Recipe: Christmas Eton Mess

Holiday dinners are the official awakening of warm twinkling lights, candle-lit rooms, the smell of pine and spruce, and a symphony of laughter from family and friends. Originating from Great Britain, the Christmas Eton Mess is the perfect dessert to bring to your Christmas dinners. I promise that everyone will thank you for this sweet treat. 

Tools 

Baking sheet 

Parchment paper

Stand mixer or hand mixer with a whisk attachment 

Sifter 

Cooling rack

Pot

Spoon

Cup

Ingredients (yields six servings) 

4 eggs (egg whites only) 

1 cup of white sugar 

1 tbsp of cornstarch 

1 tsp of white vinegar 

1 tsp of pure vanilla extract

3 tbsp of unsweetened cocoa powder

⅓ cup of dark chocolate (finely or roughly chopped) 

3 tbsp of peppermint candy canes (finely or roughly chopped) 

3 cups of raspberries 

2 tsp of lemon juice 

2 tsp of white sugar

Whipped cream to taste

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350℉. Chop the dark chocolate and peppermint candy canes. If you prefer more texture, chop them roughly. For more integrated flavours, chop them finely.

Meringue 

In a stand or hand mixer, beat the egg whites until fluffy. Once fluffy, add one cup of sugar 1 tbsp at a time until the mixture is glossy and forms stiff peaks. Sift in the cocoa powder and cornstarch and gently fold it into the egg whites alongside the vanilla extract and vinegar. Line the baking sheet with parchment paper and evenly spread the meringue in a layer about 1-inch thick. Place the meringue in the oven and immediately lower the heat to 275 ℉ for 1 hour. Once baked, remove from the oven and let cool for 1-2 hours at room temperature. Then, transfer onto a cooling rack for another hour. 

Raspberry compote 

On low to medium heat, combine the raspberries, lemon juice, and 2 tsp of sugar in a pot. Let the berries simmer for about 15-20 minutes, or until the mixture has turned thick and syrupy. Stir occasionally. Then set aside to cool. 

Assembly 

Break the meringue into bite-size pieces with a spoon. Assemble it in a cup with the compote, chopped chocolate, and candy canes. You can also turn the assembly into a fun activity at the dinner table by laying out all the prepared ingredients for the guests to assemble themselves — less work for you, more fun for everyone. Enjoy!