Eton mess is a British dessert combining strawberries, broken meringue, and whipped cream.
The dessert is associated with Eton College in Berkshire and is traditionally served at the school’s annual cricket match against Harrow School. Its name refers to the deliberately messy appearance created by folding crushed meringue and fruit through cream.
The earliest known printed reference to Eton mess dates from the late nineteenth century, although the modern strawberry version developed later. Bananas or other fruit have sometimes appeared in historical variations, but strawberries are now the signature ingredient.
Eton mess is often confused with pavlova because both use meringue and cream. Pavlova is normally assembled as a more structured meringue dessert, while Eton mess is intentionally broken and folded together.