Boozy Raspberry Eton Mess

This post may contain affiliate links. If you click on these links and make purchases, I may receive a small commission. I only link to products I genuinely trust and recommend. Thank you for your support.

Summery blend of crisp meringues, soft whipped cream, and fresh raspberries. The perfect light and airy dessert for picnics or summer parties.

A traditional English dessert, Eton Mess is a recipe that might be unfamiliar to my American readers. But it’s something we really ought to adopt from our brethren across the pond! 

It’s one of my absolute favorite spring desserts (Except, of course, Vanilla Bean Panna Cotta which is heavenly). But Eton Mess gets bonus points because you can take in on a picnic too! 

So what is Eton Mess exactly? It’s a blend of whipped cream, meringue cookies, and strawberries served al fresco. It screams summer. And since most of the ingredients are made of air, you can pretend you’re keeping your bikini body while you eat it.

Looking for another fruity dessert? Try this easy Mango Coconut Soft Serve!

Or try this unique earl grey affogato that’s full of springtime floral flavors!

Jump to Recipe

TL;DR

• Make or buy meringues. Crush them.
• Put raspberries into a bowl and lightly crush with a fork.
• Pour a splash of brandy or prosecco and a dash of caster sugar over the raspberries
• Let sit for 30 minutes
• Whip your cream to soft peaks
• Combine the ingredients by layering meringues, raspberry goop, fresh raspberries, and whipped cream into a cup or other serving device of your choice.
• Eat it quickly before anyone comes in.

There are a number of versions of how Eton Mess came to be. One of which tells the story of an adorably excitable labrador who sat on a strawberry meringue on the way to a picnic at Eton College and created a…mess. I choose to believe this is the genuine origin story. Mostly because a black lab sitting on a plate of red strawberries and white cream and meringue is a color scheme I enjoy. 

But truthfully, “mess” could refer both to the looks of the dish or to “a mixture of soft foods eaten together.” (You can also make an egg mess or “egg melange” as the French put it. We Americans get to the point and call it “scrambled eggs.”) And at one point Eton Mess was made with ice cream and no meringues.

You’ll also note I keep mentioning strawberries and yet the title and pictures both clearly indicate raspberries. No, I haven’t lost my mind. I know what a strawberry is. Honestly, I prefer raspberries so I decided to change the recipe.

And I added booze. Because I wanted to. More on that later.

How to Make Boozy Raspberry Eton Mess

Eton Mess is one of the easiest and quickest desserts to make, especially if you’re using store-bought meringues! 

All you need: meringues (or egg whites and caster sugar), cream, sugar, and berries.

If you want my version, add in vanilla and brandy or prosecco.

Meringues

Basic meringues are slow baked cookies made from whipped egg whites and sugar. You can make them yourself, though you’ll probably want to do it the day before you make Eton Mess as they take about 2 hours to cook.

Store-bought meringues work just as well.

I chose to make mine myself using 2 egg whites and 200 grams of caster sugar (roughly 1 cup). You’ll end up with 6 large meringues.

Using a Kitchen Aide for this recipe is much better than a hand-mixer. I’ve made meringues both ways and can confirm it is a much more enjoyable experience when you aren’t trying to juggle a beater, egg whites, and sugar all at once.

Beat the egg whites and sugar until the eggs are glossy and you get stiff white peaks. Since these meringues will end up crushed anyway, you don’t need to bother with pastry bags or shaping them. Just plop them onto a parchment-covered cookie sheet and bake!

I tried shaping a few by hand just for fun. And if you can tell which they are from this picture, I owe you a cookie. Because I sure can’t.

Caster Sugar

Caster Sugar is very fine granulated sugar. It’s helpful for mixing into light desserts like panna cotta, mousse, angel food cake, whipped cream, or meringues as it dissolves more smoothly and creates a silkier consistency.

It’s fairly easy to find caster sugar. My personal favorite is India Tree.

You can make your own caster sugar at home by blending regular granulated sugar until it reaches fine consistency. (Blend it too long and you get powdered sugar, so keep checking it.) Let it settle before removing the top of your blender or you’ll get a big dust cloud of sugar in your face!

Whipped Cream

You’ll want soft peaks for Eton Mess, so don’t whip it too long. Stiff peaks don’t blend as well with the raspberry sauce or meringues. (If you do end up whipping too long, don’t worry. It’s not the end of the world, the mess will still taste good!)

General whipping tips:

• Start with cold cream
• Chill your bowl and beater tongs
• Start on a slow speed
• Add your sugar and vanilla after you’ve gotten peaks

Fruit

Regular Eton Mess simply calls for sliced strawberries. Though some recipes recommend you make a strawberry sauce by blending the berries with some sugar.

I chose raspberries instead. I think they have richer flavor and color. And they’re easier to smoosh into a sauce!

To make my raspberry sauce I simply macerated some raspberries with sugar and added a dash of brandy. (You can also use prosecco.)

Macerating Raspberries

What exactly is macerating? Very simply it’s soaking fruit in liquid and sugar to soften the fruit, release juices, and absorb flavor.

In our case, all that means is your raspberries soften, become sweeter and flavored with brandy, and release liquid. Essentially they are making their own sauce and you don’t have to lift a finger. Except to drink some brandy while you wait.

To do this: 

1. Place your raspberries in a bowl. 
2. Press lightly down with a fork. (You don’t need to fully crush them.)
3. Sprinkle caster sugar over the top. Toss.
4. Pour a small amount of brandy or prosecco over the top.
5. Wait for 30 minutes.

Brandy vs. Prosecco

Both are good options for macerating. Brandy will be a little stronger and will imbue more flavor. But the light carbonated fizz of prosecco can be a nice touch, especially for a summer dessert.

How to serve Eton Mess?

Eton Mess won’t hold it’s shape, so you’ll need to serve it in bowls or cups. I use wine glasses for an elegant presentation. Part of the allure of eton mess is seeing all of the layers blending together, so see through glasses are particularly pretty.

But you can also bottle it up in portable mason jars for picnics or barbecues!

I usually serve Eton Mess after a heavier spring or summer meal like Roasted Herb-Crusted Lamb. But you could also serve it after an elegant dinner like Whole Roasted Rainbow Trout. And remember, it’s a natural pair with picnic fair. That’s what it was made for!

What wines pair with Eton Mess?

Eton Mess is light and airy so there’s really nothing better than a chilled bubbly prosecco, champagne, or light rosé.