I’m a sucker for spring rhubarb. My list is long for recipe ideas I want to try out this season. For starters I wanted to try out a Eton Mess with Rhubarb. Have you heard of Eton Mess before?? Let me just tell you that its one of the easiest desserts and it can be made with pretty much any fruit that’s in season. Here’s how I like to make Eton Mess.
First, start with ripe fruit and make a lightly sweet fruit sauce with the fruit. Then break up either meringues, lady fingers or amaretti cookies for a little cookie crumble. Meringues are great for a gluten free dessert; my favorite choice are amaretti cookies which have a strong almond flavor but sometimes I can’t find them around town; lady fingers also work great and are easy to find at pretty much any grocery store. Next, whip your cream, or in this case, coconut whipped cream. If you haven’t made coconut whipped cream before you must – it’s a great dairy free cream and has a lovely coconut flavor. And finally, you layer your dessert up with cream, cookie crumbles, fruit, then more cream. Easy easy!
What I love about this rhubarb-coconut cream combo is that its perfectly tart and sweet at the same time… much like my life these days. Bitter sweet days have been filling the weeks post surgery at our home. Everett has really good mornings, pretty normal feeling with just a few complaints of pain, afternoons are more painful, then come evenings. We’ve had many sleepless nights, calling the hospital a few times a week, with Everett waking up in a lot of pain and distress. All three of us are experiencing lots of post trauma stress while Everett is still also experiencing real pain. It’s been a month and I think we all thought we’d be further along than we are. But when I start to get overwhelmed or discouraged I have to remind myself of the miracles along the way and the overall, diagnosis being that my sweet boy is cancer free! These are the sweet bites among the more bitter ones.
Life often times deals us sweetness along with some sour. This dessert is just a good reminder of those real life experiences. And I’ll take some sour along with the sweet any day, especially when it’s tart rhubarb, with smooth coconut cream!
Here are some more great in-season recipes for the month:
Rhubarb-Almond Cake by Floating Kitchen
Kale, Mushroom & Goat Cheese Quesadillas by Cookin’ Canuck
Skinny Pineapple Mint Margaritas by Mountain Mama Cooks
Shaved Asparagus Ricotta Flatbread by Flavor the Moments
Roasted Broccoli and Bacon Crustless Quiche by Completely Delicious
Rhubarb-Wine BBQ Sauce by Kitchen Confidante
Lemon Roasted Artichokes by Letty’s Kitchen
Rice Bowls with Quick Pickled Ginger Red Cabbage by Food for My Family
Rhubarb Eton Mess with Coconut Whipped Cream by Vintage Mixer
And my little Eton Mess on one of those really sweet mornings:
Rhubarb Eton Mess with Coconut Whipped Cream
Ingredients
- 2 cups rhubarb sliced in 1/2 inch slices
- 1/2 cup pure cane sugar
- 1 14 ounce can coconut cream (refrigerated overnight)* or 1 1/2 cups whip cream
- 3-4 tablespoons confectioners sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon almond extract (or vanilla)
- 6-8 lady fingers broken into bite sized pieces (use merriness for a gluten free dessert or amaretti cookies are delicious in this too!)
- 6 mint leaves (optional for garnish)
Instructions
- In a small pot, cook the rhubarb with the sugar over medium low heat until sugar is dissolved and rhubarb is soft, about 10 minutes. Let cool and set aside or place in the fridge until you're ready to assemble. (this can be made in advance)
- Remove coconut cream (or whipped cream) from the fridge and scoop out just the cream (not the water-y liquid) into a mixer fitted with the whip/whisk attachment. Whip the cream until smooth then add in the sugar and almond extract. Add sugar to your tasting.
- In serving cups, layer coconut cream (about 2 heaping spoonfuls), one lady finger broken or sliced into pieces, rhubarb sauce (one big spoonful), and one more spoonful of cream. Top with part of a cookie and a mint leaf. Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve.
Aww…my little man is so cute! I’ve been thinking of your family a lot these past weeks. I’m sure it’s been a long road, with many ups and downs. I have yet to make an Eton Mess. Although I always wonder why I haven’t done so. Because who doesn’t love an easy dessert like this! I have some rhubarb in my refrigerator right now. This might need to happen today!
Yes, you would love Eton Mess!! I will make you some when you come and visit me and Everett 😉
Hope, hope, hope all is well!
Thanks so much Debra!!!
I’m so sorry to hear that Everett is still experiencing a lot of pain and that you’re having such difficult nights, Becky — my thoughts are with you! And Everett is so adorable. 🙂
I’ve heard of an Eton mess but never had one…this looks like the best place to start because I love rhubarb AND coconut cream! Thank you for hosting another great month, Becky!
Thanks for the care Marcie! Everett’s sweetness is what gets me through the sleeplessness 🙂 And you must try Eton Mess!
Oh Becky so much to say. Thanks for the update on Everett and expressing your feelings, your roller coaster ride, so well. I love how you tie the sour and the sweet to the recipe. Eton mess was a new one on me–yum. And coconut whipped cream is amazing–I keep a can in the fridge at all times for just such occasions. Thank you for being you.
Thanks so much Letty. I’m still so much in the midst of it all that its difficult to talk about but I’m trying and hopefully soon I’ll get the full story out there! And yay for coconut whipped cream!!!
Everett is precious!! This looks like a delightful dessert! You know my thoughts and prayers are with you!
Oh Becky, you have been in my prayers all these weeks. Everett (and you) are such troopers, I continue to think of you always. Thank goodness for little things that can bring a little happiness, like these beautiful eton messes. You KNOW I’m all about the rhubarb and coconut – I feel like these were made for me!
Liren, thank you so much from the bottom of my heart for praying for us. Those prayers have been felt!!! And yes you must have a coconut rhubarb eton mess asap!
Praise the Lord your on the other side of Everett’s surgery and now giving others hope and encouragement! Love this recipe!!
No kidding!! I’m so grateful to be so far away from all of that last year.