This dessert encourages you to mess with your food. In fact, precision is not advised. In other words, it’s my kind of dessert.
The recipe is inspired by an Eton mess, which is a British concoction that has an origin story involving a cake, a dog, and, well, a mess. You might see where this is going.
The story begins with a traditional pavlova dessert, which is an airy, ethereal meringue layered with billows of whipped cream, crowned with a mound of glistening berries, and dusted with powdery sugar. This festive, dreamy dessert was prepared to celebrate a cricket match at England’s prestigious Eton School in the 1920s. However, a Labrador retriever—doing what Labradors do—discovered the cake first and squashed it. In keeping with the social norm and never crying over spilled milk (or smashed cakes, as it were), a transformative moment of culinary pivoting ensued, sparking the creation of a jumbled mishmash of whipping cream, crushed fruit, and crumbled meringue—and heralding a (new) popular dessert for all times, affectionately labeled a mess.
Strawberry Eton Mess
Prep Time: 20 minutes Total Time: 20 minutes- 1 pound fresh strawberries
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar, divided
- 1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest, plus more for garnish
- 1 1/2 cups cold heavy cream
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 to 1 1/4 cups coarsely crumbled vanilla meringues
Whip the cream in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment until it begins to thicken. Add 2 tablespoons sugar and the vanilla and continue to beat until soft peaks form. Fold in the meringues and berries.
Spoon into individual serving glasses or small bowls. Top with a half strawberry and garnish with additional lemon zest. Serve immediately.