Eaton Mess

This is a really simple dessert fit for a summer dinner party. It works with any summer berries.

Eaton Mess
(Serves 4)

500g strawberries, hulls removed
400ml double cream
4 meringues, crushed

Purée half the strawberries in a blender and chop the remaining strawberries.

Whip the double cream until stiff peaks form, then fold in the strawberry purée and crushed meringue. Fold in the chopped strawberries.

Divide the mixture between 4 large wine or sundae glasses. Serve.

1 Egg Pavlova

I have been making a a lot of mince pies recently and the pastry uses 1 egg yolk, so I keep being left with 1 egg white. I'm not so good at making meringue, the first time I tried it wouldn't cook and then went hard all the way through! This time it worked perfectly. I served it with yummy berries.

1 Egg White Pavlova (from Simply Piee)
(Serves 1-2)

1 egg white
3 tbsp caster sugar
1/2 tbsp cornflour, sifted
1/2 tsp white vinegar

Preheat oven to 150C.

Whisk the egg white to stiff peaks. Gradually add the sugar a tbsp at a time until shiny and glossy.

Mix in cornflour and vinegar until combined. Put the mixture onto greaseproof paper and make a slight indentation in the middle.

Reduce heat to 120C and bake for 1 hr to 1 hr 15 mins. The pavlova should be firm to the the touch. Turn off the heat and let it cool in the oven. Serve with cream and berries

 

Coffee Meringue Brownie

I went to my parents house for the weekend and on Friday night my sister, godmother and her husband came over too. We had a lovely chicken casserole and then for dessery my Mum made a Coffee Meringue Brownie, it was delicious., the brownie lovely and fudgy and the meringue adding that mallowy squishiness. Probably one of the best things I've eaten in a while, nothing could stop me from going back for seconds!

Coffee Meringue Brownie
(Serves 8)

For the brownie
200g dark chocolate chopped
250g butter
150g caster sugar
175g brown sugar
4 eggs
200g plain flour
2 tbsp cocoa powder
1 tbsp coffee liqueur/Kahlua

For the meringue
4 egg whites
220g caster sugar
1 tbsp corn flour
2 tbsp white wine vinegar
1 tsp coffee liqueur/Kahlua

Preheat the oven to 160C.

Place the chocolate and butter in a saucepan over a low heat, stir until smooth and then allow to cool slightly.

Place the caster sugar, brown sugar, eggs, flour, cocoa powder and liqueur into a bowl with the cocolate misture and mix well.

Pour into a lighly greased 11cm x 34cm tin and bake for 25-30 mins. Allow to cool.

Preheat the grill to high.

Place the egg whites into a mixer and whisk until soft peaks form. Add the sugar and whisk until thick and glossy. Then add the cornflour, vinegar and liqueur and mix until well combined.

Spoon the meringue over the brownie and grill for 1 min until golden. Serve drizzled with coffee liqueur.

Glace en Surprise or Baked Alaska

This is the first time I have ever eaten baked Alaska, it's one of those nursery puds from people's childhoods, it was really good but I think I over did it a bit as we had a whole small tub of ice cream between three of us! But we demolished the lot!!

Glace en Surprise (from Cordon Bleu Cookery Course)

(Serves 4)

2 eggs

butter

sugar

flour

For the meringue

2 egg whites

4oz caster sugar

2-3 drops vanilla essence

Caster sugar for dusting

Preheat the oven to 180C.

Weight out the ingredients so that each weighs to the same as the two eggs. If you have digital scales weigh the egg and then weigh each the butter, flour and sugar to the same weight. Cream together the butter and the sugar and then beat in the eggs. Fold in the flour with a metal spoon and bake for 20 mins until golden brown.

Have the sponge cake and the ice cream ready made. Choose a plate or silver dish and chill it well.

To prepare the meringue: whisk the egg whites stiffly, add 2-3 rounded tsp of the caster sugar and vanilla essence and whisk again until stiff. Fold in the remaining sugar. Fill into a piping bag.

Place the sponge cake on the dish, scoop out the ice cream and arrange in top of the sponge. Pipe the meringue over the ice cream to cover it completely. Dust the meringue well with caster sugar, leave for 1 min, then put the cake into the oven and cook for about 4 mins or until the meringue is lightly browned. Serve at once.