First, Prepare The Components:

• Mash Half Of The Strawberries. Place half of the strawberries in a shallow bowl or dish with 1 Tablespoon powdered sugar (and 1 Tablespoon lime juice, if using!) and mash with a fork or potato masher until fairly smooth and juicy. Alternately, you can puree them in a food processor or blender if you want quicker prep or smoother texture!
• Mix In The Remaining Strawberries. Add the rest of the strawberries to the mashed strawberries and stir to combine. Taste the berries and feel free to add a bit more powdered sugar or more lime juice, to taste.
• Whip The Cream. Add heavy cream, 1 Tablespoon powdered sugar, and the vanilla to the bowl of a stand mixer or a large mixing bowl. Beat with a whisk attachment or hand mixer 5-7 minutes, or until soft peaks form.
• Break The Meringues. If desired, set aside 6 whole meringue cookies for decoration at the end. Then, you can crush the meringue cookies with your hands or place them in a bag and bash them with a rolling pin to break them up a bit. I like to have a variety of shapes and sizes of pieces, with some fine pieces and some larger pieces.

Then, Assemble The Eton Mess:

While you can certainly make beautiful, crisp layers (for more of a trifle look), this dessert can definitely be a bit hodge-podge. In no particular order (and without being too neat about it), layer:

• Strawberry Sauce. Spoon a bit of the fresh strawberry sauce into the bottom of your dish.
• Whipped Cream. Add dollops of the whipped cream mixture.
• Crushed Meringues. Then, sprinkle with crispy meringue pieces.
• Fresh Berries. If desired, add a few fresh raspberries (or some extra strawberries).
• Repeat these layers, adding dollops of each until your glasses or dishes are full. I love to top each serving with some fresh berries, maybe a sprig of mint, and one whole meringue cookie.