What sums up the British summer more than strawberries and cream? With Wimbledon just around the corner, James’ recipe for an Elderflower Eton Mess makes the best of seasonal summer berries for a colourful and sweet treat to share on a sunny day.
Serves 4
Ingredients:
For the meringue:
- 4 egg whites
- 120g icing sugar
- 120g caster sugar
- Pinch of cracked black pepper
To serve:
- 250g sliced strawberries
- 150g blueberries
- 100g clotted cream
- 4 tsp strawberry jam
- ½ bottle of elderflower bubbly
- Sprig of thyme
Method:
- Start by making the meringue in advance. Preheat the oven to 120˚C and whisk the egg whites until fluffy. Then gradually whisk in the caster sugar – adding a little every 5-6 seconds.
- When the meringue mix is glossy and smooth, fold in the sifted icing sugar and add a pinch of cracked black pepper.
- Spread the meringue out on a lined baking tray and cook for 2 hours. Allow to cool on a wire rack and then break up into large lumps on a serving platter.
- Dollop on your clotted cream followed by teaspoons of strawberry jam. Next slice your strawberries thinly and sprinkle with some elderflowers and caster sugar. Allow to macerate on a tray for 15-20 mins.
- Reduce the elderflower bubbly in a saucepan with a few sprigs of thyme for 15-20 mins to form a runny syrup. Mix the strawberries into the infused syrup and spread out on top of the meringue.
- Garnish the Eton Mess with blueberries and extra elderflowers.
