Eton Mess is one of those gloriously simple British desserts that never goes out of style. Sweet strawberries, crisp meringue, and soft whipped cream all folded together into a messy, delicious mix. It’s light, summery, and incredibly moreish. No faff, no baking (unless you want to), and it’s ready in minutes.
It’s the kind of pudding you can throw together at the last minute and still impress. Great for garden parties, BBQs, or when you just fancy something sweet without the effort. And if you’ve got kids around, let them help pile it into bowls — there’s no wrong way to serve it.
If you like simple, summery desserts, my Lemon Possets with Summer Fruits are another easy favourite, creamy, zesty, and perfect for prepping ahead.
🍴 Tools You’ll Need
Mixing Bowl – A deep bowl like this is ideal for whipping cream without splashes.
Hand Whisk or Electric Mixer – A simple hand whisk like this works fine, but an electric mixer like this makes it effortless.
Serving Glasses or Dessert Dishes – Layer it up in serving glasses like these to show off the colours and textures.
Classic Eton Mess
Ingredients
- 300 ml double cream
- 1 tbsp icing sugar optional
- 300 g fresh strawberries hulled and halved or quartered
- 100 g ready-made meringue nests about 4, roughly crushed
- A few extra strawberries to garnish optional
Instructions
- Whip the double cream in a bowl like this until it forms soft peaks. You can add a spoonful of icing sugar if you prefer it slightly sweetened.
- Set aside a few strawberries for topping, then gently mash about half the rest with a fork to get some juice going. Keep the rest chunky.
- Fold the crushed meringue and strawberries (both mashed and whole) into the whipped cream, keeping it a bit streaky, no need to overmix.
- Spoon into bowls or glasses like this and top with the reserved strawberries. Serve straight away.
Top Tips for this Classic Eton Mess
Use ripe strawberries – they give the best flavour and natural sweetness. If they’re a little underripe, a sprinkle of sugar helps bring out the juice.
Don’t over-whip the cream – soft peaks are perfect. If it goes too stiff, it won’t fold as nicely with the meringue and fruit.
Keep the meringue chunky – a mix of large and small pieces adds the perfect crunch. Don’t crush it too finely.
Assemble just before serving – Eton Mess is best when the meringue is still a bit crisp. It softens quickly if left sitting.