Lemon Blueberry Eton Mess
Containing layers of fruity flavor intermingled with the crunch of meringue cookies, this trifle-like dessert will leave your guests impressed and their appetites satisfied.
Equipment
- 6-8 four-ounce glasses, for serving
Ingredients
- 24-36 meringue cookies - the total will depend on size of cookies and the size of your serving glasses
Blueberry compote
- 2 cups blueberries fresh or frozen
- ½ cup sugar
- ⅛ cup water
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
Lemon curd
- 3/4 cup sugar
- ⅓ cup unsalted butter melted
- ⅔ cup lemon juice
- 2 eggs
- 1 egg yolk
- 3 teaspoons lemon zest optional
Whipped cream
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
Instructions
- If you did not pre-purchase meringue cookies, prepare them now. If you are making them from scratch, these will add about 3 hours to the total preparation time for this dish.
- Next, prepare your blueberry compote. Combine blueberries and sugar in a saucepan over medium heat. Continue to heat until the berries break down and the mixture begins to boil. In a separate container, stir together water and cornstarch. Pour into boiling blueberry mixture; continue to boil for 3-4 for minutes, until thickened. Place in refrigerator to cool.
- Next make your lemon curd. Melt butter in a medium-sized, microwave safe bowl. Whisk in sugar before beating in eggs, one at a time. Add remaining ingredients and microwave at 1-minute intervals (usually about 3 minutes total) until the curd is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Chill until cold.
- While the lemon curd and blueberry compote are cooling, prepare your whipped cream. Pour heavy cream into chilled mixing bowl. Whisk on medium speed until the mixture is thick, but before soft peaks form. Gradually mix in sugar and vanilla bean paste. Continue to mix until stiff peaks form; do not overmix unless you want to make butter!
- Once your lemon curd and blueberry compote are completely cooled, begin assembly. Layer your ingredients in small dishes or cups in the following layers, starting from the bottom: meringue, compote, lemon curd, meringue, compote, lemon curd, whipped cream.
Notes
You are welcome to use store bought whipped cream and/or meringue cookies; the taste will be roughly the same. If making your own meringue cookies, feel free to pipe the meringues into the specific shape that will fit your final serving dish.
If you are short on time, the blueberry compote could be substituted for store-bought blueberry jam, but I don't recommend this option. Jams and jellies can vary in flavor, and will have a different sugar-to-fruit ratio than our homemade compote.