Three Many Cooks: Eton Mess: Here's a summery way to make a traditional English treat.
Make a Mess! / Brian Leatart/USA WEEKEND
Pam: Eton Mess is my new favorite summer dessert — so simple, so special.
Maggy: I love fresh berries and cream, but this traditional English dessert is a bit more special, particularly if you’re having people over. It looks and tastes as if it took hours but is thrown together in a matter of minutes.
Sharon: I am not entirely sure how this simple dessert got its name. It’s not a mess at all but a beautiful (and delicious!) end to a summer meal.
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This stunning, if oddly named, dessert was first developed in the 1930s at Eton College outside London as a school snack. It was traditionally made with strawberries or bananas and whipped or ice cream. The meringues — in my mind the best part —were added later.
4 cups prepared mixed berries, divided
½ cup sugar
1 Tb. lemon juice
1½ cups heavy cream
2 tsps. vanilla extract
2 cups crushed store-bought meringue cookies
If using blackberries, blueberries, raspberries or other similar berries, wash and leave them whole. Strawberries, on the other hand, need to be hulled and sliced.
Bring 2 cups of the berries, along with sugar and lemon juice, to simmer in a medium saucepan. Turn into a medium bowl and stir in remaining fresh berries. Refrigerate until chilled. When ready to serve, whip cream and vanilla to soft peaks. Assemble in the following order: Spoon a portion of half the cream, meringue cookies and berries into each of 4 large goblets. Repeat. (Can cover and refrigerate several hours.) Serve.
YIELD:
4 servings
Per serving:
641 calories, 75g carbohydrates, 4g protein, 37g fat (22g saturated), 123 mg cholesterol, 5g fiber, 172mg sodium
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