This is Eton mess, NOPI style. It's both a wow of a pudding and – given that all the elements can be made in advance and just put together at the last minute – is also a very relaxing one to serve to friends. The dried rose petals look lovely sprinkled on top but don't worry if you can't get hold of any: the advantage of having the word "mess" in its title is that there is very little pressure to perform on the presentation front.
Serves: 6
Ingredients
● 160g mascarpone cheese
● 270g crème fraîche
● 15g icing sugar, sifted
● 1¼ tsp rose water
● 40g caster sugar
● 2 tbsp pomegranate molasses
● 1 tsp sumac
● 200g strawberries, hulled and chopped into 2cm pieces
● 60g meringues (shop-bought is fine), broken roughly into 2cm pieces
● Seeds of 1 medium pomegranate (100g)
● 2 tsp dried rose petals (optional)
For the strawberry sorbet:
● 40g caster sugar
● 40g icing sugar
● 30g liquid glucose
● 200g strawberries, hulled and blitzed into a purée
Method
● Place all the ingredients for the sorbet in a small saucepan with 60ml of water. Warm through on a low heat, stirring so that the sugar and glucose dissolve. Remove from the heat and set aside until completely cool before transferring to an ice cream maker. Churn for about 20 minutes, until firm but not completely set. Place sorbet in a container and freeze until needed.
● Place the mascarpone and crème fraîche in a medium bowl and whisk until smooth. Add the icing sugar and rose water and continue to whisk, just until combined. Keep in the fridge until required.
● Mix the caster sugar with 40ml of boiling water and stir until the sugar dissolves. Add the pomegranate molasses and sumac, stir to combine and set aside.
● When ready to serve, divide the strawberries between four bowls or glasses, followed by the meringue, rose water cream and half the sumac syrup. Top with the pomegranate seeds and a dessertspoon of sorbet. Finish with the remaining syrup and the rose petals and serve at once.
