Provamel Botanical Yogurts Cooking Challenge #2 : Eton Mess

If you're a regular follower of this blog, you'll have seen our gorgeous Autumnal Fruits Pavlova that we created last week using the ingredients and recipe sent through by Provamel Botanical Yogurts. If you missed that one or want the recipe to try it out for yourselves, you need to head over here.

Well, today we tried out the second recipe challenge - Strawberry Eton Mess with Provamel Lime and Lemon Balm Yogurt and Lime Syrup. It may sound really complicated but it's actually a really simple and quick recipe to prepare. Here's the recipe and the official photo of what it should like like to start with :

Strawberry Eton Mess with Provamel Lime and Lemon Balm Yogurt and Lime Syrup

Preparation Time: 15-20 mins

Cooking Time: 8 mins

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

350g strawberries, sliced

40g ready-made meringues

250g Provamel Lime and Lemon Balm Yogurt

Small bunch of mint, roughly chopped (reserve 4 sprigs for garnish)

1 tbsp granulated sugar

For the syrup:

75g caster sugar

50ml water

Juice of 2 limes

Zest of 1 lime

5 cardamom pods, shells removed

2 sprigs of mint

Method:

- To make the syrup, add the sugar, water and cardamom seeds to a small pan and heat over a low flame, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Once the sugar has dissolved and the mixture has turned syrupy, remove from the heat and add in the mint sprigs, lime zest and juice and put to one side to infuse.

- Add half the strawberries to a bowl along with the granulated sugar and crush with the end of a rolling pin. Fold the crushed strawberries, mint, remaining chopped strawberries and broken meringues into the Provamel Lime and Lemon Balm Yogurt, creating a marbled affect.

- Strain the lime syrup through a sieve into a small jug.

- Spoon the strawberry mixture into four serving bowls and drizzle with the lime syrup. Finish with a sprig of mint in each and serve.

Now, I had a bit of a problem because when I told the girls we would be smashing the meringue nests to bits, they look totally horrified and didn't want to because "they were too pretty to mess up" ! Again, with the strawberries, when I said they could smash them to bits with a rolling pin, they said "noooo, that's a waste" ! Also, Juliette didn't want to try the Eton Mess - she just wanted strawberries in the meringue nests, so I did that with a serving of Eton Mess on the side !

Well, strangely enough, after having a tentative taste of the Eton Mess, she decided it was yummy after all and, after eating all her strawberries out of the next, used the Eton Mess to fill it up again. The whole thing disappeared in double quick time and she asked if there was any left !

Sophie declared that it was really yummy and could we ask Provamel if they have any other recipes they want us to try ?!

And after looking at it all with a bit of a perplexed expression on his face and his spoon in his hand, Pierre picked up the whole thing and wolfed it down !

Definitely a resounding thumbs up from everyone at The Madhouse then ! I was really pleased to discover cardamom pods too as they're an ingredient I'd never used before. I always thought they had a vaguely curry-like taste for some reason but not at all - once you slit open the outer pod, the seeds on the inside have a fruity, almost citrussy smell to them which adds a really nice flavour. I'll be looking out for more recipes using cardamom now so if you have any, let me know !

for more information and recipes : http://www.provamel.co.uk/

Other blogposts you may be interested in :

Provamel Botanical Yogurts Cooking Challenge #1 : Autumnal Fruit Pavlova

Provamel 'Botanical' soya yogurt review

Recipes Using Rice Dream