First make your meringues. Pre-heat the oven to 120c/100c fan/235 f/ gas mark 1/
In a very clean bowl, whisk the 4 large egg whites until you have stiff peaks ( I use an electric hand mixer), then add the 115g of caster sugar a spoonful at a time, still whisking. Once it is all combined the meringue mixture should be glossy and thick. Next fold in a third of the 115g icing sugar gently, then the next third and the next.
Place dollops onto a baking sheet and bake for 1 1/2 hours in a fan oven or 1 1/4 hours in any other oven. They should be a pale golden colour. Tap the bottoms and they should sound hollow. Move to a cooling rack and leave to cool completely.
Now make your victoria sponge. Start by preheating the oven to 180c/160c fan/350f/gas mark
Then line two 18cm sandwich tins with greaseproof paper.
Using a electric hand whisk, stand mixer or food processor. Whizz up 4 eggs, the caster sugar, self-raising flour, baking powder and marg or butter until well combined. The mixture should be quite loose and will drop of a spoon. If your mixture is heavier, you can add a little milk.
Pour the mixture evenly into the sandwich tins, smooth off and bake for 25 minutes until golden. The cake should be springy, if you touch it. Leave them to cool for 10-15 minutes, then remove from the tins and finish cooling on a wire rack.
While the cake is cooking, make the jam.
Add your 225g of caster sugar and raspberries to a pan and add a squeeze of lemon juice. Cook over a medium heat until the raspberries break down. Bring to a boil and allow to simmer rapidly for 5 - 10 minutes until thickened. You can do the wrinkle test by putting a plate in the freezer. Bring it out when you think the jam is ready. Drop a blob of jam on it, push it with your pinkie, if it wrinkles, then it is ready.
Pour into a bowl and leave to cool.
To Assemble: whip the cream until thick, you may add a little sugar if you like. place one sponge on a plate, flat side down. Top with your homemade jam (you won't need it all), then with a good layer of whipped cream.
Add the next layer of sponge, flat side up. Top with eton mess (3 or 4 meringues roughly crushed into the rest of the cream with a swirl of jam through it), then finish off with a meringue in the centre. Decorate with strawberry halves.
