Irresistible Zabaione: Benedetta’s Favorite Italian Dessert
Since zabaione (or zabaglione, as some countries call it) is Benedetta’s favorite Italian dessert, we decided to share the recipe with you.
This light custard, flavored with Marsala wine, serves beautifully over fresh fruit, pairs perfectly with cookies or biscotti, transforms into a spectacular gelato flavor, or invites you to simply devour it with a spoon.
Zabaione surprises with its simplicity, requiring just egg yolks, sugar, and Marsala—a sweet fortified wine from Sicily. Our favorite Italian pastry chef Maurizio Santin offers this version, using the bain-marie method. By cooking the cream over hot water instead of direct heat, he ensures it doesn’t curdle and achieves a light, foamy texture.
Use a bowl that fits snugly on top of a saucepan, making sure the water underneath doesn’t touch the base of the bowl; the cream cooks from the steam as the water heats.
The most challenging part of the recipe is the amount of whisking involved. For a successful zabaione, you need to incorporate air bubbles into the mixture, so you must stir continuously and vigorously for about 8-10 minutes. It’s very important to ensure the water is over a low flame and heated gently; it should never boil during preparation.
Prepare yourself for some serious stirring.
Zabaione Recipe
Ingredients:
- 75g (2.6 oz) egg yolks
- 75g (2.6 oz) sugar
- 120ml (4 oz) Marsala wine
Instructions:
- Fill a saucepan with water and place it over low heat. The water must never come to a boil and, most important, the saucepan must never touch the water.
- Whisk the egg yolks and sugar together in a bowl that fits comfortably on top of the saucepan.
- Place the bowl on the saucepan and gradually add the Marsala wine as you stir. Continue to whisk vigorously to create air bubbles.
- After about 8-10 minutes of whisking, the cream should turn pale yellow and foamy. This means the zabaione is ready.
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