This Showstopping Zabaglione Italian Custard Is The Yummiest Way to End any Meal (2024)

  • Custards
  • Mascarpone
  • Italian

Zabaglione is a rich Italian custard that tastes divine with fresh berries!

By

Elise Bauer

This Showstopping Zabaglione Italian Custard Is The Yummiest Way to End any Meal (1)

Elise Bauer

Elise founded Simply Recipes in 2003 and led the site until 2019. She has an MA in Food Research from Stanford University.

Learn about Simply Recipes'Editorial Process

Updated March 31, 2024

This Showstopping Zabaglione Italian Custard Is The Yummiest Way to End any Meal (2)

20 Showstopper Holiday DessertsFEATURED IN:

Zabaglione is a simple Italian dessert made of egg yolks, sugar, and Marsala wine. It is usually served warm, though it can be served cold, as a sauce, or even frozen.

Where Does Zabaglione Come From?

The Gourmet Sleuth writes, "Zabaglione is said to have been invented in the 16th Century in Florence, Italy in the court of the Medici. This dessert is classified as a 'caudle' rather than a custard. A 'caudle' is a sauce used as a custard to fill pies or tarts. The original pre-sixteenth century version was a drink made or wine or ale thickened with egg yolks."

I found the original recipe for zabaglione in the out of print Time Life The Good Cook series’ Wine volume. The original recipe called for 3/4 cups of sugar, which in all of our opinions here was way too much.

A Lower Sugar Zabaglione Recipe

I have since found similar recipes calling for half as much sugar. So, I would suggest 1/3 to 1/2 a cup, depending on taste.

This is actually quite easy to make. You just need a double boiler set up, or a stainless steel bowl on top of, but not touching, simmering water.

This Showstopping Zabaglione Italian Custard Is The Yummiest Way to End any Meal (3)

This Showstopping Zabaglione Italian Custard Is The Yummiest Way to End any Meal (4)

Tips for Preparing the Custard

  • Zabaglione needs constant whisking so that it doesn't overcook or curdle. Make sure you have all of the ingredients ready so that you don't overcook the custard.
  • Adjust the sugar. If you prefer your zabaglione sweeter, add more sugar a tablespoon at a time until you hit the right sweetness level for your taste buds

More Classic Italian Desserts to Try!

  • Ginger Almond Biscotti
  • Classic Tiramisu
  • Easy Panna Cotta
  • Traditional Panettone
  • Chocolate Florentine Cookies

From the Editors Of Simply Recipes

Zabaglione

Prep Time5 mins

Cook Time20 mins

Cooling Time15 mins

Total Time40 mins

Servings6 servings

You can substitute sherry, Madeira, sparkling moscato, or Grand Marnier for the Marsala wine.

Ingredients

Zabaglione custard:

Serve with:

  • 1 cup heavy cream,whipped

  • Strawberries, raspberries, or biscotti

Method

  1. Put the custard ingredients into a bowl:

    Place the egg yolks and sugar in a large, round-bottomed stainless steel or Pyrex bowl. Add the grated lemon zest, a pinch of cinnamon and a drop of vanilla extract to the yolk mixture. Pour in the Marsala.

    This Showstopping Zabaglione Italian Custard Is The Yummiest Way to End any Meal (5)

  2. Prepare a double boiler:

    Fill a pot halfway with water, and bring the water to a simmer. Reduce the heat to maintain the simmer. Set the bowl containing the custard mixture over the water.

    Note: the bottom of the bowl should not touch the water.

    This Showstopping Zabaglione Italian Custard Is The Yummiest Way to End any Meal (6)

  3. Whisk the custard mixture until it thickens:

    Whisk the custard mixture, making sure that the water in the pot below is just gently boiling and not touching the bowl. This ensures a gentle, even heat thickens the mixture without curdling it. Whisking traps air in the yolks for a light, fluffy mixture.

    Continue whisking for several minutes, until the mixture triples in volume, froths up, and becomes pale.

    This Showstopping Zabaglione Italian Custard Is The Yummiest Way to End any Meal (7)

    This Showstopping Zabaglione Italian Custard Is The Yummiest Way to End any Meal (8)

  4. Remove the bowl from the pot:

    When the custard reaches the desired consistency, take the container of custard out of the pot. Slightly thickened, the custard can be used as a sauce. Longer cooking will thicken the custard further, giving it the texture of mousse. Continue whisking for a minute or two to prevent the custard from sticking to its container.

    This Showstopping Zabaglione Italian Custard Is The Yummiest Way to End any Meal (9)

  5. Serve warm or cooled:

    Serve the custard while still warm, or, if you want to serve it cool, set it aside for about 15 minutes.

    Add the whipped cream to the cooled custard and use a whisk to gently fold them together. Reserve some of the whipped cream to serve on top.

    Ladle the zabaglione into individual dishes. Serve with whipped cream, berries, and/or cookies, such as biscotti.

    This Showstopping Zabaglione Italian Custard Is The Yummiest Way to End any Meal (10)

    This Showstopping Zabaglione Italian Custard Is The Yummiest Way to End any Meal (11)

    This Showstopping Zabaglione Italian Custard Is The Yummiest Way to End any Meal (12)

    This Showstopping Zabaglione Italian Custard Is The Yummiest Way to End any Meal (13)

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
284Calories
20g Fat
17g Carbs
8g Protein

×

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6
Amount per serving
Calories284
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 20g26%
Saturated Fat 11g55%
Cholesterol 262mg87%
Sodium 266mg12%
Total Carbohydrate 17g6%
Dietary Fiber 1g3%
Total Sugars 14g
Protein 8g
Vitamin C 8mg38%
Calcium 66mg5%
Iron 1mg7%
Potassium 168mg4%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.

This Showstopping Zabaglione Italian Custard Is The Yummiest Way to End any Meal (2024)

FAQs

Is zabaglione safe to eat? ›

Food Safety

When dealing with egg yolks, safety is always a concern. Here is why this Zabaglione recipe is safe: Salmonella bacteria is killed when eggs reach 140 degrees for more than 3 minutes. For the custard to thicken, it will necessarily reach that temperature for that amount of time.

What is the flavor of zabaglione? ›

Zabaglione: A Classic Italian Dessert

The result is a frothy and indulgent treat with a complex flavor profile: the richness of the egg yolks, the sweetness of the sugar, and the depth and warmth of the Marsala wine come together in a symphony of flavors that is absolutely irresistible.

Where does the Italian dessert sauce known as zabaglione come from? ›

Where Does Zabaglione Come From? The Gourmet Sleuth writes, "Zabaglione is said to have been invented in the 16th Century in Florence, Italy in the court of the Medici. This dessert is classified as a 'caudle' rather than a custard. A 'caudle' is a sauce used as a custard to fill pies or tarts.

What is the Italian dessert made of beaten egg yolks and Marsala called? ›

One of Italy's great gifts to the rest of the world, zabaglione, is an ethereal dessert made by whisking together egg yolks, wine - traditionally marsala but champagne or wine is often used for a savoury version - and sugar.

Can kids eat zabaione? ›

Zabaione can be served as a cream at the end of a meal or as a dessert for children (without the wine).

How do you eat zabaione? ›

Serve the zabaglione over a slice of cake, crostata or panettone, on top of fresh fruit with a sprinkle of toasted almonds, or alone in a beautiful dessert glass with some biscotti, amaretti, or savoiardi alongside.

What is the flavor of zabajone? ›

Zabaglione is a sweet creamy dessert made from egg yolks, sugar and nutmeg wine or liqueur. Its taste is rich, creamy, and has pronounced notes of vanilla and harmonious shades of alcohol.

Why is my zabaglione not thickening? ›

Reasons: not cooked enough, cooked too quickly so egg doesn't thicken; egg overcooked and about to curdle; too much liquid flavouring.

Does sugar burn egg yolks? ›

SARAH SAYS: When combining egg yolks and sugar, make sure that you mix together immediately, otherwise the yolks will quickly dry out from the undissolved sugar, called "burning". This will leave you with hard bits in the finished recipe i.e., crème anglaise, pastry cream, lemon curd, etc.

Does zabaglione have alcohol? ›

It is basically egg yolks beaten with caster sugar and a sweet wine. In the south Marsala tends to be used, whilst in Piedmont, from where it originated, Moscato d'Asti or other sweet white wine is more common. Like the choice of alcohol, the name also varies – 'zabaione' in the north, and 'zabaglione' in the south.

What does zabaglione mean in English? ›

noun. , Italian Cooking. a foamy, custardlike mixture of egg yolks, sugar, and Marsala wine, usually served hot or chilled as a dessert.

What is the most eaten dessert in Italy? ›

Perhaps the most iconic Italian dessert, tiramisu appears on menus at restaurants not only throughout Italy but also all over the world.

What does zabaglione taste like? ›

The custard is full-bodied and lightly sweet from the aged sherry, the hints of hazelnut earthy and warm. It's perfect spooned over a handful of ripe figs. Or have a little fun, and try a zabaglione using beer. A Belgian ale with its delicate, light flavor will give the custard a nice, malty finish.

Who invented the zabaglione? ›

Zabaione is generally considered a Piedmontese recipe, and according to the venerable Il cucchiaio d'argento it was invented by a Spanish lay brother and future saint, Pascal de Baylón, who also lent the dish its name.

How much alcohol is in zabaglione? ›

Alcohol content:

2 units of alcohol. 14.15% alc./vol.

Is it safe to eat raw egg yolk in mousse? ›

Mousse recipes that use raw eggs should be modified by heating the milk, eggs and sugar to 160 degrees F. Hillers recommends any recipe calling for raw eggs should be modified to either heat the eggs or to substitute a modified egg product.

Is it safe to eat raw egg yolks in desserts? ›

No, it is never safe to consume raw eggs. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends avoiding raw eggs because they can lead to serious illness. Eggs may carry salmonella, a bacteria that causes food poisoning. Eggs can become contaminated with this bacteria before the shell is formed.

What's the difference between zabaglione and sabayon? ›

"Sabayon" is a French transliteration of the Italian "zabaglione," originally made with one tablespoon sugar and two tablespoons Marsala per egg yolk; French versions typically use white wine instead of the sweeter Marsala, and increase the liquid by 50% for a softer, lighter cream."

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