Strawberry & Rose Eton Mess
Hello, fellow wine-lovers! Katie from Butterlust here, back today with yet another delicious wine and dessert pairing. I’ve been so excited to share this recipe with you because it’s the kind of effortless elegance that’s incredibly simple to pull together, but absolutely stunning once it’s on the table.
Since winter is quickly melting away and Rosé season is upon us, there’s no better time to celebrate warmer weather with something a littler lighter, and not to mention, the most charming shade of springtime pink. Today’s recipe — Strawberry & Rose Eton Mess — pairs perfectly with Kendall-Jackson Grand Reserve Rosé, which I must admit, is one of my absolute favorite Kendall-Jackson wines. From its deep pink hue to its heady aromas of English tea roses, gardenias and orange blossoms, I just can’t get enough.
If you’re unfamiliar with Eton mess (don’t worry, I was too), it’s a traditional English dessert, dating back to the 19th century. In its purest form, it’s a combination of strawberry and sometimes banana, whipped cream and meringue. Named for its messy appearance — the ingredients are often folded together with little regard for presentation — I chose instead to layer mine in cocktail glasses for a tidier, more intentional delivery, but the components are all there.
To add a twist to the classic preparation, I infused the whipped cream with both rose petals and rose water, which add a lovely, middle eastern-inspired, floral profile that beautifully compliments the notes of rose and orange blossom in the Rosé, and balances the sweet freshness of the strawberry. Broken pieces of airy meringue are mixed throughout adding a light crunch and just the right amount of texture and body.
I chose to make my meringue homemade — it’s easier than you may think — but you could definitely substitute store-bought meringue cookies to cut back on prep time. And if you do go the semi-homemade route, this recipe is completely no-bake and therefore a no-brainer for your next get-together!
Serve this Strawberry Rose Eton Mess at your next dinner party alongside a perfectly chilled bottle of Kendall-Jackson Grand Reserve Rosé and it’s sure to impress, guaranteed. Enjoy!
Notes About This Recipe:
- To make your own superfine sugar at home, pulse granulated sugar in a food processor for one minute.
- To infuse the whipped cream you can either use dried rose petals, rose water, or a combination of the two. Using rose water will impart a stronger, sweeter rose flavor while dried rose petals will be a bit lighter in flavor and slightly more earthy.
- 3 egg whites
- ¾ cup superfine sugar (see notes)
- ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoon dried culinary rose petals
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 3 tablespoons confectioner's sugar
- 1 teaspoon rose water (optional)
- 1½ cup fresh strawberries, sliced
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- Preheat the oven to 200F.
- Add the egg whites to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment, or use a hand mixer. Beat on medium until foamy. Add in the cream of tartar then continue to beat until soft peaks form.
- Add in the sugar a little at a time, beating on medium-high until still peaks form. Add in the sugar and continue to beat until glossy and there are almost no granules when you rub the meringue between your fingers.
- Use a piping bag to pipe meringue stars onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 1 hour 45 minutes then turn the oven off, crack it open with a spoon, and let the meringues sit for several hours, or overnight, to cool and dry out.
- To infuse the cream with dried rose petals, add the cream and petals to a medium saucepan and heat until barely simmering.
- Remove from the heat and let steep for 30 minutes. Strain and then chill the cream until cold.
- Shortly before serving, add the cream to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment, or use a hand mixer. Beat the cream until slightly thick then stop the mixer and add the rose water and confectioner's sugar.
- Continue to beat until thick.
- Combine the strawberries and sugar in a medium bowl. Set aside and let macerate for at least 30 minutes, then refrigerate until serving time.
- Crush 6-7 meringues and fold them into the whipped cream. Layer the whipped cream with crushed meringues and macerated strawberries and serve immediately.
For more food and wine pairing tips, visit the Entertaining section of our website.
