• Elegant, simple and utterly delicious, these Eton mess cups are a sure crowd-pleaser. This traditional English dessert is quick and easy to make. It is also the perfect recipe for using left-over meringue. 

    Eton mess cups

    Ingredients

    • 3 egg whites
    • a pinch of cream of tartar
    • 5ml (1 tsp) vinegar
    • 315g (1½ cups) castor sugar
    • good quality store-bought vanilla
    • ice cream, to serve
    • mixed frozen berries, to serve

    Instructions

    1

    Preheat the oven to 110°C and line a baking tray with baking paper.

    2

    Using an electric mixer, beat the egg whites with the cream of tartar and vinegar until soft peaks form.

    3

    Slowly add the castor sugar a little at a time, beating continuously until the mixture becomes thick and glossy.

    4

    Add spoonfuls of the meringue mixture to the baking tray.

    5

    Bake in the oven until meringues are crunchy, about 40 – 45 minutes. Switch the oven off and allow the meringues to cool in the oven with the door ajar. 6 To serve, remove the meringues from the baking tray and crush into serving glasses. Top with ice cream and frozen berries and repeat with the layers, ending with a final berry layer.