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

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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:

  • 6 egg yolks

  • 1/3 cup sugar

  • 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

  • Pinch ground cinnamon

  • Drop vanilla extract

  • 3/4 cup Marsala

    See Also
    Zabaglione

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)

  • Custards
  • Mascarpone
  • Italian
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

What is zabaione in Italian? ›

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.

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.

Is it zabaglione or zabaione? ›

Zabaione (also known as zabaglione), is a dessert made of eggs, sugar, and liqueur. Its origin is uncertain, but according to some, it was invented by a condottiere (leader) from Emilia, named Giovanni Baglioni.

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.

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.

Is zabaglione alcoholic? ›

Zabaione (Italian: [dzabaˈjoːne]) or zabaglione ( UK: /ˌzæbəlˈjoʊni/, US: /ˌzɑːb-/, Italian: [dzabaʎˈʎoːne]) is an Italian dessert, or sometimes a beverage, made with egg yolks, sugar, and a sweet wine (usually Moscato d'Asti or Marsala wine). Some versions of the recipe incorporate spirits such as cognac.

Can you reheat zabaglione? ›

Zabaione is very delicate, and it will stay in the refrigerator for just a few days after it has been prepared. In order to enjoy it at its best, transfer it to a bowl and cover it with plastic wrap so that a crust does not form on the surface. Once removed from the refrigerator, reheat a few minutes in a bain-marie.

What is the flavor of zabaglione? ›

According to The New York Times, zabaglione is a thick but smooth emulsion that balances the rich froth of egg-based custard with the flavor of wine. Also called zabaione, or sabayon in English, zabaglione is essentially a foamy custard that lets Marsala wine shine.

What country does zabaglione come from? ›

Zabaglione, also known as zabaione or zabajone, is an Italian dessert made from egg yolks, sugar, and a sweet or fortified wine such as Marsala, Moscato, or Porto.

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.

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.

What does tiramisu means in Italy? ›

The literal meaning of Tiramisu in Italian is “pick me up” or “cheer me up”. As the name implies, this is an iconic Italian dessert that is served at the end of the meal that hopefully “cheers you up”.

What is the flavor of zabaione? ›

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.

What is egg yolk and sugar mixture called? ›

Sabayon (in French or zabaglione in Italian) is a thick sauce made from whipping egg yolks and sugar over a double boiler. It's usually then folded into other components to create classic desserts like tiramisu or mousse.

What is Italian ice cream called in Italy? ›

What Is Gelato? Gelato is a frozen treat that hails from Italy; the word "gelato" actually means "ice cream" in Italian.

What is a zabaglione pan used for? ›

Use it also for general whisking of eggs and cream - copper is known to have special properties that yield foamier beaten eggs and airier whipped cream. The handle is made of bronze and attached with rivets. The copper is unlined for better conductivity of heat. Suitable for all heat sources except induction.

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