Eton Mess - with Pink Grapefruit and Olive Oil Whipped Cream

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Today’s post is a rather quick one. The whole family has been sick with yet another nursery bug (this too shall pass friends with older kids keep reminding me) so my to do list annoyingly keeps getting longer rather than shorter! But I did not want to miss the opportunity to share today’s recipe with you before citrus season is over!

Eton Mess - if you have never had one, you are in for a treat. As desserts go, it’s hard to mess up (no pun intended): chopped ripe strawberries and crunchy bits of meringue are folded into whipped cream. When done right, it’s an absolute triumph of contrasting textures and flavours between billowing clouds of barely sweetened whipped cream, the crunch of the meringue and the juicy strawberries.

As superb as the original is, Eton Mess is my kind of dessert as it lends itself perfectly to a myriad of variations - using whichever fruits happen to be in season. It also works equally well with fresh or cooked fruit (I have made a mental note of making a version using roasted apricots this summer!). The only thing you want to make sure is that whatever (fresh or cooked) fruit you are using is on the softer and juicier side (safe to say I don’t imagine an Eton Mess made with raw Granny Smith apples to be all that appealing!).

And while Eton Mess is best assembled right before eating (otherwise the meringue will start to become soft and eventually dissolve), you can prep any cooked fruit (or fruit you would like to first macerate in some sugar) and the meringue in advance (or use shop-bought meringue) and the assembly itself is quick. Meaning this is also a great dessert to keep in mind for future dinner parties.

Today’s version is a pink grapefruit one. Because we are deep into citrus season. And while I cannot do much about all the bugs my 18 months old cheerfully brings home from nursery on a weekly basis, I can try and boost my immune system by getting in some extra Vitamin C (and what better way to do so than via the medium of dessert!). I also happen to love pink grapefruits - sweeter than their yellow counterparts they still have some of that pleasing bitterness that makes your tastebuds tingle just so.

I also used a little bit of olive oil in the whipped cream. I’m a huge fan of olive oil ice cream (which is fantastic alongside fresh citrus fruits) so figured a citrussy Eton Mess made with grapefruit could only be improved if I also added a few spoons of olive oil to the whipped cream. Since olive oil is liquid at room temperature and cannot be whipped into a firm foam like cream, I also added some mascarpone for extra stability (but the final whipped cream will still be a bit on the softer side).

What is your favourite way to make the most of citrus season? Any favourite cakes or desserts or techniques I should know about?