Zabaione
Warm Egg Yolk and Marsala Cream
Egg yolks, sugar and Marsala, whisked over hot water until they rise into a warm, boozy foam. It takes ten minutes and a steady arm, and it has to be eaten at once.
The Italian recipe read uses three yolks, 75 g of sugar and 40 ml of Marsala for two, whisked in a round-bottomed bowl over a bain-marie for about ten minutes until dense and creamy, with the bowl kept clear of the water. It lists several rival stories about where the dish began and settles on none.
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 3 large egg yolks
- 75 g caster sugar
- 40 ml dry Marsala
- Sponge fingers or plain dry biscuits, to serve
Method
- Whisk cold Whisk the yolks and sugar in a round-bottomed heatproof bowl for 2 minutes until pale. Whisk in the Marsala.
- Whisk over heat Set the bowl over a pan of barely simmering water; the base must not touch the water. Whisk constantly for 8 to 10 minutes, scraping the sides, until the mixture has roughly tripled in volume, is thick and creamy, and holds a trail for a few seconds when the whisk is lifted.
- Serve Pour into two glasses and serve at once, warm, with biscuits.
Food safety
The yolks are warmed, not fully cooked. Use British Lion-marked eggs, which UK food safety advice considers safe to eat raw or lightly cooked.
If the water boils or the bowl touches it, the yolks scramble. Lift the bowl off for a few seconds if it gets too hot.