TABELIAAUTHENTIC RECIPE
Zabaione
A whipped dessert originating in Piedmont, made only with egg yolks, sugar and Marsala wine. Slowly heating and whisking over a water bath turns them into a thick, golden cream.
AUTHENTICITY SCORE
Authenticity Score
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Ingredients (4 servings)
- Egg yolksBring to room temperature6 pieces
- Sugar80 g
- Dry MarsalaMarsala Fine DOC from Florio or Pellegrino is recommended120 ml
Method
Whisk the yolks and sugar
- 1 Put 6 egg yolks and 80 g sugar in a heatproof bowl and mix with an electric hand mixer or whisk.
Ready when
After about 3 minutes, proceed when pale and thick.
Add the Marsala
- 1 Add 120 ml Marsala wine and combine with a whisk.
Ready when
Proceed when evenly mixed.
Whisk over a water bath
- 1 Set the bowl over a water bath at 80–85°C and heat while whisking continuously.
Ready when
After about 10 minutes, proceed when the mixture begins to expand with fine bubbles.
Caution
Keep stirring so the mixture does not stick to the bottom. If the water bath is too hot, the eggs will set.
Check the consistency
- 1 Check that the cream forms ribbons, then remove from the water bath.
Ready when
It is ready when it falls in a thick ribbon from the lifted whisk.
Caution
Excessive heat sets the eggs and makes the cream grainy.
Serve
- 1 Divide evenly among wine glasses or small bowls.
Caution
Serve immediately after making, as the foam disappears with time.
About this dish
Zabaione is a dolce widely believed to have originated in Piedmont. Other accounts trace it to 15th-century Venice or to a cook of the House of Savoy. Its history spans both northern Italian court culture and nourishing home cooking.
In Italy, zabaione was once sometimes treated as a tonic. On cold winter mornings or during recovery from illness, families made a warm, sweet cream for their loved ones. It was both a dessert and a way of caring for the body at the table.
Today it is enjoyed in fine restaurants and at home with fruit or biscotti. Piedmontese history, the winter table and the habit of caring for family combine to keep it simple yet special.
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