The classic Eton mess is a light, summery British dessert of ripe strawberries, whipped cream and crisp meringue pieces. It’s simple to assemble, beautiful to serve and easy to adapt with other summer fruits.
What is Eton mess?
Eton mess is a traditional British dessert made by combining strawberries, whipped cream and broken meringues.
Can Eton mess be prepared in advance?
Meringues soften once mixed into cream, so for the best texture assemble the dessert just before serving. You can, however, make the meringues, strawberry sauce and whipped cream a day ahead to save time. Store-bought meringues are a great shortcut if you need to prepare the dessert quickly.
Why is it called an Eton mess?
The dessert likely originated at Eton College in England, where a simple combination of strawberries and cream was popular. The addition of meringue came later. Strawberries remain the classic choice, though many fruits work well.
Ingredients
Berries: Traditional Eton mess uses strawberries. I like to add a few raspberries for color and contrast. The recipe is flexible—use blackberries, blueberries or soft stone fruit like cherries, peaches or apricots if you prefer.
Cream: Thickened cream works well; heavy cream or heavy whipping cream are fine alternatives.
Sour cream: Adds a pleasant tang and lightens the cream mixture. You can swap in crème fraîche, mascarpone or Greek yogurt for a lighter option.
Meringues: Homemade meringues give the best texture and flavour. They’re made with egg whites, sugar and cream of tartar. If you’re short on time, store-bought meringues are a perfectly acceptable shortcut.
Cream of tartar: Also called tartaric acid; it stabilizes the meringues. You can substitute a small amount of lemon juice or vinegar, but meringues made that way may be less stable.
How to make Eton mess
Start by preparing the meringues, then assemble the dessert just before serving for the best texture.
To make the meringues
Preheat the oven to 175°F (80°C) fan-forced and line a baking tray with parchment paper.
Separate the egg whites and save the yolks for another recipe.
Place the egg whites in a very clean bowl and beat on medium speed until soft peaks form. Add the sugar in three additions, mixing well between each. Stir in the cream of tartar. The mixture should be glossy and smooth, not gritty when rubbed between your fingers.
Spoon the meringue into large dollops on the prepared tray. For this recipe, piping isn’t necessary since the meringues will be broken up later. Bake for about two hours, then turn the oven off and leave the meringues inside to cool completely for maximum crispness. Store cooled meringues in an airtight container lined with parchment until ready to use.
To make the dessert
Hull the strawberries and cut them into quarters. Reserve about 1 cup (250 g) of strawberries and blitz in a food processor until smooth; stir in 1 tablespoon of sugar to make a simple strawberry sauce.
Add 1 teaspoon vanilla to the cream and whip using electric hand beaters or a stand mixer until soft peaks form. In a separate bowl, stir the sour cream to loosen it, then fold the sour cream and 1 tablespoon sugar into the whipped cream until combined.
Prepare your assembly station with whipped cream mix, broken meringues, strawberry sauce and chopped strawberries (plus raspberries if using).
Place about a third of the chopped strawberries into the bottom of individual glasses or a large serving bowl. Drizzle with a third of the strawberry sauce and spoon over half the cream mixture. Scatter broken meringue pieces on top.
Repeat the layers: strawberries, sauce, cream and meringue. Finish with the remaining strawberries, a final drizzle of sauce and a few fresh raspberries if desired. Serve immediately.
How to serve
Serve in pretty individual glasses for a refined look, or assemble in a large bowl for a casual family-style dessert. The assembly method is the same either way.
How to store
Assembled Eton mess is best eaten immediately because the meringues will soften over time. Keep the meringues, cream and strawberry sauce stored separately in airtight containers until you are ready to assemble.
Have you made this recipe? Tell me how it went in the comments below and tag me on Instagram so I can see your creations! @keep_calm_and_eat_icecream
Looking for more dessert recipes
Try these other strawberry ideas for summer:
- Strawberry ice cream
- Strawberry and rhubarb tartlets
- Strawberry popsicles
- Mini strawberry cheesecake
- No-churn strawberry ice cream
Follow me on Facebook or Pinterest for more recipes and inspiration.
📋 Recipe
Eton mess
Equipment
- Electric hand beaters or stand mixer
Ingredients
Meringues
- 3 egg whites (large)
- ½ cup (110 g) white sugar
- ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
Other ingredients
- 3 cups (750 g) ripe strawberries
- 1 tablespoon white sugar (for strawberry sauce)
- 1½ cups (375 ml) thickened cream or heavy cream
- ½ cup (125 ml) sour cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
- 1 tablespoon white sugar (for cream)
- ½ cup ripe raspberries (optional)
Instructions
To make the meringues
- Preheat the oven to 176°F (80°C) fan-forced and line a baking tray with parchment.
- Separate the eggs and reserve the yolks for another use.
- Whip the egg whites until soft peaks form. Add the sugar in thirds, mixing well between additions.
- Mix in the cream of tartar until the meringue is glossy and smooth.
- Spoon large dollops onto the prepared tray and spread slightly.
- Bake for two hours until crisp. Turn the oven off and allow meringues to cool completely in the oven. Store in an airtight container.
To make the Eton mess
- Hull and quarter the strawberries.
- Reserve 1 cup (250 g) of strawberries and blitz until smooth with 1 tablespoon sugar to make the sauce.
- Whip the cream with vanilla until soft peaks form.
- Stir the sour cream to loosen, then gently fold the sour cream and 1 tablespoon sugar into the whipped cream.
- Have the cream mix, broken meringues, strawberry sauce and chopped strawberries ready for assembly.
- Layer a third of the chopped strawberries in the bottom of glasses or a bowl, drizzle with sauce, add half the cream and scatter half the meringues.
- Repeat the layers and finish with remaining strawberries, sauce and meringue. Add raspberries if using.
- Serve immediately and enjoy.
Notes
Eton mess is versatile—use any summer berries or stone fruit. If short on time, use store-bought meringues and assemble in about 20 minutes.
Nutrition
Calories: 288 kcal • Carbohydrates: 28 g • Protein: 4 g • Fat: 19 g • Sugar: 24 g
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