Never has Eton Mess felt more topical! Roasting the rhubarb intensifies the flavour and draws the juice from the strawberries while they poach and cool together.

20 mins cooking
2 hrs resting

250 g rhubarb
2 tablespoons demerara sugar
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
200 g strawberries
A few drops of rosewater
350 ml whipping cream, well chilled
2 tablespoons mascarpone
6 meringues
Chopped pistachios or flaked almonds

Preheat the oven to 180°C. Wash the rhubarb and cut it into sections about 4 cm long. Place it in a gratin dish, then sprinkle with the demerara sugar and orange juice.

Put the dish in the oven and roast the rhubarb for about 20 minutes, until it is tender but has not lost its shape. Meanwhile, hull the strawberries and slice them.

Take the rhubarb out of the oven and let it cool slightly before adding the strawberries to the dish. Combine with the hot rhubarb and its cooking juices to poach them. Add a little rosewater and some demerara sugar if needed if the fruit seems very tart. Let the fruit cool for 2 hours.

Whip the cream with the mascarpone until stiff. Break the meringues into pieces and combine them quickly with the fruit. Divide this mixture between the serving dishes and drizzle with the fruit juices. Top with the whipped cream, garnish with the nuts and serve immediately.