla until soft peaks form. Don't over-whip.
Assemble the Eton Mess
  1. Break the cooled homemade or store-bought meringues into irregular pieces, leaving a mixture of larger chunks and smaller pieces rather than crushing them into crumbs.
  2. Reserve a little strawberry mixture and some meringue for garnish. Add most of the meringue to the whipped cream, followed by most of the strawberries and their juices. Fold together very gently just a few times, leaving visible swirls and pockets of cream, berries and meringue.
  3. Spoon into individual glasses or bowls, or one large serving dish. Top with the reserved strawberries and meringue and serve immediately.

Notes

Store-bought meringues: Using approximately 4 ounces (115 g) of crisp store-bought meringues makes this a very quick dessert with a total preparation time of about 20 minutes.
Homemade meringues: If making them from scratch, allow approximately 1 hour baking time plus 45–60 minutes drying/cooling time in addition to the main recipe time.
Meringue tip: Use a completely clean, grease-free glass or metal bowl when whipping egg whites. Even a small amount of grease or egg yolk can prevent them from whipping properly.
Whipped cream: Stop at soft peaks. Eton Mess should have soft, billowy cream rather than stiffly whipped cream.
Brit & Skillet Tip: Assemble Eton Mess shortly before serving. The strawberry juices and cream gradually soften the meringue, so last-minute assembly gives you the best mixture of creamy, juicy and crisp textures.