This Strawberry Eton Mess is a sweet parfait featuring layers of freshly whipped cream, crushed meringue, strawberries, and strawberry sauce.

This easy Strawberry Parfait Recipe makes the perfect dessert with an exquisite combination of flavors and textures.

Parfait glass with Strawberry Eton Mess Fruit Parfait topped with a meringue cookie and sliced strawberries.

Why You Should Make an Eton Mess

  • Sometimes simple, quality ingredients make the best desserts.
  • Sliced and artfully arranged, sweet, peak of the season strawberries, whipped cream, meringue cookies, and strawberry sauce were transformed into a sublime dessert.
  • Showcased in decorative glasses, the vibrant layers made for a breathtakingly beautiful dessert.

The hubby raved with each and every bite. Seriously, I think it trumped chocolate cake and chocolate chip cookies, his two favorite desserts! This Eton Mess is the perfect way to celebrate Florida’s winter strawberry season, our local strawberry season in June, as well as the California strawberries in the market the rest of the year.

2 small Weck jars filled with homemade strawberry sauce, surrounded by fresh strawberries.

How to Preserve Strawberry Sauce

I took my first foray into real canning with this Homemade Strawberry Sauce. Canning is the perfect way to preserve these juicy, fragrant Florida berries while they’re at their peak. Who knew canning was so easy?

  • Sterilize your canning jars by running them through the dishwasher on the sanitize setting. Boiling them would also work.
  • Next, pourthe sauce into the canning jars, wipe the tops clean, and secure the lids.
  • Then process them in boiling water for 5 minutes.
  • Carefully remove the jars, let cool, and store.
  • This sauce is best used within 6 months.

Easy, peasy. I was delighted to find tight seals a day later when I went to make this outstanding recipe for Strawberry Eton mess. Whew.

Fruit parfait with layers of whipped cream, crushed meringue cookies and sliced strawberries in parfait glasses with fresh strawberries nearby
Expert Tips

The ingredients are simple, and if you care to make a more traditional version, you may skip the homemade strawberry sauce. Just purchase meringues (or make my Simple Meringue Cookies), buy ripe fragrant strawberries, and whip up some heavy cream with a touch of sugar and vanilla.

  • The success of this berry dessert depends on the quality of the strawberries. Florida strawberries are terrific from November to April if you have access, then local strawberries are available to us in early June. The rest of the year, it’s typically California berries in the market.
  • PRO-Tip: Buy only strawberries that are red and fragrant. When you get close to the display in the produce section, you should smell the aroma of strawberries!
  • PRO-Tip: Whipping your own cream is best. Using a cold bowl, cold beaters, and powdered sugar help stabilize the cream. Never use Cool Whip unless you are a major fan of the taste!
  • Pure vanilla extract is perfect for flavoring. Check the label and make sure you purchase pure vanilla, not imitation.
  • Layer carefully so that the cream and berries don’t leave smears on the glasses you use as serving dishes.
  • You’ll want to make these on the day you serve them for the best results. The sliced strawberries will deteriorate over time and the meringues will soften. 
  • You can have all the ingredients ready to go (the French call this mise en place). The cream can be whipped, the berries hulled and sliced, and the meringues crushed. If serving for company, you can layer in pretty glass dishes an hour or two before they arrive.
  • EASY VERSION: To make it super easy, buy bakery meringue cookies to crush, use a can of real whipped cream like Reddi-Wip, and layer with strawberries you slice and sugar an hour in advance so they can macerate!

Frequently Asked Questions

What is an Eton Mess?

Eton mess is a British dessert made of strawberries, broken meringues, and whipped cream. First mentioned in 1893, it was served to Eton College students at an annual cricket match.
The “mess” may have come from the not-so-polished look of the finished dessert. Interesting to note, there is also a Lancing Mess made with bananas.

How Do You Assemble an Eton Mess?

The traditional assembly involves mixing the crushed meringues and berries into the whipped cream, making a true mess. But I prefer layering in clear glasses for a prettier presentation, similar to a parfait.
My layers were: Whipped Cream, Strawberries with Strawberry Sauce, Crushed Meringues. Repeat as able depending on your glassware. Garnish with a meringue, a piped swirl of whipped cream, and/or fresh berry slices.

Can You Make an Eton Mess in Advance?

The meringues can definitely be made in advance as can the strawberry sauce if you use it. But assembly should be limited to a couple of hours before you plan to serve. When the meringues come into contact with the whipped cream, they will get soft and eventually dissolve.

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Strawberry Eton Mess Recipe with Homemade Strawberry Sauce

Strawberry Eton Mess Recipe with Homemade Strawberry Sauce

Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Yield 4 servings (varies depending on size of serving glasses)

A layered berry, whipped cream and meringue parfait dessert named for the British college from which it's thought to originate.

Ingredients

Strawberry Sauce:

  • 2 pounds ripe strawberries
  • 1 cup sugar
  • Juice of half a lemon
  • 2 teaspoons of cornstarch (mixed in 1 tablespoon water)

For assembly:

  • 1 ½ cups heavy cream
  • ⅓ cup powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 pound ripe strawberries, sliced
  • Store bought or homemade meringues

Instructions

  1. To make the strawberry sauce, hull and cut strawberries into chunks. Place in a medium saucepan.
  2. Add sugar and lemon juice and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook, stirring frequently, until strawberries are very soft.
  3. Mash with a potato masher or spoon.
  4. Pour contents of the pan into a fine-mesh sieve placed over a bowl or large spouted measuring cup. Press liquid through the sieve.
  5. Skim any obvious foam off the top of the liquid and pour it back into the saucepan. Whisk in the cornstarch and water slurry and bring to a boil. Cook for 2-3 minutes until the mixture begins to thicken. Again, skim off any foam.
  6. To can the sauce for use later, pour the sauce into sterilized canning containers. Wipe the rims clean and seal them with the cap. Process in a water bath for 5 minutes (jars should be submerged in the boiling water).
  7. Turn off the heat and let rest for 10 minutes. Remove from the water bath and let rest the countertop for 24 hours. If the jars did not seal, use sauce within 3 weeks.
  8. To make the Eton mess, whip the heavy cream with powdered sugar and vanilla until stiff peaks form. Set aside.
  9. Crumble meringue cookies. Set aside.
  10. Hull and slice berries.
  11. Using 4-6 decorative glasses, start layering the desserts.
  12. Begin with a few spoonfuls of whipped cream followed by berries, strawberry sauce, some of the crushed meringues, and more whipped cream. Repeat as room allows finishing off with whipped cream and a strawberry or sliced strawberry to garnish.

Notes

For a more traditional Eton Mess, eliminate the strawberry sauce. Instead layer whipped cream, macerated berries (sliced and tossed with sugar), and broken meringues.

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Nutrition Information:

Yield:

6

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 700Total Fat: 33gSaturated Fat: 21gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 101mgSodium: 68mgCarbohydrates: 102gFiber: 7gSugar: 89gProtein: 5g

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