Zabaione
Zabaione takes three ingredients and a quarter of an hour, and Italians have been making it for centuries. The whole technique comes down to one thing: whisk without stopping over steam, never over direct heat. A moment's inattention turns silky foam into sweet scrambled eggs.
Your own work in that: 0 min.
- Preparation 4 min
- Whisking over steam 10 min
Step by step
0 / 5 doneSet up the bain marie
Bring water to the boil in a pan and reduce to a barely trembling simmer. Choose a bowl that sits in the pan but does not touch the water — steam heats gently and evenly, whereas a bowl sitting in hot water overheats easily and the yolks scramble.
Ingredients: 6 pcs egg yolks · 90 g sugar · 120 ml marsala · 1 pinch salt
TipA metal bowl conducts heat faster than glass, so the whisking takes less time — all the more reason to watch it closely.
Beat the yolks with sugar
Whisk the yolks with the sugar and a pinch of salt off the heat until pale and the sugar starts dissolving. Only then pour in the marsala and stir.
Ingredients: 6 pcs egg yolks · 90 g sugar · 120 ml marsala · 1 pinch salt
Whisk over steam for 8–10 minutes
Set the bowl over the pan and whisk without stopping, working the whisk over the whole base and sides. The mixture first thins, then thickens and triples in volume. It takes 8–10 minutes.
Ingredients: 6 pcs egg yolks · 90 g sugar · 120 ml marsala · 1 pinch salt
TipIf you smell scrambled egg, lift the bowl off immediately and keep whisking on the counter.
Uninterrupted whisking — the only rule of this recipe.Check the ribbon
Zabaione is ready when the whisk trail holds on the surface for 2–3 seconds and the mixture reaches 75°C (if you have a thermometer). The foam should be thick, warm and glossy.
Ingredients: 6 pcs egg yolks · 90 g sugar · 120 ml marsala · 1 pinch salt
A ribbon that does not sink back — stop whisking.Serve at once
Spoon into glasses over the raspberries and serve with biscuits for dipping. Zabaione is served immediately — after fifteen minutes it starts to deflate and separate.
Ingredients: 8 pcs savoiardi biscuits · 150 g raspberries
Before you start
Alcohol free
Swap the marsala for orange juice with a spoonful of lemon juice. The texture is similar, the flavour lighter.
Cold version
Cool the zabaione over iced water, whisking, and fold in 150 ml of whipped cream. You get a cream that holds its texture in the fridge for several hours.
Gratinéed
Pour the zabaione over fruit in an ovenproof dish and grill for 2 minutes. The top turns golden — watch it, as it burns within seconds.
