Celebrate Mother’s Day with a British treat

#MiddleburyCT #Mother’sDay #Tart #EtonMess

As Mother’s Day approaches, it’s time to treat the special mother figures in our lives with something unique, fun and utterly delicious. Why not surprise Mom with a taste of British charm by serving up a delightful dessert known as Eton Mess? Eton Mess originated from the prestigious boarding school, Eton College, in Windsor, England.

Don’t let the name fool you; this is one mess Mom will absolutely adore! Eton Mess is not only delicious, its playful combination of textures and flavors make this a joy to eat. With simple, affordable ingredients like fresh strawberries, meringue and cream, you can create a dessert fit for a queen without breaking the bank.

Eton Mess

The amount of meringue can vary depending on personal preference and the size of the servings. If you don’t want to make meringue, use 8 to 16 store-bought cookies, depending on their size.

Yield: 6 servings
Total Time: 10 minutes

Sweet, crunchy, creamy, tart – every spoonful of Eton Mess is pure bliss! (www.JasonCoblentz.com)

1 pound of fresh strawberries
1/2 medium lemon, juice and zest
2 tablespoons of granulated sugar, divided
1 recipe baked meringue slab (below)
2 cups of cold heavy cream

Begin by making a meringue slab, if using.

Slice the fresh strawberries into a bowl. Save a few for garnish. Zest half of a lemon; reserve zest for later use. Squeeze the lemon until you have 1 tablespoon of juice. Add the lemon juice and 1 tablespoon of granulated sugar to the strawberries, giving them a gentle toss to combine.

Now, let’s add some crunch! Take the meringue slab (or cookies) and coarsely crush them with your fingers or a knife.

In the bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment (or mixing bowl with a hand mixer), pour in 2 cups of cold heavy cream and the remaining tablespoon of granulated sugar. Beat on medium speed until soft peaks form.

Once your cream is whipped to perfection, gently fold in the crushed meringues and about two-thirds of the prepared strawberries using a spatula. This will create a luscious, creamy mixture with delightful pockets of crunch and bursts of fruity flavor.

To serve, evenly divide the Eton Mess mixture among 6 coupes, short glasses or small bowls. Top each serving with the remaining strawberries and a sprinkle of lemon zest for extra zing.

Baked Meringue Slab

Yield: approximately 6 cups
Prep Time: 2 hours, 10 minutes

3 large egg whites, at room temperature
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch of salt

Preheat your oven to 225 F (110 C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a clean mixing bowl, with stand mixer or hand mixer, beat egg whites on medium speed until soft peaks form, 1-2 minutes. Gradually add the sugar while continuing to beat the egg whites. Once all the sugar has been added, increase the speed to high and beat until stiff, glossy peaks form. Fold in the vanilla extract and a pinch of salt until well incorporated.

Transfer the meringue mixture onto the prepared baking sheet; spread it about 1/2-inch thick.

Place the baking sheet in the oven and bake for 1 hour, or until the meringue is dry to the touch. Once baked, turn off the oven and leave the meringue slab inside to cool completely. This slow cooling helps prevent cracking.

Once completely cooled, remove the slab from the baking sheet and break it into bite-size pieces.

Eton Mess is the perfect way to show Mom just how much she means to you. After all, every mom appreciates a little messiness in her life, especially when it’s this delicious!

Lifestyle expert Patti Diamond is the penny-pinching, party-planning, recipe developer and content creator of the website Divas On A Dime – Where Frugal, Meets Fabulous! Visit Patti at www.divasonadime.com and join the conversation on Facebook at DivasOnADimeDotCom. Email Patti at divapatti@divasonadime.com

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