FESTIVE ETON MESS CHRISTMAS WREATH

Around the same time our classic Aussie Pavlova was making its debut on the Christmas table in the 1920s there was a simple, yet tasty summer dessert gaining popularity in the mess halls of Eton college in England, dubbed the Eton Mess.

This Christmas season, Sunny Queen Australia chef, Katrina Neill has put her own festive spin on the traditionally English dessert to create the Sunny Queen Australia Festive Eton Mess.

Speaking to her inspiration behind the Festive Eton Mess, Katrina said the dessert was the perfect sweet treat for all egg lovers and especially those who love meringue.

“Not to take away from the classic pavlova which in itself is a beautiful Christmas treat and Aussie favourite, but an Eton Mess is a nice change and can take away some of the pressure of getting the perfect pavlova meringue,” Katrina said.

“An Eton Mess doesn’t just have the word ‘mess’ in it because of where it was first consumed, it gives the cook permission to smash meringue and beautify it with cream and decorations.

“The Festive Eton Mess allows for sharing the making and creating with the whole family – with three different components, kids and adults alike can take part – especially building the wreath. Because it’s not as structured as the pavlova, it allows for the family making it to add their own creativity and all share in creating a Christmas dessert.

“For this recipe, I went a few steps further than just adding berries. I looked to the Aussie summer and thought about how we celebrate Christmas in the land down under.”

Sunny Queen Australia’s Festive Eton Mess combines crunchy meringue (made using the finest free-range eggs from Sunny Queen Australia) before being topped with lashings of vanilla cream, cherries, red berries and a sprinkle of Christmas plum pudding.

“The trick to making great meringues is in the eggs, and for more than 50 years, Sunny Queen Farms have worked hard to deliver the highest quality eggs and egg products,” Katrina said.

To make the Sunny Queen Australia Festive Eton Mess Wreath, follow the recipe here:

INGREDIENTS – MERINGUES:

6 x Sunny Queen Free Range Egg Whites
300g Caster Sugar
1 pinch of Sea Salt

METHOD – MERINGUES:

Step 1. Preheat oven to 120°c

Step 2. Place the egg whites into a clean and dry bowl that has been wiped with
white vinegar. Beat with an electric whisk on a medium speed until it forms
stiff peaks

Step 3. With your mixer still running, gradually add the caster sugar and salt,
then whisk on a high speed for 7 to 8 minutes, or until white and glossy. To
test whether it’s done you can pinch some between your fingers – if it feels
completely smooth it’s ready; if it’s slightly granular it needs a little more
whisking

Step 4. Line two large baking trays with greaseproof paper. Divide the mixture
between each tray, then use the back of a spoon to shape and swirl it across
the trays, leaving a 3cm gap around the edges. Bake in the oven for 1 hour 10
minutes, or until crisp on the outside and a little soft and sticky inside.
Once cooked, leave the meringues to cool

INGREDIENTS – CREAM CHEESE AND BERRY MOUSSE:

500g Cream Cheese
225ml Thickened Cream
70g Icing Sugar
Juice of ½ a Lemon
10ml Vanilla Essence.
Raspberries & Strawberries (a handful of each)

METHOD – CREAM CHEESE AND BERRY MOUSSE:

Step 1. Beat cream cheese, icing sugar & vanilla with a paddle mixer until smooth and slightly aerated. Add cream and continue to beat until smooth. Add lemon juice and mix through

Step 2. Roughly chop strawberries in halves or quarters – add these and the raspberries to the mix, and mix again very briefly so berries are partly broken up and mixed in. Cover and refrigerate

INGREDIENTS – WHIPPED CREAM:

300ml Thickened Cream
10ml Vanilla Essence
2 tablespoons Icing Sugar Mixture

METHOD – WHIPPED CREAM

Step 1. Whisk all together until thick. Cover and refrigerate

METHOD – WREATH:

Step 1. Build your Christmas wreath with layers of mousse, meringue, cream and berries

Step 2. Use cherries, red berries, fresh holly or green leaf garnish and raspberry coulis to present or chocolate shards and brandy snap

Step 3. Serve to your family and friends for a happy Christmas get together!

And, for the enthusiastic chefs among you, here are a few other festive and fun recipes from Sunny Queen to try this Christmas:

PAVLOVA LAYER CAKE | 40 MINS | SERVES 8

INGREDIENTS

4 large Sunny Queen Free Range Egg whites
1 cup caster sugar
1 tablespoon corn flour
2 teaspoons white vinegar
1 kiwi fruit, peeled and sliced thinly and halved
1 punnet strawberries, hulled and quartered
1 punnet raspberries
350 millilitres cream
Small mint leaves, to garnish

METHOD

Step 1. Preheat oven 150°C and line 2 baking trays with baking tray. Draw two 25 cm diameter circle on each piece of baking paper.

Step 2. Place egg whites into the bowl of an electric mixer and beat on medium high speed until stiff peaks form.

Step 3. Gradually add sugar, 1 tbsp at a time, until sugar dissolves and the mixture is thick and glossy. Add the corn flour and white vinegar.

Step 4. Divide mixture evenly between trays and spread with the back of a spoon until an even thickness.

Step 5. Bake 40 minutes, swapping trays halfway, until crisp and dry.

Step 6. Turn heat off and leave meringue in oven with door ajar for 1 hour or until completely cooled.

Step 7. Beat cream with electric beaters to firm peaks. Place one of the meringue discs onto serving plate and spread with a third of the cream. Scatter over a third of the berries and place remaining meringue on top. Spoon remaining cream and pile on berries and kiwi fruit.

Step 8. Garnish with mint leaves and serve immediately.

CHRISTMAS PUDDING ICE CREAM | 3 HRS | SERVES 8

INGREDIENTS

5 Sunny Queen Free Range Eggs
3/4 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups cream
1/2 cup sultanas
100 grams glace cherries, chopped
1 cup mixed dried fruit, finely chopped
1/4 cup orange liqueur or brandy
1/3 cup slivered almonds

METHOD

Step 1. To make the parfait ice cream, place sugar and 1/4 cup water in a small saucepan and boil gently for about 7 minutes to make sugar syrup.

Step 2. In the meantime, beat the eggs lightly in a large heatproof bowl and set over a saucepan of gently simmering water.

Step 3. Using a whisk or electric mixer continue to beat the eggs until light, thick and double in volume.

Step 4. Remove the bowl from the heat and while still beating, add the hot sugar syrup in a thin stream.

Step 5. Sit the bowl over ice or very cold water and continue to gently stir until cool.

Step 6. Whip cream to soft peaks and fold carefully into the cooled egg mixture.

Step 7. Cover and place in the freezer.

Step 8. Combine sultanas, cherries and fruit in a microwave-safe bowl and add the liqueur or brandy. Cover and microwave for about 50 seconds to warm through.

Step 9. Stir up and set aside to cool.

Step 10. Toast the slivered almonds and let cool.

Step 11. When fruit and almonds are cool, stir into the ice cream and return to the freezer.

Step 12. Every half hour, stir up until the ice-cream is softly set and fruit and nuts evenly distributed.

Step 13. Line a loaf tin or ice cream mould with plastic wrap and fill with the ice cream.

Step 14. Cover and freeze until ready to serve. Slice or scoop to serve.

STICKY DATE CAKES WITH BUTTERSCOTCH SAUCE | 1 HR | SERVES 6

INGREDIENTS

2 Sunny Queen Free Range Eggs, for cakes
200 grams pitted dates, chopped, for cakes
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda, for cakes
1 cup boiling water, for cakes
90 grams butter, diced and at room temperature,
for cakes
160 grams brown sugar, for cakes
1 teaspoon ground ginger, for cakes
1 1/2 cups self-raising flour, for cakes
1/2 teaspoon vanilla, for cakes
100 grams butter, for sauce
160 grams brown sugar, for sauce
125 grams thickened cream, for sauce

METHOD

Step 1. Brush the inside of 6 medium muffin tins or silicon cake moulds with melted butter.

Step 2. Heat the oven to 180°C.

Step 3. Place dates in a bowl, add soda and boiling water. Stir up.

Step 4. Microwave on High for 1 minute and mash the dates with a fork. Set aside to cool.

Step 5. Beat butter and brown sugar until smooth and creamy.

Step 6. Beat in eggs one at a time, and then fold in ginger, flour and vanilla.

Step 7. Add the fruit mixture and mix well.

Step 8. Bake for about 25 minutes for muffins, about 45 minutes for the larger cake, until firm on top and a skewer comes out clean when pressed into the centre.

Step 9. Serve warm with butterscotch sauce and cream, ice cream or vanilla custard.

Step 10. Melt butter in a small saucepan. Add sugar and stir until dissolved. Increase heat and simmer for 3 minutes.

Step 11. Remove from heat and stir in the cream.

GINGERBREAD
BISCUITS | 20 MINS | SERVES 16

INGREDIENTS

125 grams butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 1/2 cups plain flour
1 teaspoon bicarbonate soda
3 teaspoons ground ginger
2 1/2 tablespoons golden syrup
1 1/2 cups pure icing sugar
1 Sunny Queen Free Range Egg, white only
4 drops lemon juice
Food colourings, of your choice

METHOD:

Step 1. Cream the butter and sugar until fluffy, add egg yolk, beat well.

Step 2. Gradually add sifted dry ingredients and syrup, mix well.

Step 3. Divide dough into 4 equal portions and roll out between 2 sheets of baking paper. This will make it easier to handle. Roll it out until 3mm thick.

Step 4. Remove top baking paper and cut out your preferred shapes. Place on a lightly greased baking tray and repeat with remaining dough, any off-cut dough can be re-kneaded to use again.

Step 5. Bake in a moderate oven at 180°C for 10 minutes.

Step 6. Cool and decorate with icing.

Step 7. Sift icing sugar. Beat egg white with a fork in a small bowl, until bubbles form.

Step 8. Add icing sugar 1 tbsp at a time, beat well between additions, you may need to change to a wooden spoon for this.

Step 9. When icing reaches piping consistency add lemon juice and colour.

Visit www.sunnyqueen.com.au for more info