I had a dessert a few month ago that I absolutely fell in love with. They called it Eton Mess, but none of the recipes I found really came close. Then while I watched The F Word and Gordon showed his Strawberry Glory recipe it all seemed to click into place. This rich, sweet, sumptuous desert by Gordon Ramsey is spot on!
Serves 4 - 6
Ingredients
Approx 80g ready made meringues, crushed300g fresh strawberries, quartered
Icing sugar to dust
Balsamic vinegar to drizzle
240ml thick cream
1 tbsp icing sugar
4- 6 scoops vanilla ice cream
Plain chocolate to grate
For the crème pâtissière (makes about 320g):
- 150 ml milk- 100ml cream
- 20g plain flour
- 15g cornflour
- 3 free range large egg yolks
- 40g caster sugar
Instructions:
- For the crème patissière base: heat the milk and cream in a heavy-based saucepan until almost boiling. Sift the flour and cornflour together. Beat the egg yolks and sugar together in a large bowl then mix in the flour. Add a splash of the hot creamy milk and whisk well until the mixture is smooth, then gradually whisk in the rest of the milk. Pour back into the pan and whisk over a medium-low heat for 3-5 minutes until thickened and smooth. Transfer to a bowl, cover and cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally to prevent a skin forming.
- Quarter the strawberries and dust with icing sugar. Drizzle over the balsamic vinegar and toss to coat. Quickly cook the strawberries in a hot pan for a minute or two until the strawberries just begin to break down. Spoon on to a plate and allow to cool.
- Whip the double cream with a tablespoon of icing sugar to soft peak stage. Mix the whipped cream and crème patisserie together - the mixture should be two thirds cream to one third crème patisserie.
- Layer the bottom of the glasses with some strawberries, scatter over some meringue then pipe over a little of the mixed cream. Repeat the layering as necessary and top with a spoonful of ice cream, a drizzle of sauce and a grating of chocolate.
*if you are a meringue pro make your own
