If You Make One Thing This Week...A Mess You Wouldn't Mind Making...Eton Mess...

Happy Tuesday friends! I have so much planned for this week, that I hope I can accomplish it all!

Have any of you bought the new  Nopi cookbook by Ottolenghi yet? If you haven't, do yourselves a favour and get it! What a treat!

Many of you sent me messages requesting the recipe for the Eton Mess that I posted last Friday. I have adapted this recipe from the Nopi cookbook.

Whilst this recipe may seem like too much of trouble, as it has so many elements, most can be made ahead of time and simply put together at the last moment... Come to think of it, all the elements can be prepared beforehand. I made homemade meringues as I love the texture of them - crisp on the outside and gooey inside, whilst the bought ones simply crumble to nothing and only add sweetness to the dessert, without adding any texture. But, feel free to buy them if you like.

The different elements are, sorbet, meringues, pomegranate syrup, mascarpone cream, strawberries, raspberries, pomegranate rubies, rose petals and pistachios.

I know it seems shocking to use pomegranate molasses and sumac in a sweet dish, but please, please, please DO NOT omit it! It adds the most amazing depth of flavour.

This recipe serves 6 to 8

Mixed berry sorbet:

1 cup raspberries
1 cup blueberries
1 cup blackberries
1 cup strawberries, hulled
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 cup caster sugar
300 milliliters water
1 tablespoon glucose syrup
1 teaspoon rose water, optional

Place all the berries in a bowl. Add the sugar and allow to macerate for 1 hour. Add the water and glucose and purée in a blender until smooth. Strain through a sieve to remove seeds. Chill thoroughly.
Add the rose water, if using, and churn in an ice cream maker, following manufacturer's instructions.
Sorbet can be made several days ahead. Once frozen, scoop out and place in a silicone lined plastic container. Cover and return to freezer. Your sorbet is now ready to serve.

Meringues:

2 egg whites
1/2 cup caster sugar
1/2 teaspoon white vinegar

Preheat the oven to 120 degrees centigrade. Line a baking sheet with  silicone paper.Whip the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Gradually add the sugar and whisk until thick and glossy. Add the vinegar with the last batch of sugar. Place teaspoonfuls of meringue on the lined baking sheet. Bake for 30 minutes, then turn the oven off. Leave in oven to cool for several hours, or overnight.
Place in an airtight container. Meringues can be made up to three days ahead.

Pomegranate syrup:

2 tablespoons caster sugar
2 tablespoons boiling water
2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses
1 teaspoon sumac

Combine the sugar and the water. Stir till sugar is dissolved. Stir in the molasses and sumac. Refrigerate till required.

Mascarpone cream:

150 grams mascarpone cheese
100 grams whipping cream
1 tablespoon icing sugar
1 teaspoon rose water

Whip the cheese, cream and icing sugar together, until soft peaks form. Stir in the rose water. Refrigerate till required.


To serve:

Sliced strawberries
Raspberries
Pomegranate rubies
Rose petals, use fresh or dried petals
Chopped pistachio nuts

Place a few strawberries and raspberries in a serving bowl. Top with few broken meringues. Add a tablespoon of the mascarpone cream,then drizzle with the pomegranate syrup. Add a scoop of sorbet,then some more fruit. Add another drizzle of pomegranate syrup, and finally sprinkle over the rubies, petals and pistachios. Serve at once.