Skip to main content

Sabayon with Seasonal Berries

Sabayon is the French name for zabaglione, a light foamy Italian dessert. It is served warm in glasses or coupes or spooned over a dessert, fruit, or pastry as a topping. Traditionally, it is made with Marsala or port, but it may be prepared using other wines and liqueurs. Use the freshest berries in season. Try all the same berry, or mix them up for a colorful treat.

Recipe information

  • Yield

    serves 4 to 6

Ingredients

2 pints fresh ripe strawberries, washed, hulled, and quartered, and/ or blueberries or blackberries
6 tablespoons sugar
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Pinch of fine sea salt
6 egg yolks
1 cup sweet Marsala or port

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Place the berries in a bowl. Add 1 tablespoon of the sugar, the lemon juice, and salt. Stir to combine. Set aside.

    Step 2

    In a large, stainless steel bowl, whisk to blend the egg yolks, the Marsala, and the remaining 5 tablespoons of sugar. Rest the bowl over a saucepan of barely simmering water to create a double boiler (a standard double boiler is too small). Using a whisk or a handheld mixer (trust me, you’ll prefer the latter, if you have one), whisk constantly until it has the consistency of lightly whipped cream and is thick, foamy, and tripled in volume, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat.

    Step 3

    Divide the berries among serving bowls or glasses and top with a spoonful of sabayon. Serve immediately.

Cover of Bon Appetit, Yall by Virginia Willis featuring a serving of corn souffle.
From Bon Appétit, Y’all: Recipes and Stories From Three Generations of Southern Cooking, © 2008 by Virginia Willis. Reprinted by permission of Ten Speed Press. Buy the full book from Amazon or Abe Books.
Read More
Khao niaow ma muang, or steamed coconut sticky rice with ripe mango, is a classic in Thai cuisine—and you can make it at home.
With just a handful of ingredients, this old-fashioned egg custard is the little black dress of dinner party desserts—simple and effortlessly chic.
With rich chocolate flavor and easy customization, this hot cocoa recipe is just the one you want to get you through winter.
This classic 15-minute sauce is your secret weapon for homemade mac and cheese, chowder, lasagna, and more.
Make this versatile caramel at home with our slow-simmered method using milk and sugar—or take one of two sweetened condensed milk shortcuts.
Hawai‘i's beloved fried chicken is crispy, sweet, and savory.
Crunchy and crowd-pleasing, this salad can be prepared in advance and customized to your heart’s content.
This summery sheet-pan dinner celebrates the bounty of the season and couldn't be simpler to make. Chorizo plays nicely with the salad, thanks to its spice.