 A glass of zabaione | |
| Alternative names | Zabaglione,sambajon (inPiedmontese) |
|---|---|
| Course | Dessert |
| Place of origin | Italy |
| Region or state | Piedmont[1] |
| Main ingredients | Egg yolks, sugar, a sweet wine |
Zabaione (Italian:[dzabaˈjoːne]) or, throughhypercorrection,zabaglione (UK:/ˌzæbəlˈjoʊni/,US:/ˌzɑːb-/;Italian:[dzabaʎˈʎoːne]),[a] is anItaliandessert, or sometimes a drink, made withegg yolks, sugar, and a sweet wine (usuallyMoscato d'Asti).[2] Some versions of the recipe incorporate spirits such ascognac. The dessert version is a lightcustard,whipped to incorporate a large amount of air. Since the 1960s, in restaurants in areas of the US with large Italian populations, zabaione is usually served with strawberries, blueberries, peaches, etc., in achampagne coupe, and is often prepared tableside for dramatic effect.[3]
In France, it is calledsabayon. The dessert is popular in Argentina and Uruguay, where it is known assambayón (from thePiedmontesesambajon) and is a popular ice cream flavour.[4]
Although accounts vary, the Italian dessert dates as far back as the second half of the 15th century, a recipe for which appears in the manuscript collection at the Morgan LibraryCuoco Napoletano.[5]
Classic zabaione uses raw egg yolks cooked in abain-marie and most often served withMarsala wine (although other wines can be substituted).[6] It can be finished with beaten egg white (meringue) or sometimes with whipped cream.
Occasionally, the wine is omitted when the dish is served to children or those who abstain fromalcohol. It is then, in effect, a very different dessert. A simple version of zabaione is calleduovo sbattuto and is mostly considered a breakfast item, especially when flavoured withespresso.
The French adopted the recipe as part of their system of sauces in the 1800s as a dessert cream calledsabayon.[2] By the 20th century, the namesabayon was also used to describe savoury broths and yolk-based sauces.[7]
