Tropical zest for Eton mess

The PAKT group booked a second class at Carrickfergus cookery school, Carrick YMCA last week.

They enjoyed cooking up this delicious Eton Mess with a tropical twist. Instead of the traditional strawberries they made a syrup with fresh passion fruit, and added bananas and lime zest and juice.

They even made their own meringue nests from scratch! The fresh, zingy and aromatic fruit was delicious with the sweet meringues and cream.

Banana, passion fruit and

lime Eton mess

Serves 6

2 limes

4 ripe but firm bananas

300ml double cream

200ml Greek style yogurt

2 teaspoons caster sugar

8 meringues nests

3 ripe passion fruit

1. Grate the zest from the limes and squeeze the juice from half a lime. Peel and slice the bananas into a medium bowl.

Add the lime zest and juice and stir to coat the bananas.

Halve the passion fruit, scoop out the pulp and add to the bananas and lime. Set aside.

2. Place the cream sugar and whisk to soft peaks.

3. Gently fold in the Greek yogurt.

4. Break the meringues into small pieces and lightly fold them into the whipped cream and yogurt.

Add the banana, passion fruit and lime mixture, reserving some for decoration and carefully combine together.

Spoon into glasses or glass bowls. Arrange the remaining banana mixture on top of the meringues and cream. Serve immediately, while the meringue is still crunchy.

Cooks’ Tips: To make a delicious passion fruit syrup, stir 150ml water with 150g sugar until dissolved and simmer with the pulp (including seeds) of 3 passion fruit until reduced and syrupy.

Allow to cool before adding the bananas and lime zest and lime juice.