Strawberry Eton Mess
- Total Time
- 20 minutes
- Rating
- Notes
- Read community notes
Advertisement
Ingredients
Yield:4 to 6 servings
- 5ounces vanilla meringue cookies
- 1½pounds fresh strawberries
- 2teaspoons lime zest plus 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 2 to 4tablespoons confectioners’ sugar
- 2cups cold heavy cream
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)
408 calories; 29 grams fat; 18 grams saturated fat; 1 gram trans fat; 7 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 35 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams dietary fiber; 32 grams sugars; 4 grams protein; 42 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Powered byPreparation
- Step 1
Transfer the meringue cookies to a large, resealable plastic bag. Use a rolling pin to lightly crush the cookies. (You should have pieces of varying sizes.)
- Step 2
Trim the berries, discarding the greens. Halve or quarter 1 pound of the strawberries; add to a medium bowl. Blend or mash the remaining ½ pound strawberries until you have a chunky purée. Add the strawberry purée, lime zest, lime juice and 2 to 3 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar to the chopped strawberries and toss to coat. (The better the strawberries, the less sugar you’ll need.)
- Step 3
In a large bowl, beat the cream with 1 tablespoon confectioners’ sugar with an electric mixer on medium-high until whipped cream holds stiff peaks. Fold the crumbled meringue into the whipped cream.
- Step 4
Starting and ending with the strawberry mixture, layer it with the cream mixture in individual serving dishes (preferably clear cups, bowls or jars), creating as many layers as you like. Serve immediately.
Private Notes
Leave a Private Note on this recipe and see it here.
Cooking Notes
dimmerswitch
With respect to contributors who share this is better absent meringue and substituting bits of cookies or cake, that makes it a different dessert and more like a trifle. Eton Mess is always made with meringues. Desserts that are riffs on Eton Mess also named "mess" (which means mixture) use meringues. Like this one from David Tanis. https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1018779-meringue-mess-with-rhubarb-and-strawberries I appreciate that one and this recipe too.
Michael
I cut everything in half since there are only two of us. I inadvertently added the whole tablespoon of lime juice but that was a stroke of luck. The lime really made this special. Will repeat this soon.
Edwin M.
Eton Mess is always made with meringue and whipped cream and classically with strawberries. In Sag Harbor I served it with frais de bois. I once had it at Bailliol College, Oxford with fresh late spring macerated gooseberries and once served it in Miami with poma rosa also known as rose apple or malabar plum from my tree. Although the fruit may change could the ‘Creatives’ keep the crushed cookies and yogurt out of the recipe unless they are deconstructing a trifle.
gardyngnome
Also works with a mix of "heated until popped" (needed for the syrup) and raw blueberries (with lemon juice), and with peaches. A simple, elegant, go-to dessert for fruit lovers and the gluten-free! Just needs a better name :D
Redbird, Yardbird
Trader Joe's makes them, or you may spot them in a tub in the bakery dept. of a supermarket.
Karen
If you substitute cake or cookies it's not Eton Mess. Move on to another recipe if you want to make something else. I just made this with raspberries and it's delicious.
susan l paul
Just as good with pieces of cookies, cake, toasted nuts for crunch....less sweet is better to me....meringue not a favorite, no attachment to Eton.
JMR
It may be delicious, but it's not an Eton Mess unless it contains meringue.
Danielle C.
As another poster mentioned, the lime adds a lot- don’t skip it. I found I the ratio of whipped cream to strawberries was off so I will make more strawberry mixture next time. Also found the whipped cream/ meringues to be better after about ten minutes as it allowed the meringue to soften just a bit. Nonetheless delicious and a perfect summer dessert.
Pandora
Overall, this dessert was ok, but the meringue cream was way too sweet for me and my family. I liked the strawberry mixture though. Would make this again with British meringues. American meringues are too sweet for me.
susan
The Lime zest and juice makes this dish special. I added a bit more than called for as I was increasing the amounts. It's a great dish. Easy, fun and yummy.
Bermuda Onion
I make it with actual Meringues, Blueberries & add a splash of my homemade Limoncello to it too!
Nancy C
Delicious! Followed the recipe exactly. My thanks for the comment that Trader Joe's sells vanilla meringues.
Modifications
Frozen Raspberries, slightly thawed; one and a half 5 dc cartons visp grädde, one and a half bags of meringues (from the ice cream aisle ) Made four parfait glasses, with plenty of the whipped cream/meringue mixture left over. Fabulous.
Shobhana
Very easy and absolutely excellent. The hardest part was locating meringue cookies, but found them at Trader Joe’s.
Bettina
Where does one purchase vanilla meringue cookies?
oona
Can you suggest a recipe for “British” meringues?
Caro
Much too much sugar added. When I create a strawberry/cream mixture, I add a teaspoon of sugar to the cream and only to the strawberries if I add lemon juice (which I usually do). Since the meringue contains sugar, I wouln't add any to the cream in this case.
Laura M
The recipe says serve immediately. How immediately? Can I assemble before dinner? Also, it is not hard at all to make your own meringues, easier than trying to track them down. They take awhile to bake but only a few ingredients, mix to peaks, then pop in oven.
Richard
You want the meringue to remain crispy. If the fruit and cream sit with the meringue for too long, the crispiness will be gone.
Nancy C
Delicious! Followed the recipe exactly. My thanks for the comment that Trader Joe's sells vanilla meringues.
Anette Eff
I prefer a mix of quark and heavy cream. Makes it a bit less heavy and adds another fresh taste.
brian
Huge hit - could have made a touch sweeter but wonderful summer dessert
Karen
If you substitute cake or cookies it's not Eton Mess. Move on to another recipe if you want to make something else. I just made this with raspberries and it's delicious.
Richard
Is it still a Strawberry Eton Mess if you use raspberries?
Bermuda Onion
I make it with actual Meringues, Blueberries & add a splash of my homemade Limoncello to it too!
OV
Used one small bag of meringues. Can do a bit more Used 1.3 cup of WC w 2 spoons of sugar plus some yoghurt and cardamom /- rose water 1 large container of strawberries cut up and sitting w some sugar and rose water Decorate w sumac, basil, nuts Enough for 6 adults
Edwin M.
Eton Mess is always made with meringue and whipped cream and classically with strawberries. In Sag Harbor I served it with frais de bois. I once had it at Bailliol College, Oxford with fresh late spring macerated gooseberries and once served it in Miami with poma rosa also known as rose apple or malabar plum from my tree. Although the fruit may change could the ‘Creatives’ keep the crushed cookies and yogurt out of the recipe unless they are deconstructing a trifle.
susan
The Lime zest and juice makes this dish special. I added a bit more than called for as I was increasing the amounts. It's a great dish. Easy, fun and yummy.
Jane
This is a wonderful easy dessert. To make it more fun we give everyone a glass and let them construct their own, usually including vanilla ice cream and chocolate syrup along with the traditional components. We omit the lime juice and use whatever berries are in season.
Private notes are only visible to you.
Advertisement
