Autumn Eton Mess Recipe with Cinnamon and Pears
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Featuring layers of cinnamon meringue, apple compote, ginger whipped cream, and fresh pears, this autumn Eton mess recipe captures all of the best flavors of fall. Although it does require a bit of a time commitment (you’ll need time for the meringues to bake and cool; time to infuse and chill the ginger whipping cream; and time to make and cool the apple compote, plus additional time for assembly) it’s not difficult to prepare, and makes a light, seasonally appropriate dessert perfect for capping off a dinner party or a weeknight meal.
What Inspired This Autumn Eton Mess Recipe?
Reminiscent of a parfait, the Eton mess is a traditional British dessert featuring layers whipped cream, crisp meringue, and sweet, ripe summer strawberries. It’s said that Eton Mess has its roots at England’s Eton College, where it’s been a staple at the annual cricket match against Harrow since the late 19th century.
For this autumn-inspired version, I drew inspiration from all of the colors and flavors of fall. This recipe captures several of my favorite seasonal flavors: apples, pears, and ginger, plus warm autumn spices like nutmeg and cinnamon. The cinnamon meringue adds a crunchy element which pairs beautifully with the ginger-infused whipped cream, and the combination of fresh pears and spiced apple compote gives this classic dessert a unique, fall-forward spin.
Notable Ingredients
- Cinnamon Meringue Kisses – To make the cinnamon meringues you’ll need two large egg whites; granulated or caster sugar; and a teaspoon of ground cinnamon. The yolks aren’t necessary for this recipe, but save them to make lemon curd.
- Ginger Whipped Cream – You’ll need fresh ginger (about 100 grams, cut into 1/4-inch thick slices—don’t bother to peel!), whipping cream (heavy cream if you’re in the US) and a tablespoon or two of confectioner’s sugar, to sweeten.
- Apple Compote – The compote requires two medium apples (I like Granny Smith, but any tart green apple will work nicely), plus granulated sugar, unsalted butter, and ground cinnamon, ground ginger, and ground nutmeg. If you’re a cardamom fan like me, you can also add 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom to the mix.
- Assembly – You’ll need about three ripe, medium pears, plus your favorite garnishes: toasted chopped pecans, crushed ginger snaps, chopped candied ginger (if you have time, try pairing this recipe with my homemade candied ginger!), ground cinnamon, or even a whole cinnamon stick.
Tips, Tricks, and Variations
- Use individual glasses. To asssemble your Eton mess, you will need individual glasses of some kind. I used inexpensive, 4-inch tall stemless wine glasses from IKEA, but any similarly-sized glass jars, cups, or drinking glasses will work.
- Do not assemble your Eton Mess too far in advance. If you do this, the moisture from the cream and fruit will turn the cinnamon meringue cookies into mush.
- Substitute store-bought meringue. As a shortcut, you can substitute store-bought meringue nests or vanilla meringues for the cinnamon meringue cookies.
- Don’t use canned whipped cream. It will not remain stable, and there is no way to infuse it with the fresh ginger.
Eton Mess Recipe with Cinnamon and Pears
- Total Time3 1/2 - 4 hours
- Yield4 parfaits 1x
An autumn-inspired Eton mess recipe featuring layers of cinnamon meringue, apple compote, ginger whipped cream, and fresh pears.
Ingredients
Cinnamon Meringue:
2 large egg whites (about 90 grams), at room temperature
100 grams granulated sugar (1/2 cup)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Ginger Whipped Cream:
100 grams fresh ginger, cut into 1/4-inch thick slices (about 3/4 cup sliced ginger)
300 milliliters (1 1/4 cups) whipping cream, plus more for topping up
15 grams (1 tablespoon) confectioner’s sugar
Apple Compote:
2 medium apples, cored and diced
50 grams granulated sugar (1/4 cup)
30 grams unsalted butter, softened (2 tablespoons)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Assembly:
200 grams fresh pears, cored and diced (1 1/2 cups diced pears; about 3 medium pears)
Toasted chopped pecans or crushed ginger snaps, to garnish
Chopped candied ginger (store-bought or homemade), to garnish
Instructions
Cinnamon Meringue:
Preheat oven to 230° F (110° C). Line a half sheet rimmed baking tray with parchment or a silicone baking mat. Fit a disposable piping bag with a star piping tip, and set aside until ready to use.
In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, whip egg whites to soft peaks.
Gradually add sugar, continuing to mix on medium-high speed until meringue turns thick and glossy, and stiff peaks form.
Mix in the ground cinnamon.
Scoop into a piping bag fitted with star tip. Pipe onto prepared tray.
Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour. Without opening the door, turn off the oven and allow to cool in oven for 1 hour more.
Ginger Whipped Cream:
Add the cream and ginger to a medium saucepan. Simmer over low heat for 5 minutes. (Do not boil.) Remove from heat, cover, and allow ginger to steep for 30 minutes.
Pass through a fine mesh strainer to remove the ginger. Reweigh cream to 240 milliliters (1 cup), topping up with extra cream as needed. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Apple Compote:
In a medium saucepan, stir together the diced apples, sugar, butter, and spices.
Bring to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat. Continue simmering, stirring occasionally, until apples break down and turn mushy. Remove from heat.
Transfer compote to a bowl. Set aside and allow to cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
Assembly:
Add chilled, ginger-infused cream to a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. Whip on medium-high speed until soft peaks form. Mix in the confectioner’s sugar.
In parfait glasses or stemless wine glasses, layer whipped cream, crushed meringue cookies, apple compote, and diced pears.
Top with additional whipped cream. Garnish with chopped pecans and candied ginger.
Serve immediately.
- Category: Custards and Puddings
- Method: Oven + Stovetop
- Cuisine: British
Make-Ahead and Storage Suggestions
To make ahead: The cinnamon meringues require about one hour to bake, and another one to two hours to cool. I suggest baking the meringues the night before, then turning off the oven and allowing the piped cookies to cool overnight. In addition, you can prepare the apple compote, or infuse and chill the whipping cream, up to 24 hours in advance. Refrigerate all components until you’re ready to assemble the parfaits.
Other Eton Mess Recipes You Might Enjoy
Classic Eton Mess
Triple Berry Eton Mess with Chocolate Meringue
And if you do make these, or any of my recipes, don’t forget to tag me @bastecutfold or use the hashtag #bastecutfold on Instagram. I always love to see what you’re making!
