This fruity Eton mess is a delightful mix of sweet juicy berries combined with layers of whipped cream and crunchy meringue. Made with frozen berries and easy 1-minute microwave meringues, this is a simple dessert that you can whip up in no time.
It is said that Eton mess originated on the playing fields of Eton College in England during the late 19th century as schoolboys gathered to watch the annual Eton vs Harrow cricket match. Legend has it that a traditional strawberry pavlova was being carried out for dessert when someone dropped it. Rather than waste it, the broken meringue was scooped up and combined with cream and fruit, and Eton mess as we know it today was born!
I can't say for certain whether this is fact or just another urban legend, but it's a nice little story that perfectly suits the dessert's name. Either way, what we are left with is a wonderfully simple summer dessert that's as delicious as it is easy to make.
The appearance of fruity Eton mess in a bowl does leave a little to be desired! As the name suggests, Eton mess is quite a messy-looking dessert, but that doesn't detract from the delicious taste!
The version of Eton mess that I'm sharing today uses frozen berries, whipped cream and simple 1-minute microwave meringues (yes, you really can make meringue in the microwave). The meringues have a crispy, airy texture that combines beautifully with the whipped cream and summer berries. If you are short of time or don't want to make the microwave meringues, you could use crushed store-bought meringues instead.
Microwave meringues do not have such a firm texture as the normal oven-baked meringues. They are lighter and more fragile, but they are perfect for crumbling into an Eton mess.
The result is a sweet, creamy and slightly tangy dessert that is perfect for any occasion. Serve fruity Eton mess in individual glass bowls (perhaps decorated with fresh fruit) for an elegant dinner party treat, or layer it in a large dish for a relaxed family-style dessert for the whole family to enjoy.
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Ingredients
This recipe will serve 6 people as a dessert and will make approximately 8 meringues. If you want to make a larger dessert to feed a crowd, double the meringue mixture and add add extra cream and berries.
- Frozen berries - I've made this recipe many times using both fresh and frozen berries, and it is equally delicious either way. If using frozen fruit, allow it to defrost before assembling. You can use whatever fruit you have available. For this recipe, I used a mixture of frozen strawberries, blackberries and red and black currants.
- Double cream - This MUST be double or heavy cream which can be whisked to stiff peaks. Single or pouring cream will not thicken, no matter how much you beat it.
- Icing sugar - otherwise known as confectioner's sugar or powdered sugar. This is combined with the egg white to form the meringues.
- Egg white - you won't need the yolk - keep that for enriching your next batch of homemade shortcrust pastry. You will only need half an egg white, so to divide the white, beat it lightly with a fork and you will be able to scoop half of it out with a spoon.
- Additional fruit for decoration - this is optional, but if I am making this dessert for a dinner party, or even just to spoil the family, I like to add extra fresh fruit on top for decoration. I didn't add them to the photograph, but I used sliced kiwi fruit, raspberries and blueberries for the topping in this version.
**You can find the exact ingredient quantities for making this fruity Eton mess on the printable recipe card at the end of this post**
Instructions
Meringue
Start by making the meringues
Step 1: Measure the icing sugar into a mixing bowl and add an egg white. Mix with a flat knife until you have a thick ball of dough.
Step 2: Roll walnut-sized pieces of the dough into balls and arrange them on the microwave turntable on a piece of baking parchment. Leave lots of space - the meringues will expand quite a lot.
Step 3: Cook on full power for 60 seconds. I used a 900-watt microwave; different wattage microwaves will need a few seconds adjustment either way.
Step 4: This is an image of the underside of the meringue. As you can see it is light and airy.
Leave the meringues to cool before assembling the Eton mess. Then break the meringues into small pieces.
Assembly
Once the meringues have cooled, you can assemble the Eton mess.
Step 5: Pour the cream into a mixing bowl and beat it with a balloon whisk or electric hand mixer until the cream forms stiff peaks. Be careful not to overwhip the cream or it will turn into butter!
Step 6: Transfer the cream to a serving dish and combine it with the broken meringue. Then stir in the fruit. Optionally, decorate with fresh fruit of your choice. Refrigerate until ready to eat and serve chilled.
Place in the refrigerator until chilled and serve cold.
Tips for a successful outcome
Here are my top tips for ensuring your fruity Eton mess always turns out perfectly:
- When mixing the meringue, you might have to add extra icing sugar to get the correct consistency. This will depend on the size of the egg that you used. The meringue mixture should be thick enough to allow you to roll it into balls.
- Don't be tempted to put too many meringues in the microwave at one time. They spread quite a lot, so leave plenty of room between each one.
- Take care when microwaving the meringue - if you cook them for too long, they will turn brown and taste burnt.
- When whipping the cream, stop whipping as soon as the cream has thickened. If you continue whipping, the cream will turn into butter.
- You may not need all the meringues for the eton mess. I found that 6 meringues were sufficient to crumble into the mixture, but you may like to add them all for extra crunch. I'm watching my sugar intake at the moment 🙂 )
- When mixing in the fruit, don't overmix. Just make 2 or 3 figures-of-eight with a large spoon - this will be sufficient to combine everything. This is especially important if you are using frozen fruit, which is a lot softer than fresh fruit.
Serving suggestions
For this recipe, I made a family-sized Eton mess in a large glass bowl.
However, you can just as easily assemble the Eton mess in individual glasses or dishes.
This dessert should be served chilled.
Equipment
These are the main pieces of equipment you will need to make a fruity Eton mess:
- Microwave - for cooking the meringue. My microwave is 900-watts and cooked the meringue perfectly in 60 seconds. Different wattages will take a few seconds more or less. Test one meringue first - cook for 40 seconds and cook for additional 10-second increments until the meringue is cooked.
- Baking parchment - to line the microwave plate to prevent the meringue from sticking.
- 2 Mixing bowls - one for whipping the cream and the other for mixing the meringue.
- Hand mixer or balloon whisk for whipping the cream.
- Serving dish for assembling the Eton mess.
Storage
Store the Eton mess in the refrigerator. It is best eaten fresh on the day it is made, but it will still be edible the second day. By the third day, it will have started to weep and become unappealing, especially if you have used frozen fruit. Fresh fruit may last for three days.
I haven't tried this myself, but I believe Eton mess can be frozen and served like ice cream. If you do try to freeze it and serve it I'd love to know how it turned out. Let me know in the comments.
You can make the meringues 3 to 4 days ahead of time and store them in an air-tight container in a cool spot in the kitchen or in the pantry.
Save for later
If you would like to make this fruity Eton mess, why not save the recipe to one of your Pinterest boards so you can find it easily? Just click on the image below.
Alternatively, you can save the recipe by clicking on the floating heart icon on the right-hand side of the screen.
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Visit my cakes, biscuits and dessert recipes page for other delicious treats. Here are a few you might enjoy:
📋The recipe
Fruity Eton mess with microwave meringue
(Click the stars to rate this recipe)
Equipment
- Microwave
- Baking parchment
- 2 small mixing bowls
- Electric hand mixer OR
- Balloon whisk
- Serving dish
Ingredients
- 1 cups / 65 grams icing sugar
- ½ large egg white beat the egg white lightly with a fork and scoop out the required amount with a spoon
- 2 cups / 300 grams mixed frozen berries or chopped fresh fruit
- 1 cup / 240 ml double or heavy whipping cream
- Fresh fruit for decoration optional
Instructions
Meringue
- This will make approximately 8 meringues
- Measure the icing sugar into a mixing bowl and add the egg white. Mix with a flat knife until you have a thick ball of dough.1 cups / 65 grams icing sugar, ½ large egg white
- Roll walnut-sized pieces of the dough into balls and arrange them on the microwave turntable on a piece of baking parchment. Leave lots of space - the meringues will expand quite a lot. I made 4 at a time.
- Cook on full power for 60 seconds. I used a 900-watt microwave; different wattage microwaves will need a few seconds adjustment either way.
- Repeat with the remaining mixture.
- Leave the meringues to cool before assembling the Eton mess. Then break the meringues into small pieces.
Assembly
- Pour the cream into a mixing bowl and beat it with a balloon whisk or electric hand mixer until the cream forms stiff peaks. Be careful not to overwhip the cream or it will turn into butter!1 cup / 240 ml double or heavy whipping cream
- Transfer the cream to a serving dish and combine it with the broken meringue. Then stir in the fruit. Optionally, decorate with fresh fruit of your choice. Refrigerate until ready to eat and serve chilled.2 cups / 300 grams mixed frozen berries
Notes
- When mixing the meringue, you might have to add extra icing sugar to get the correct consistency. This will depend on the size of the egg that you used. The meringue mixture should be thick enough to allow you to roll it into balls.
- Don't be tempted to put too many meringues in the microwave at one time. They spread quite a lot, so leave plenty of room between each one.
- Take care when microwaving the meringue - if you cook them for too long, they will turn brown and taste burnt.
- When whipping the cream, stop whipping as soon as the cream has thickened. If you continue whipping, the cream will turn into butter.
- You may not need all the meringues for the eton mess. I found that 6 meringues were sufficient to crumble into the mixture, but you may like to add them all for extra crunch. I'm watching my sugar intake at the moment 🙂 )
- When mixing in the fruit, don't overmix. Just make 2 or 3 figures-of-eight with a large spoon - this will be sufficient to combine everything. This is especially important if you are using frozen fruit, which is a lot softer than fresh fruit.
- Store the Eton mess in the refrigerator. It is best eaten fresh on the day it is made, but it will still be edible the second day. By the third day, it will have started to weep and become unappealing, especially if you have used frozen fruit. Fresh fruit may last for three days.
- I haven't tried this myself, but I believe Eton mess can be frozen and served like ice cream. If you do try to freeze it and serve it I'd love to know how it turned out. Let me know in the comments.
- You can make the meringues 3 to 4 days ahead of time and store them in an air-tight container in a cool spot in the kitchen or in the pantry.
Nutrition
I am not a nutritionist. The nutrition information has been calculated using an on-line calculator, and is intended for information and guidance purposes only. If the nutrition information is important to you, you should consider calculating it yourself, using your preferred tool.
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