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The first time my friend Margaret served me Eton mess, it looked as if somebody had dropped a dessert on the floor and scooped it back into the glass. Then she told me it was one of the most famous puddings in England. It is named for Eton College, the old English school, where it has been served for well over a hundred years at the school’s cricket match against Harrow, the other famous school. The two have played that match since the early 1800s, and the pudding has been part of the day for as long as anybody remembers.
There is a story people tell about how it began, that a beautiful meringue dessert was dropped at a picnic and somebody served it anyway. Margaret says nobody can prove it, and nobody wants to. The pudding itself is three things: crisp meringue broken by hand, softly whipped cream, and strawberries sitting in a little sugar until they make their own red juice. The part worth doing yourself is the meringue, and the trick is baking it low and slow so it is crisp all the way through and stays crisp in the cream. Here is how.
Why this Eton mess works
- Sugar added slowly. Beating the sugar in a spoon at a time gives a glossy, stable meringue that does not weep.
- A low oven. At 225 degrees the meringue dries rather than browns, so it is crisp right to the center.
- Cooled in the oven. Leaving the meringue in the switched-off oven lets it dry out slowly and keeps it from cracking or turning sticky.
- Soft cream. Cream whipped only to soft peaks folds through the meringue without turning heavy.
- Folded at the last minute. Meringue in cream softens in about 20 minutes. Folded just before serving, it still crunches.
Ingredients
Serves 6 in glasses or bowls. The measurements are in US cups with grams in brackets, the grams being the British weights.
For the meringue
- 3 large egg whites, at room temperature
- 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar or 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
- 3/4 cup superfine or granulated sugar (150g)
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the strawberries
- 1 1/2 pounds strawberries (680g), hulled
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
For the cream
- 1 1/2 cups cold heavy cream (360ml)
- 1 tablespoon powdered sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Out of season, use the best strawberries in the store or frozen strawberries, thawed and drained; the sugar brings out their juice either way. If you are short on time, store-bought meringue nests work, but homemade meringue has the crisp outside and slightly chewy middle that makes the pudding.
How to make Eton mess
Make the meringue
- Heat the oven to 225 degrees (110°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment.
- In a very clean bowl, beat the egg whites and cream of tartar on medium speed until foamy and just holding soft peaks.
- Turn the mixer to high and add the sugar one spoonful at a time, beating about 15 seconds between spoons. Keep beating until the meringue is thick, glossy and stands in stiff peaks, and a little rubbed between your fingers no longer feels gritty. Beat in the vanilla.
- Spread the meringue on the parchment in a rough layer about 1 inch thick, or spoon it into 6 mounds.
- Bake for 1 1/2 hours, until the meringue is dry and crisp on the outside and lifts easily off the paper. Turn off the oven and leave the meringue inside with the door closed for at least 1 hour, or overnight.
Assemble
- Slice half of the strawberries and toss them with the sugar and lemon juice. Let them stand for 20 to 30 minutes until they make a red syrup. Mash a few of them with a fork.
- Cut the remaining strawberries into halves or quarters.
- Whip the cold cream with the powdered sugar and vanilla to soft peaks.
- Right before serving, break the meringue into bite-size pieces with your hands. Fold the meringue, the sliced strawberries and most of their syrup into the cream with just a few turns, so you see streaks of red and white.
- Spoon into glasses or bowls, top with the cut strawberries, a drizzle of the remaining syrup and a few pieces of meringue, and serve at once.
Tips that make the difference
- Make sure the bowl and beaters are completely clean and dry. A trace of grease or yolk keeps whites from whipping.
- Bake the meringue a day ahead on a dry day. Humidity makes meringue sticky.
- Keep the meringue in an airtight tin until the very last minute.
- Do not overwhip the cream. Stiff cream turns the mess heavy instead of light.
Variations
- Raspberry. Use raspberries, or half raspberries and half strawberries.
- Banana and caramel. In the fall, try sliced bananas and a drizzle of caramel sauce.
- Lemon. Fold a few spoons of lemon curd through the cream.
- Yogurt. Use half Greek yogurt and half whipped cream for a lighter, tangier pudding.
Storage and make-ahead
Baked meringue keeps for up to 2 weeks in an airtight tin at room temperature.
The strawberries can be sugared and refrigerated up to 4 hours ahead, and the cream whipped up to 2 hours ahead and kept cold.
Once folded together, Eton mess is best eaten within 20 minutes. Leftovers soften in the refrigerator but still taste good the next day.
Frequently asked questions
Why is it called Eton mess?
It is named for Eton College in England, where it has been served at the school’s annual cricket match against Harrow since the 1800s. The mess is how it looks: everything is broken and folded together.
Was it really made from a dropped dessert?
That is the story people tell, and nobody has ever proved it either way. The pudding itself was being served at Eton long before the story became popular.
Why did my meringue weep or turn sticky?
Either the sugar went in too fast and did not dissolve, or the meringue absorbed moisture from the air. Add the sugar slowly and store the baked meringue airtight.
Can I make it ahead?
Make each part ahead and keep them separate. Fold everything together only right before serving.
Margaret says a proper Eton mess should look like it had a bad day. Do not tidy it up.
Eton Mess (Crisp Homemade Meringue, Strawberries and Cream)
Eton mess, the famous English pudding: crisp homemade meringue baked low at 225 degrees, broken into pieces and folded with softly whipped cream and sugared strawberries right before serving.
Ingredients
- 3 large egg whites, at room temperature
- 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar or 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
- 3/4 cup superfine or granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 pounds strawberries (680g), hulled
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 1/2 cups cold heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon powdered sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 225 degrees (110°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment.
- In a very clean bowl, beat the egg whites and cream of tartar on medium speed until foamy and just holding soft peaks.
- Turn the mixer to high and add the sugar one spoonful at a time, beating about 15 seconds between spoons. Keep beating until the meringue is thick, glossy and stands in stiff peaks, and a little rubbed between your fingers no longer feels gritty. Beat in the vanilla.
- Spread the meringue on the parchment in a rough layer about 1 inch thick, or spoon it into 6 mounds.
- Bake for 1 1/2 hours, until the meringue is dry and crisp on the outside and lifts easily off the paper. Turn off the oven and leave the meringue inside with the door closed for at least 1 hour, or overnight.
- Slice half of the strawberries and toss them with the sugar and lemon juice. Let them stand for 20 to 30 minutes until they make a red syrup. Mash a few of them with a fork.
- Cut the remaining strawberries into halves or quarters.
- Whip the cold cream with the powdered sugar and vanilla to soft peaks.
- Right before serving, break the meringue into bite-size pieces with your hands. Fold the meringue, the sliced strawberries and most of their syrup into the cream with just a few turns, so you see streaks of red and white.
- Spoon into glasses or bowls, top with the cut strawberries, a drizzle of the remaining syrup and a few pieces of meringue, and serve at once.
