European Elections and Chris’ Eton Mess … (gluten free)

This week’s paper

Across the Atlantic, they say that Europeans do not care about the EU election as there is an estmated average of 43% turn out. And on the island we are expecting a turnout of around 72%. Europe matters to people here.

And today we go to a different island in Europe and visit the UK. Chris now lives in Eastbourne and he is an amazing Pastry Chef specialising in butter and chocolate sculptures. His work on St George is just incredible.

As Chris’ work is so complex and unachievable to most, I asked him to prepare a very simple dessert especially for my newspaper readers which they could make very quickly and something from his adopted land, something very English. He produced a very delicious Eton Mess, created in the famous public school where the royal princes attended.

And the story orginates many years ago about a meringue dessert that was salvaged after being accidently crushed by a dog and with no time to redo it, the Eton cooks served it crushed and mixed it with more strawberries and cream. Guests loved it so much that it remained on the menu !

For Chris’ Eton Mess you will need:

300ml double cream beaten up until stiff (i make it by halfing the cream and adding local yoghurt or greek)
Seeds from a vanilla pod
100g ready made meringues, broken up into pieces
One spoon sifted icing sugar
Strawberries, one punnet, washed, hulled and slices
Some toasted almonds

Beat the cream with the vanilla seeds until you have soft peaks.
In a bowl, mash half the strawberries,
To assemble, break up your meringues into a bowl — you can crush some of the bits into powder, leaving other bits chunky.
Ripple the cream and mushed-up fruit together, then sprinkle in the rest of the fruit and fold again.
Layer your crushed meringues and fruity cream in glasses, then sprinkle with the toasted almonds
Serve immediately.

And you can now see some more of Chris’ work… just amazing …

On his wedding day with Vanessa …

And yes, this is edible !