Eton Mess

Preparation

1. 1
   Preheat the oven to 250 degrees.
2. 2
   To make the meringues, whisk the egg whites in the bowl of an electric mixer until they form soft peaks. Gradually add the sugar, a tablespoon at a time and continue whisking until the whites are stiff and glossy.
3. 3
   Drop large tablespoonfuls of the mixture onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for 30–40 minutes or until dry and just crisp. The meringues should be a pale cream color when finished. Do not overcook. Start checking them after 30 minutes. They are ready as soon as you can peel them off the parchment paper.
4. 4
   Place all of the ingredients for the jam, including the lemon rinds, in a large saucepan over medium heat. As the strawberries begin to render some juice, mash them using a large fork or potato masher. It’s okay if there are some larger pieces. The jam is supposed to be chunky.
5. 5
   Cook for 10–13 minutes, skimming off any foam that forms. The jam is ready when it thickens enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon.
6. 6
   Whip the cream with the sugar and vanilla until it forms soft peaks. Do not overwhip the cream.
7. 7
   Spoon a little of the strawberry jam into eight glass dessert bowls or pretty glasses. Cover the jam with a few berries and a meringue. Spoon some of the whipped cream on top of the meringue. Top this with more strawberries, a spoonful of the jam and another meringue.