Strawberry and rose Eton mess
This classic British dessert celebrates the evergreen combination of strawberries and cream and is the perfect end to a relaxed, Christmas lunch. I add my own twist with the addition of fragrant rosewater and lime zest, both accentuating the perfume of the ruby-red strawberries.
While homemade meringues are lovely, there’s nothing stopping you from buying some good-quality ones to make this showstopper.
I like to serve this in one large glass dish, but layered in individual glasses is perfect, too.
Ingredients
FOR THE MERINGUES
150g egg whites (from about 4 eggs)
½ tsp cream of tartar
250g caster sugar
1 tbsp (10g) cornflour
1 tsp vanilla extract
FOR THE STRAWBERRIES
750g strawberries, hulled
2 tbsp caster sugar
zest of a lime
FOR THE WHIPPED ROSE CREAM
600ml pure cream
250g creme fraiche
1 tbsp caster sugar
1 tsp rosewater
Method
For the meringues
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 100C fan-forced (120C conventional). Line two trays with baking paper and set aside.
Step 2
In the clean bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, place the egg whites, cream of tartar and a pinch of salt. In a separate bowl, combine the sugar and cornflour and set aside.
Step 3
Whisk the egg whites on medium-high speed for 1 minute, until foamy. Gradually add the sugar mix, one tablespoon at a time. This will take 8-10 minutes. The mixture should now be thick and glossy. Stop the mixer and rub a little of the mixture between two fingers. If it feels gritty, continue to mix until the sugar has been fully incorporated. Add the vanilla and mix until just combined.
Step 4
Transfer the mixture to a piping bag fitted with a star nozzle and pipe 3 cm mounds of meringue, 1 cm apart, onto the prepared trays. (Alternatively, just spoon dollops of the meringue mixture onto the tray.)
Step 5
Bake in the preheated oven for 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until cooked through and dry to the touch. Turn off the oven and leave the meringues to completely cool with the oven door ajar (2-3 hours, but ideally overnight).
For the strawberries
Finely chop 250g of the strawberries and place in a bowl with the sugar and lime zest. Allow to macerate for 15 minutes, then mash into a rough puree using a fork. Quarter the remaining 500g of strawberries and toss through the puree. Set aside.
To assemble
Step 1
In a large bowl, place the cream, creme fraiche, sugar and rosewater and whip to firm, but billowy peaks. Crumble the meringues, reserving a handful for decorating, into the whipped rose cream mix.
Step 2
Spoon some of the strawberries into a large serving vessel, ideally a clear one like a trifle dish, followed by a good dollop of the cream and meringue mixture. Create as many alternating layers as you like, finishing with some of the strawberries and reserved meringues. Serve immediately.
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Original URL: https://www.smh.com.au/goodfood/recipes/strawberry-and-rose-eton-mess-20241129-p5kukl.html