Zabaione (written also
Zabajone, ; or
Zabaglione, ), is an
Italian dessert made with
egg yolks,
sugar, a sweet
liquor (usually
Marsala wine), and sometimes one of
cream,
mascarpone, or whole eggs. It is a very light
custard, which has been
whipped to incorporate a large amount of air. Zabaglione is traditionally served with fresh
figs and is sometimes also spelled
sabayon, while its real Italian name is
zabaione (or
zabajone, which is an archaic form). It is also popular in Argentina, where it is known as
sambayón. In Colombia, it's known as
sabajón. In Venezuela, a related egg-based dessert drink is called
ponche de crema.
Preparation
The origin of zabaglione is not certain. It might have originated in
Venice when this city ruled the
Adriatic. Originally, sweet
Cyprus wine was used, but with the retreat of the
Venetian Republic, Marsala wine began to be used instead. Another change in the recipe is the use of sugar instead of
honey, the original ingredient.
Classical zabaglione uses raw egg yolks, but today many may prefer to prepare it in a bain-marie. However, it is often recommended to use a simple double boiler with a heat resistant bowl suspended above the water and to barely simmer to avoid scrambling the eggs. Beaten egg white is also widely replaced by whipped cream. Occasionally, the wine is omitted when the dish is served to children or nondrinkers.
See also
External links