Saturday marks International Strawberries & Cream Day, so Shane is using both to make a traditional Eton Mess
Ingredients: Serves 4 generously
- 500g grams of fresh ripe strawberries
- 1 pint of double cream
- A tsp of vanilla extract
- 6 meringue nests(shop bought are fine and super easy)
- A few tbsps of icing sugar(depending on how sweet you like your dessert)
- 30-40ml of white rum
- The juice of a 1-2 lime, depending on taste
- 4 scoops of good vanilla ice cream
- A few sprigs of fresh mint, rolled and finely julienned
- A few pieces of crystalized ginger( if available but not necessary)
Method
1. Hull and roughly slice the strawberries. Place in a mixing bowl with a tbsp of icing sugar. Add the rum and lime juice (to taste) and leave to macerate and form a syrup for at least half an hour, an hour is ideal.
2. Whip the cream with another tbsp or so of icing sugar and the vanilla and set aside.
3. In a large mixing bowl, fold half of the strawberries, the cream and 5 of the meringue nest. Slightly crush together with a little strawberry juice. Save one crushed meringue for decoration.
4. In tall glasses or sundae glasses place a scoop of ice cream at the bottom. Spoon over a couple of the remaining strawberry pieces with some juice to run over the ice cream. Top with the eton mess mix and finish with the last of the strawberry pieces, a sprinkling of mint and some of the ginger.
5. Serve with a glass of Prosecco for an al fresco.
