Italian Custard Mousse (Zabaglione)
This rustic but impressive egg custard is infused with sweet white wine and pairs excellently with biscuits or fresh fruit.
This dessert is one of the classic dessert preparations of Italian cuisine. Commanding only a few ingredients, this dessert makes an excellent side-kick to fresh, seasonal fruit or freshly made biscuits like shortbread, savoiardi or amaretti. Unlike a regular custard, zabaglione contains no dairy. It is still enjoyed in Italy today and often features as a filling for traditional pastries. The key flavouring here is the addition of sweet wine, traditionally marsala, though you could use tawny port which is easier to find. Feel free to have fun with any other dessert wines. I like to use an asti spumante - a sweet sparkling wine - which lightens the zabaglione with the help of its sweet, twinkly bubbles. You will have plenty left in the bottle to serve with the dessert too! If you prefer this alcohol-free, simply replace the wine with same amount of apple juice with a nip of lemon juice to add brightness. I recommend serving this warm as soon as it’s made. Though you could chill it for a few hours if you prefer, the mousse will eventually collapse into a boozy puddle. Let’s go!
INGREDIENTS (serves 4x)
4x large egg yolks
40g caster sugar
50ml of Asti spumante or a sweet wine like sweet Marsala or tawny port - or use 50ml apple juice + 1 tsp of lemon juice
pinch of salt
WALKTHROUGH
Place a saucepan of water onto a boil. Take a heatproof mixing bowl - preferably made of glass - and briefly check it sits snugly on top of the pan. Ensure the water does not touch the base of the bowl.
Off the heat, add the 4 egg yolks, a pinch of salt and 40g of caster sugar to the bowl. Whisk the ingredients for 3-4 minutes off the heat until you have a pale, thickened foam that leaves a lasting trail when drizzled back into the bowl.
While whisking, slowly add the 50ml of sweet wine (or apple juice) and whisk it into the mixture.
Once the water is boiling, sit the bowl on top of the water and reduce the heat to low. Continue whisking over low heat for 6-8 minutes until you have a thick custard that has a consistency of rich yoghurt. Remove it from the heat.
Transfer the warm zabaglione to your serving dishes or into a container. This can be served warm with fruit or biscuits, or it can be chilled and served within a few hours. Enjoy!
