Recipes

Eton mess

A playful, elevated take on the British classic. Our Eton mess layers Chantilly cream, crème mousseline, crisp meringue, fresh macerated strawberries, and a smooth strawberry coulis. Inspired by chef-led plating, the elements are kept distinct to highlight contrast, and texture.

Serves

6–8 (depending on plating style)

Ingredients

Chantilly Cream

• 300ml double cream

• 25g caster sugar

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Crème Mousseline

• 300g crème pâtissière, warm

• 120g unsalted butter, softened

Strawberry Coulis

• 300g ripe British strawberries, hulled and quartered

• 50g icing sugar

• ½ tsp fresh lemon juice

Macerated Strawberries

• 200g British strawberries, finely diced

• 20g caster sugar (you’ll need 10% sugar to the weight of the strawberries)

To Finish

• 80g meringue shells, roughly broken

• Freeze-dried strawberry pieces (optional)

• 30–40g white chocolate, grated

Method

1. Strawberry coulis

   Place the strawberries, icing sugar and lemon juice into a small saucepan. Cook over a gentle heat for 5–10 minutes, until the strawberries have completely broken down and the juices have released.

   Blend until smooth using a hand blender, then pass through a fine sieve for a clean, vibrant coulis. Chill until needed.

2. Macerated strawberries

   Mix the diced strawberries with the caster sugar and leave to stand for 15–20 minutes. The fruit should soften slightly while retaining its shape, releasing natural juices without becoming syrupy.

3. Chantilly cream

   whip the double cream with the sugar and vanilla to soft peaks. The texture should be light and loosely whipped rather than firm.

4. Crème mousseline

   Beat the softened butter into the warm crème pâtissière until smooth, airy and mousse-like. The consistency should sit somewhere between custard and mousse.

5. Assemble the Eton mess

   The key is not fully mixing the components.

   Spoon a small amount of crème mousseline onto the plate or bowl.
   Add soft dollops of Chantilly cream, keeping the elements visually distinct.
   Scatter macerated strawberries and broken meringue through the creams.
   Drizzle the strawberry coulis, allowing it to cut through the richness rather than overpower it.

6. Finish and serve

   Sprinkle lightly with freeze-dried strawberries for intensity.
   Grate white chocolate over the top for subtle sweetness and texture.
   Finish with an extra spoon of strawberry coulis just before serving.

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