Ottolenghi's Eton Mess

Enjoy this fruity summer twist on Ottolenghi's Eton Mess with crème fraîche, crunchy meringue, and strawberries. It takes 20 minutes from start to finish to make this gorgeous gluten-free treat! It's the easiest dessert ever!

Summertime calls for fresh and bright summery desserts! Interestingly, they can be messy and tasty such as a crushed meringue with cream and strawberries called Eton Mess.

This dessert is made with fresh strawberries, meringue, and rose-flavored cream. It is one of the best treats to finish off summer nights with friends. The scoop of strawberry sorbet on top is the key!

Once you make an Eton mess, you might be eating this dessert all summer long. Use frozen berries and enjoy it all year round!

What is the Eton Mess?

Eton mess is a traditional British dessert consisting of three main ingredients: strawberries, meringues, and whipped cream.

Its history goes back to the 19th century when it was first served in Eton College in Windsor, UK.

Legend states that Eton mess was invented when a frisky Labrador accidentally crushed a meringue dessert prepared for a picnic in Eton College.

Why you should try this recipe

1. Strawberry sorbet on top of Eton mess brings freshness, which is a lovely way to celebrate summertime.
2. Store-bought crispy meringues are all right to use! Crush them, scatter fresh strawberries, whip the cream up and get Eton mess ready in minutes.
3. Pomegranate molasses splashed over the dessert is an excellent accompaniment to strawberries.
4. Sumac sprinkled on top of Eton mess adds a beautiful pop of color and a subtle note to the dessert, delicate and yummy.
5. Using different kinds of fresh or frozen fruit and their combinations makes Eton mess a perfect dessert all year round.

Eton mess variations

Traditional Eton mess is made from fresh strawberries, meringue(s) and classic whipped cream.

However, why not to build your own Eton mess, using different variations?

Replace strawberries with other summer fruit such as raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, and switch the strawberry sorbet with the other fruity one accordingly.

If you want another alternative to strawberries, use the roasted rhubarb. Just cut the rhubarb into pieces, sprinkle with a bit of brown sugar and orange juice, cover the dish with tin foil, and roast for 20 minutes at 350 F/175 C.

Replace strawberries with stone fruit such as peaches, sprinkle with pistachios, and drizzle with honey.

Use pitted and halved cherries instead of strawberries, break up chocolate meringues and top the dessert with the cherry sorbet and a few toasted flaked almonds.

Create more delicious whipped cream by adding elderflower cordial, strawberry liqueur, or other fruity brandy to taste.

To make a scented whipped cream, whip 1 ⅓ cups (300 ml) whipping cream with 5 tablespoons (40 g) icing sugar until it begins to thicken, just before soft peaks (don't over-whip the cream!), and add 1 to 2 tablespoons of alcohol.

Another cute idea is to use the half cream/half plain Greek yogurt mix. If you look for the lighter Eton mess, replace the fresh whipped cream with plain low-fat yogurt.

How to make strawberry Eton mess

To make the rosewater cream, whisk the mascarpone and crème fraîche until homogeneous.

Add icing sugar, rose water, and whisk until soft peaks. Cover a bowl with the cream and refrigerate till serving.

To serve the dessert, break meringues into bite-sized pieces and arrange between four serving plates.

Top meringues with fresh strawberries cut into 2 cm pieces and rosewater cream.

Decorate with pomegranate seeds and arrange one to two tablespoons of strawberry sorbet.

Pour pomegranate molasses on top of the dessert, sprinkle with sumac and edible rose petals. Serve immediately.

Expert tips

1. Use store-bought meringues and strawberry sorbet.
2. Prepare the dessert components in advance: the rosewater cream, strawberries cut into pieces, broken meringues. Keep the cream and berries in the fridge till you are ready to serve.
3. Replace crème fraîche with sour cream or full fat plain Greek yogurt. You can also make crème fraîche at home, using buttermilk and heavy cream.
4. Use rose petals from edible rose buds if you prefer.

Frequently asked questions

Love easy desserts? Try these next!

• Banoffee Pie Cups
• Four-Ingredient Coconut Macaroons
• Italian Shortbread Cookies
• Browse all the No-Bake Desserts

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The recipe was adapted from https://ottolenghi.co.uk/. It was originally published on January 18, 2019. The recipe has been re-tested and revised to include improved content and photos. All posted pictures are mine.

The nutritional information has been calculated using an online recipe nutrition calculator such as Verywellfit.com and is intended for informational purposes only. These figures should be used as a general guideline and not be construed as a guarantee.