Bumbleberry Eton Mess

We had friends over for dinner recently and I wanted to make something relatively simple for dessert, but something tasty of course.

As it is summer and the berries are bountiful at this time of year I picked up a punnet or two of berries – strawberries, raspberries and blueberries to be precise. Now what to do with the berries?

Then I thought – Eton Mess. I’d never made it before, but thought it would be quite straightforward, and I wasn't wrong. Whipped cream, crushed meringue and berries.

The term bumbleberry is apparently what you call a variety of berries being used in a recipe. Bumbleberry pie is quite common in the States so I've read. So why not call my berry medley dessert Bumbleberry Eton Mess? It has a certain ring to it, right?

Some recipes out there call for flavours such as ginger or pomegranate to be added to the cream, but I wanted the thick cream flavour coming through – so added just a teaspoon of vanilla bean paste. Also, I used store bought meringue nests, so easy! As for the berries, go for anything you like, blackberries, even cherries!

The berries I pulverised most of, but kept a few intact to decorate. Here’s how I made it:

Yield: 4 generous servings

Ingredients:

600 ml double cream

1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste

5 store bought meringue nests, crushed

500 grams of mixed berries

Method:

In a bowl, mash most of the fruit with a fork to get liquidy berryness. Keep a few back to garnish.

In the bowl of a mixer add the cream and vanilla and whip until the cream just begins to hold it’s shape. Add the berry mush and stir through. Lastly add the crushed meringue and fold it through.

Spoon into chilled glasses and top with a few of the whole berries and more crushed meringue. It’s really that simple! Enjoy – as our guests and we did!