Eton Mess with Meringue Kisses

Preparation Time: 20 Minutes

Cooking Time: 1 Hour

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

• 300ml double cream, whipped to soft peaks
• 400g fresh blueberries
• 30g blue sprinkles, to garnish
• 200ml apple juice
• 290g caster sugar
• 2 egg whites
• 1 tsp cornflour
• ½ tsp blue gel food colouring
• 1 tsp sky blue food colouring
• 1 tsp green food colouring
• ½ yellow food colouring

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 100°C.
2. Make the blueberry compote. Add the blueberries, apple juice, and caster sugar into a small saucepan and stir until the sugar is dissolved and the blueberries have broken down. Once the mixture has reduced slightly, allow to cool.
3. Beat the egg whites to form soft peaks in a stand mixer or with a hand mixer. Add in the sugar one spoonful at a time, beating as you go. Then, add in the cornflour and whisk until stiff peaks are formed. Add in the blue gel food colouring and mix well. The mixture should remain in the bowl when turned upside down.
4. Place a piece of baking parchment onto a baking tray. Next, mix the sky blue, green, and yellow food colouring together to create a teal colour. Take a clear piping bag and fit with a 10mm straight piping nozzle. Paint the inside of the bag with your food colouring mixture and then spoon in the blue meringue.
5. Holding the piping bag upwards, gently pipe a small circle onto the baking parchment. This should be approximately the size of a cherry. Pull the bag sharply upwards to create a whip on top. Repeat the process until the piping back is empty.
6. Place the baking tray in the oven and bake for 50 minutes. After this, turn the oven off and allow it to cool for another 30 minutes.
7. Now make the Eton mess. Add the double cream into a large bowl and crush in a few of the meringue kisses. Sprinkle in the fresh blueberries, a drizzle of blueberry compote, and gently fold together.
8. Portion the Eton mess into glass bowls and get creative with the meringue kisses, more fresh blueberries, blueberry compote, and sprinkles.