Eton Mess: Simple and Sweet

Ingredients: 500 g strawberries, hulled and quartered * 1 cup of raspberries (optional) * 500 ml double cream * 2 tbsp of caster or vanilla sugar * 2 cups of whipping cream * 1 packet of meringue nests

Ireally as a student and this sticky, crunchy, rich mess was so simple to prepare at home. Plus, all the ingredients

in a local supermarket. I especially appreciated meringue nests.

Traditionally Eton mess is made with whipped cream, meringue and strawberries, but you can try it with other fruits, such as raspberries or any other berries you like, bananas, pineapple. You can add ginger cordial or even a dash of port if you like. Put the strawberries and raspberries into a bowl, add one tablespoon of sugar and toss gently. Leave to macerate for about 30 minutes while you whip the cream.

Place the cream in a mixer with a whisk attachment, add the remaining sugar, then whip gently until thick but still soft. Take care not to over-whip. Roughly crumble in most of the meringue nests, but not all of them. Remove half of the berries and mash them in a separate bowl with a fork until it resembles a chunky purée, then fold the purée with the cream together.

Layer up the fruit cream in glass bowls, alternating layers of the cream and the rest of the crumbled meringues. Top each of them with the remaining macerated strawberries. Eat your mess at once or within maximum 30 minutes, otherwise the meringues will lose their crunch.