Strawberry and Lavender Eton Mess

Serves 4 people

Ingredients

• 3 egg whites
• 175g caster sugar
• 500 ml double cream
• 2 tbsp icing sugar
• 4 lavender flower heads, and a few extra for decoration
• 400g Sweet Eve strawberries

Method

Pre-heat the oven to 140°C. Grease and line a baking tray with baking parchment. Whisk the egg whites in a very clean bowl till stiff. Add the sugar, very slowly, until it is fully mixed in. Pipe the meringue mixture either in a large circle or two heart shapes on the baking tray. Bake in the oven for approximately one hour, then switch the oven off and leave the meringue in the oven till cool. In a bowl whisk the cream till stiff and fold in the icing sugar. Finely chop the lavender flower heads and fold into the cream. Chill the mixture in the fridge. Hull and finely chop all the strawberries and place half of them in a blender. Blend until completely pureed and pass through a sieve in order to remove the seeds. Break the meringues into small pieces and place in a bowl. Add all the other elements and mix together. Spoon into bowls or vintage tea cups to serve, decorated with extra lavender flowers.