Moroccan mess

This is an exotic take on Eton mess, the well-known dessert of meringue, cream and berries. This version has tangy pomegranate-and-cranberry jelly stirred through – it tastes so good!

Moroccan mess. Credit: Karen Martini

• serves

  6-8

• prep

  15 minutes

• cook

  5 minutes

• difficulty

  Mid

Ingredients

• 800ml vanilla ice-cream, softened
• 4 large meringues (shop-bought is fine), lightly crushed
• 2 punnets (500g) organic strawberries, hulled and sliced from tip to top
• 2 handfuls vanilla Persian fairy floss

Pomegranate jelly

• 8 leaves gold-strength gelatine
• 500ml cranberry juice
• 100g glucose syrup
• 150ml pomegranate molasses
• 2 tbsp cornflour mixed with a little cold cranberry juice

Setting time: 6 hours or overnight

Instructions

1. To make the pomegranate jelly, soak the gelatine leaves in cold water until soft, then squeeze to remove any excess water.
2. Combine the cranberry juice, glucose and pomegranate molasses in a super-clean stainless steel saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the cornflour paste and bring to a simmer, then take the pan off the heat and add the gelatine. Pour into a medium rectangular container and leave to set in the fridge for at least 6 hours or overnight. Loosen the sides with a palette knife, then tip out the jelly onto a clean board and cut into cubes.
3. Place a few scoops of ice-cream on a platter. Top with a little meringue and stick in some of the strawberry slices. Add another few scoops of ice-cream, a bit more meringue and then the jelly cubes. Add the remaining strawberry slices, ice-cream and meringue, layering the ingredients to form a tower, then swirl around the Persian fairy floss (this can be a bit messy, but the effect is well worth it). Serve immediately.

This recipe is an extract from Karen Martini's cookbook, Feasting.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.