Celebrate Wimbledon with our Eton Mess recipe

Strawberries are in season throughout the summer months, starting in May and hitting their peak in July. Delicious on their own, in desserts or even drizzled with a little balsamic dressing in a salad. A box of lovely, plump strawberries are easy to find in shops, but why not look locally and see if you can pick your own?  We recommend you enjoy them in this delicious Eton Mess while watching a Wimbledon match!

Ingredients

• 3 medium egg whites
• 150g caster sugar
• 500g of strawberries with hull removed
• 1 tablespoon of icing sugar
• 500ml of double cream

Method

• Preheat oven to 110°c and line two baking trays with parchment paper
• Add three egg whites to a large mixing bowl and start whisking, its best to start slow and build up. Keep whisking until the egg whites are very stiff and can form peaks
• Now add the caster sugar a few tablespoons at a time, continuing to mix after each, until the mixture is dense and making peaks
• Place heaped tablespoons, or spoon the mixture into a large piping bag and place the mixture onto the trays, leaving enough room to expand when cooking. Don’t worry if they look a little messy!
• Place the tray onto the bottom shelf of your oven and bake for 2 hours until crisp, then turn off the oven and leave the meringue to cool inside with the door ajar for another 30 minutes before taking out and setting aside to cool
• When cooled, place the meringues into a freezer bag and break into smaller pieces, this is the perfect job for any little assistants
• Pop half of the strawberries into a blender with the icing sugar and puree; if you like you could then pass it through a sieve to separate any seeds
• Chop the other half of the strawberries into quarters and put to the side separate to the puree
• Place all of the double cream into a bowl and whisk gently until floppy
• Add two tablespoons of the strawberry puree and fold in to create a marble effect
• Layer your meringue, strawberries and cream into a wine glass or bowl and spoon the puree on top
• Add your strawberries and remaining meringue to the top of your Eton Mess for decoration, we recommend that you serve as soon as possible for the freshest taste