Eton mess is a traditional English dessert comprising of a mixture of strawberries or other berries, meringue, and whipped cream. The Eton Mess is named after its initiation point at Eton College. It’s a great and easy snack for your family, friends, and guests. It was served in the early 1890s at cricket matches of the school, and by the 1930s, it was a common dessert at the school’s tuck shop. The three ingredients were accidentally messed up together, creating Eton Mess. And now, with the discovery of cannabis for cooking, you’ll be guaranteed to take your favorite to new levels, not forgetting the health benefits attached. Let’s dig deeper into one of your favorite recipes.
What is CBD?
CBD is short for cannabidiol and has taken the world by storm.Shover& Humphreys (2020) stated that it is mainly attached to health benefits ranging from reducing anxiety and inflammation to improving insomnia and sleep disorders. CBD is extracted from cannabis; it’s non-psychotropic and won’t give you a high. THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) is the psychoactive compound of the cannabis plant. Shannon & Opila-Lehman (2016) showed that CBD was useful in reducing anxiety and insomnia, which are often the result of posttraumatic stress disorders. The cannabidiol trial decreased anxiety and showed a steady improvement in the quality and quantity of the patient’s sleep. Incorporating CBD in your recipes has great benefits for your health and wellness.
However, an obstacle that deters some people from trying CBD is its distinctive and unpleasant taste. Using the oil in baking, smoothies, or as a garnish is a great alternative to the deterrent of a lingering taste. Whether one intends to take CBD with breakfast, lunch, or even as a dessert, one can enjoy a diet with CBD. To reap all of its benefits, quality is essential to use CBD appropriately. Otherwise, one may pay a premium price for a product lacking potency. Moreover, once you’ve selected CBD oil, ensure you find the right dosage to avoid unpleasant effects. This recipe uses 100mg total CBD per recipe for 4 servings, 25mg CBD per serving.
Tips for Making an Eton Mess
Eton mess is low-maintenance by design and quality.
Prepare the meringue in advance- One can make Eton mess with store-bought meringue or whip up your own at home. You’ll require egg whites, salt,vanilla extract, cream of tartar, or granulated sugar. Flavor fresh meringue with bright citrus zest or rich cocoa powder for a twist on the classic Eton mess.
- Keep the meringue shards large- The bits of crunchy meringue cookies in an Eton mess provide a textural contrast to the creamy, soft elements of the rest of the dish. Smash the meringue too fine, and it will get lost in the heavy cream.
- Preparation time; 5 minutes
- Cook time; 3 hours
- Serves; 4
Ingredients
- 3 cups heavy whipping cream
- 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ cup raspberries
- 1 cup large strawberries, hulled and divided
- ½ teaspoon granulated sugar
- ½ cup lemon juice
- 4 ripe passion fruits, halved, juice and seeds set aside
- Fresh mint leaves for garnish
For The Meringue Cookies
- 10 large egg whites
- 1 ½ cup of granulated sugar
- 2 ½ cups powdered sugar
- 0.01g CBD
Directions
- The previous night, make the meringue. In a stand mixer, mix the egg whites on high speed until bubbles start to form. While mixing, slowly add the granulated sugar. Add in your CBD oil and continue to whisk until shiny, stiff peaks form.
- Take the bowl off the mixer, and use a clean rubber spatula to gently fold in powdered sugar until fully integrated, taking care not to over-mix or deflate the meringue.
- Move the oven rack to a lower position and preheat the oven to 200 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Using a star tip fitted in a pastry bag, pipe your meringue onto the baking sheet into 2- inch mounds or in one large spiral. Bake until the meringue is dry and can be removed from parchment, about 2-3 hours. Put off the oven, and cool the meringues inside for at least one hour and up to overnight.
- When ready to assemble the Eton mess, use the stand mixer or an electric hand mixer to whip the cold heavy cream, vanilla extract, and 2 tablespoons of powdered sugar until soft peaks form.
- Use a spatula to swirl in the strawberry puree.
In a large bowl, break the meringue into large bite-sized pieces. Top using the whipped cream mixture, chopped strawberries, raspberries, passion fruit juice, and seeds, then gently mix to blend. Garnish with mint, and serve immediately. Although Eton mess is generally created with strawberries, you can use pineapples, bananas, other berries, etc.
Cooking or baking with CBD is a great way to get a sweet fix from your supplement, especially if you’re averse to its taste. Small (2016) noted that cooking CBD on a direct high heat is not good because it reduces the effectiveness of the oil and can also smell pretty bad and make it taste super bitter. Baking works a treat; however, as long as you keep it under 320 degrees F, the boiling point of CBD. Just add your CBD oil at the same time as you would stir in the vanilla extract.
Conclusion
Eton mess is an English dessert comprising strawberries, other berries, whipped cream, and meringue. Eat Eton mess on the day it’s made since stored meringues start to soften very quickly. You can prepare Eton mess in advance, say an hour or two, but the longer you leave it, the more the meringues will soften. Don’t over-whip the egg whites since you risk making them too firm, and they risk losing the moisture that they hold. Also, this can affect your meringue’s crispness and make it more likely to collapse or weep sugar beads. Otherwise, we hope you enjoy your classic English Eton mess recipe. Remember, practice makes perfect, so practice until you perfect it as you bask in the health benefits of cannabis also.
References
Shannon, S., & Opila-Lehman, J. (2016). Effectiveness of cannabidiol oil for pediatric anxiety and insomnia as part of posttraumatic stress disorder: a case report. The Permanente Journal, 20(4).
Shover, C. L., & Humphreys, K. (2020) Debunking cannabidiol as a treatment for COVID-19: time for the FDA to adopt a focused deterrence model?. Cureus, 12(6).
Small, E. (2016). Cannabis: a complete guide. CRC Press.
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