Meringues and Eton Mess

On the weekend, I decided it was time to make to make meringues and Eton Mess again. Strawberries have started to increase in price and we wanted to make this yummy dessert once more before they become $4:00 a punnet.

First we needed to make the meringues.



Meringues

makes 40

• 4 eggs (must be at room temperature)
• 115 grams caster sugar
• 115 grams icing sugar

Preheat oven to 100 degrees. Line 2 baking trays with greaseproof paper. Put the egg whites into a large (very clean) glass or ceramic bowl. Beat the egg whites on medium speed with electric beaters until the mixture resembles a fluffy cloud and stands up in stiff peaks.

Increase the speed and add the caster sugar, one dessertspoonful at a time. Continue beating for 3-4 seconds between spoonful. It's important to add the sugar slowly, however, don't over-beat. The mixture should be thick and glossy.

Sift one third of the icing sugar over the mixture, and gently fold it in with a big metal spoon or rubber spatula. Continue to sift and fold in the remaining icing sugar a third at a time. Again, don't over-mix. The mixture should now look smooth and billowy, almost like a snow drift.

Using a dessertspoon, drop spoonfuls of the mixture onto the trays and bake for 1 1⁄2 - 1 3⁄4 hours. The meringues are ready when they are a pale coffee colour and sound crisp when tapped underneath. Leave to cool on the trays.

The meringues will keep in an airtight container for 2 weeks or frozen for a month.

This recipe is from here, it really is the ultimate recipe!

Chocolate and Coconut Meringues

Add 1 cup of chopped dark chocolate and 1 cup of toasted shredded coconut to the meringues after the sugars have been added.









My daughter first saw Hugh make Eton Mess on the River Cottage Everyday DVD months and months ago and she was smitten. She straight away announced that she would be having it for her birthday dinner, right in the height of strawberry season.

And we did. YUM!!

I think we might have started a new tradition.

Eton Mess

Serves 6 

• 250g strawberries (roughly chopped)
• 250g raspberries (I used frozen)
• 1 tablespoon caster sugar
• 350ml double cream (lightly whipped)
• 20 meringues (broken roughly) - this is half the quantity of the recipe above

Put the strawberries, raspberries and sugar into a large bowl. Roughly crush and squeeze a few of the berries with your hands so the juices start to run. Cover and leave to macerate in the fridge for at least an hour.

Set aside two tablespoons of the macerated fruit to go on top of the Eton Mess.

To assemble: Fold the meringues through the whipped cream. Then gently fold the remaining chilled fruit through the cream mixture, to give a rippled effect. Pile into serving glasses and top with the reserved fruit.

You can make Eton Mess an hour or so in advance, but not much more that that, or the meringue will go weepy in the cream.

This recipe is the River Cottage recipe taken from here.