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Zabaglione

published about 1 hour ago

Credit: Photo: Joe Lingeman; Food Styling: Anna Stockwell

I can’t remember the first time I tasted zabaglione, but I do remember I was instantly hooked. Warm, frothy, creamy, custardy, boozy, and sweet all at once — it really is a special dessert.

If you’ve ever had zabaglione — whether prepared tableside for you at your local Italian restaurant or at a real-deal trattoria in Italy — you may feel its unique texture and flavor is impossible to achieve at home. But it’s actually fairly simple! Egg yolks, sweet wine, and sugar, along with a few minutes of vigorous whisking, are all that’s required to master this fast and fancy treat.

Credit: Photo: Joe Lingeman; Food Styling: Anna Stockwell

What Is Zabaglione?

Zabaglione is a light and frothy Italian custard. To make it, egg yolks, wine, and sugar are combined in a bowl set over a pot of simmering water. The mixture is whisked vigorously until it’s aerated, foamy, thickened, and emulsified. It’s typically served warm, immediately after it’s made, as it loses its frothy texture as it sits. It can be served as a sauce over fresh fruit or on its own, often with cookies for dipping.

What’s the Difference Between Zabaglione and Sabayon?

Zabaglione is the Italian version of the custard, while sabayon is the French version — although the terms are often used interchangeably. French sabayon is prepared with French wine, such as sweet Muscat, Champagne, or a combination of dry white wine and an eau-de-vie like kirsch or Grand Marnier, rather than Marsala.

What’s the Best Wine for Zabaglione?

The most popular choice of wine for zabaglione is Marsala, which is a fortified wine that comes in both sweet and dry varieties. Dry Marsala is more commonly used in Italy, and is what I call for in this recipe. It has a more complex flavor, with dried fruit notes and a nice bit of acidity.

With that said, you’ll see zabaglione made with many different varieties of both dry and sweet wine in Italy — typically whatever is local to the region. If a sweeter wine is used, the amount of sugar is reduced in the recipe to compensate.

How to Serve Zabaglione

The light, delicate sweetness of zabaglione coupled with its creamy texture makes it a perfect match with fresh fruit — but that’s just the beginning. Here are some of my favorite ways to serve it.

• Spooned over sliced strawberries, blackberries, or raspberries.
• Served over juicy sliced stone fruit, such as peaches, nectarines, or plums.
• Served by itself in small cups, with biscotti or amaretti cookies on the side for dipping.
• Spooned into small dessert bowls and garnished with toasted sliced almonds, a sprinkle of ground cinnamon or nutmeg, or dark chocolate shavings.

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Zabaglione Recipe

This classic Italian dessert made with egg yolks, Marsala wine, and sugar is light, custardy, and perfect over strawberries.

Yield Serves 4

Prep time 5 minutes

Cook time 6 minutes to 10 minutes

• dairy-free
• kidney-friendly
• fish-free
• peanut-free
• low-potassium
• vegetarian
• shellfish-free
• pork-free
• pescatarian
• gluten-free
• wheat-free
• soy-free
• tree-nut-free
• low-sodium
• red-meat-free
• no-oil-added

Per serving, based on 4 servings. (% daily value)

• Calories 128
• Fat 4.5 g (6.9%)
• Saturated 1.6 g (8.1%)
• Carbs 13.9 g (4.6%)
• Fiber
• Sugars 12.8 g
• Protein 2.7 g (5.4%)
• Sodium 9.8 mg (0.4%)

Ingredients

• 4

  large egg yolks

• 1/4 cup

  granulated sugar

• 1/2 cup

  dry Marsala wine

• Serving option: 1 pound strawberries, hulled and halved (or quartered if very large)

Instructions

1. Fill a medium saucepan with 1 inch of water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Meanwhile, whisk together 4 large egg yolks and 1/4 cup granulated sugar in a medium heatproof bowl large enough to sit on top of the saucepan without it touching the simmering water. Whisk in 1/2 cup dry Marsala wine.

2. Reduce the heat to medium-low to bring to a gentle simmer. Set the bowl over the saucepan and whisk the egg yolk mixture continuously until it’s foamy, pale, very fluffy, and triple in volume, 6 to 10 minutes. It will continue to thicken off the heat. Don't cook the zabaglione for too long, or it will curdle.

3. Carefully remove the bowl from the saucepan and serve the zabaglione immediately in individual bowls or glasses over strawberries, if using.

Recipe Notes

Make ahead: Zabaglione is best served immediately after it’s made, as it will deflate and lose its frothy texture quickly. However, if you’d like to make it ahead of time, you can let it cool for 15 minutes, then fold it into 1/2 cup freshly whipped cream. Cover and refrigerate for up to 6 hours and serve chilled.

Sheela Prakash

Senior Contributing Food Editor

Sheela is the Senior Contributing Food Editor at Kitchn and the author of Mediterranean Every Day: Simple, Inspired Recipes for Feel-Good Food . She received her master's degree from the University of Gastronomic Sciences in Italy and is also a Registered Dietitian.

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Source : food