Eton Mess-acre

An Eton mess massacre.

Vanilla ghost meringues with whipped cream and strawberries.

INGREDIENTS

Egg 2 large whites
Castor Sugar 125g
Vanilla Essence 5ml
Brown Vinegar 5ml

Black Food Colouring Powder as needed

Strawberries 250g
Castor Sugar 15g

Cream 250ml

METHOD

Beat the egg whites, adding the castor sugar a third at a time, until stiff and glossy. Add the vanilla essence and brown vinegar and beat in well. Spoon most of the meringue mixture into a piping bag with a medium-sized round nozzle, leaving a tablespoon of the mixture in the bowl. Add in the black food colouring powder to the left over meringue mixture and mix together well then spoon into a piping bag with a small round nozzle.

Pipe the meringues well spaced on a baking tray lined with baking paper, then with the back of a teaspoon press down lightly and swirl to create a ghost shape. Pipe two black meringue eyes on top.

Bake at 100°C for 60 minutes then reduce the heat to to 80°C for the final 30 minutes. Turn the oven off and allow to cool in the oven.

Blitz half the strawberries with a tablespoon of castor sugar to make a sauce, and quarter the remaining strawberries.

Whip the cream until stiff then layer with the strawberry sauce, quartered strawberries and meringue ghosts.