This delicious black forest Eton mess dessert consists of layers of sweet crumbled meringue, velvety whipped cream, an intense cherry brandy compote and a smooth chocolate ganache. Because you can use fresh or canned cherries, you can make this dessert year-round, whether it’s a hot summer day or the winter holidays.
Jump to:
What is Eton mess?
Eton mess is a traditional British dessert trifle made with layers of crumbled meringue, whipped cream and fruit.
Apparently the dessert is traditionally served at Eton College’s annual cricket match and was invented in one way or another (different sources tell different stories here) at the school.
The Eton mess recipe I created here is made with a crunchy but very delicate meringue that is softened by vanilla whipped cream, coated with a blanket of creamy chocolate ganache and topped with juicy cherries cooked in brandy (you can use fresh or canned cherries).
It’s a stellar dessert for any holiday celebration, whether it’s the Fourth of July or the winter holidays.
How to make it:
This dessert is not difficult to make but it does take time because the meringue takes a while to bake and because it tastes best after it’s had a few hours in the fridge, so be sure to plan for that.
Make the meringue:
Step 1. Heat the oven to 275 degrees F. Whip 3 room-temperature egg whites, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract and ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar until they hold soft peaks.
Step 2. Slowly but steadily whip in ¾ cup granulated sugar. Once all the sugar is incorporated, you will end up with a very firm meringue.
Bake the meringue:
Step 3. Spoon the meringue into 8 round little nests onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 45 minutes.
Step 4. Turn the oven off and without opening the oven door, let the meringues cool in the oven for another hour.
Make the cherry compote:
Step 5. For the cherry compote you have two options: you can use 1 ¾ pounds fresh cherries (you have to remove the stems and the pits) or 1 ¾ pounds canned and drained red tart cherries.
Fresh cherries look a bit more attractive but as far as flavor is concerned, canned red tart cherries work surprisingly well here and make a delicious alternative when fresh cherries are not in season.
Add whichever type of cherries you are using to a saucepan along with 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, 2 tablespoons brandy and 2 teaspoons lemon juice.
Step 6. Cook, uncovered, until the cherries start to break down (about 20 minutes). Let cool.
Make the ganache:
Step 7. Add 2 ounces finely chopped sweet chocolate (milk chocolate or German chocolate) and 1 ounce finely chopped bittersweet chocolate to a bowl. Bring 3 tablespoons heavy cream to a boil and pour over the chocolate. Let the mix sit for a minute.
Step 8. Whisk it into a smooth ganache.
Crumble the meringue and make the whipped cream:
Step 9. Crumble the meringue into a bowl and set aside.
Step 10. For the whipped cream layer, whip 1 ½ cups heavy cream with 1 ½ tablespoons granulated sugar and ¾ teaspoon vanilla extract to stiff peaks.
Assemble the trifles:
You have two options for how to serve this trifle:
- in individual portions or
- in one big bowl that you spoon the dessert out of and distribute onto plates or bowls.
Individual portions are pictured in the photo at the top of the post and the large bowl option is shown in the photo below.
Whichever option you choose, you want to layer the trifle in the following order:
- meringue crumbles
- whipped cream
- ganache
- cherry compote (discard excess juice from the compote)
It’s important that you keep that order because the whipped cream needs to sit on top of the meringue to soften it.
Chill the trifles:
I recommend to let the fully assembled Eton mess sit in the fridge for about 4 hours before serving to let the crumbled meringue soften a bit. It tastes best that way.
Recipe notes and tips:
- It can sometimes happen that a small part in the center of a meringue nest does not fully dry and remains a little gummy. If that happens, just discard those gummy pieces.
- Be sure to use chocolate bars and not morsels, morsels have stabilizers in them that prevent them from melting properly.
- When you make the ganache and end up with a few remaining chocolate clumps, heat the mix over a pot of simmering water and continue to whisk until all the chocolate is melted.
More delicious fruit desserts:
Made this recipe? It would be awesome if you could leave a rating. Either tap or click the stars in the recipe card or leave a comment below. Thanks!
Full Printable Recipe
Black Forest Eton Mess
Ingredients
For the meringue layers:
- 3 egg whites, at room temperature
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
- ¾ cup sugar
For the cherry layers:
- 1 ¾ pound dark cherries, stems and pits removed (if cherries are not in season, you can use 1 ¾ pounds canned and drained red tart cherries instead)
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 2 tablespoons brandy
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
For the chocolate ganache layers:
- 2 ounces sweet chocolate (milk chocolate or German chocolate) finely chopped*
- 1 ounce bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped*
- 3 tablespoons heavy cream
For the whipped cream layers:
- 1 ½ cup heavy cream
- 1 ½ tablespoons sugar
- ¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
For the meringue layers:
- Heat the oven to 275 degrees F.
- Whip egg whites, vanilla and cream of tartar until you get soft peaks.
- Slowly and gradually add the sugar, continuing to whip until all sugar is incorporated. You will end up with a very firm meringue.
- Spoon 8 round meringue nests on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 45 minutes.
- Turn off the oven, don’t open the oven door, and let the meringue nests cool in the oven for 1 hour.
For the cherry layers:
- Add cherries, sugar, brandy and lemon juice to a saucepan. Cook, uncovered, until the cherries start to break down and the juice thickens (about 20 minutes). Let cool.
For the chocolate ganache layers:
- Bring the cream to a boil in the microwave or on the stovetop and pour over the chocolate. Let the mix sit for a minute.
- Whisk until you have a smooth ganache. If necessary, heat the mix over a water bath until all the chocolate is dissolved.
For the whipped cream layers:
- Whip all ingredients to stiff peaks.
For the assembly:
- Crumble up the meringue nests. (It can sometimes happen that a small part in the center of a meringue nest does not fully dry and remains a little gummy. If that happens, just discard those gummy pieces.)
- Fill crushed meringue, whipped cream, chocolate ganache and cherry compote (discard excess juice) into tall glasses or a large bowl. Let sit in the fridge for about 4 hours before serving.
Sippitysup
Eton mess! It sound both sophisticated and boisterous, a terrific combination. GREG
Nicole B.
Exactly! :)
Kevin | KevinIsCooking
Wow, it’s, well, I’m speechless. Tell me again why we’re not neighbors?
Nicole B.
That would be cool, wouldn’t it? You could bring some of your grilled sensations, I’d bring an Eton Mess, you could grab some garden veggies and I’d pluck a few limes off your miracle tree. :)
Louise | Cygnet Kitchen
Wow, yes please, Nicole (*spoon ready*)! Eton Mess is one of my favourite summer desserts. I can just imagine how amazing a black forest version would be. <3 <3 <3 xx
Nicole B.
It’s such a great dessert, isn’t it? I can’t believe I didn’t know about it until recently! :) –nic xx