Zabaglione al Caffé Recipe on Food52 (2024)

Cardamom

by: mrslarkin

February3,2011

5

1 Ratings

  • Serves 3 or 4

Jump to Recipe

Author Notes

When I was little, my mom would make us “caffé col’uovo sbatutto” (coffee with beaten egg). It may sound gross, but it’s really delicious. In a coffee mug, she’d use a funky springy whisk to beat an egg yolk with a few teaspoons of sugar until very foamy, then pour in good strong coffee, and mix it up. We loved it. This recipe is inspired by that memory. —mrslarkin

Test Kitchen Notes

WHO: You know mrslarkin from her contest-winning scones and scone bread.
WHAT: A coffee-based custard to inspire dreams of Venice.
HOW: Combine egg yolks, sugar, and cardamom into a thick, pale yellow custard, then whisk in espresso for a treat that belongs in a piazza.
WHY WE LOVE IT: Thick and frothy, this simple mixture is quick to whip together into a dessert to appease both sweet and savory lovers alike. Either spoon it over pound cake or add it to strong coffee for a bittersweet end to an evening—or decadent wake up call. —The Editors

  • Test Kitchen-Approved
  • Your Best Recipes with 5 Ingredients or Fewer Contest Finalist

What You'll Need

Ingredients
  • 4 large egg yolks
  • 4 tablespoonsgranulated sugar
  • Seeds of 3 to 4 cardamom pods, crushed
  • 2 half-eggshells full (about 2 ounces or 4 tablespoons) espresso or strong black coffee
Directions
  1. Bring 1 cup water to a simmer in a small saucepan.
  2. In a heat-safe bowl that is large enough to sit over your saucepan without touching the bottom, whisk the egg yolks, sugar, and cardamom until thick and pale yellow.
  3. Set your bowl over the saucepan, making sure the bottom of the bowl does not touch the hot water, or you might make scrambled eggs. (A double boiler will also work well.) Add the espresso to the egg mixture. Continue whisking until the mixture is foamy and doubled or tripled in volume. Remove bowl from saucepan.
  4. Serve immediately over slices of cake, or spoon into pretty bowls and serve with lady fingers, biscotti, or tuiles. Or, pour some over a demitasse cup of espresso—that’s my favorite way.

Tags:

  • Egg
  • Cardamom
  • Dessert
Contest Entries
  • Your Best Recipe with Cardamom
  • Your Best Recipe with Coffee
  • Your Best Recipes with 5 Ingredients or Fewer

See what other Food52ers are saying.

  • Domenic Clarino

  • Adriana Giannini

  • Emily | Cinnamon&Citrus

  • Kukla

  • LeBec Fin

Popular on Food52

37 Reviews

Domenic C. December 19, 2023

Just curious…why the cardamon??

Adriana G. April 21, 2018

Mmm, like liquid tiramisu (minus the cardamom). Very popular in Northern Vietnam. Sounds delish.

Emily |. October 6, 2015

Oh and I threw in a cinnamon stick and removed it since I didn't have cardamom on hand to make this a "pantry dessert" :)

Emily |. October 6, 2015

Just made this (literally got home from work late, was looking for a quick dessert because it is my wedding anniversary and my husband was making a nice dinner and I wanted to contribute) - can be pulled together simply even on the fly and absolutely delicious and feels special! Thanks so much for this recipe.

Kukla April 10, 2015

Congratulations! This looks like an easy, but a very tasty and elegant dessert!

LeBec F. April 10, 2015

mrs.L, congrats! I loooove coffee and cardamom together.So smart of you to call for the cardamom seeds; they have such a lovely pungency! Plse tell me, does this taste like a crème anglaise but richer and without flour thickener? How long does it usually take you from start to finish?
And does it retain its volume when chilled? Last question- if you folded in whipped cream and froze it, would you pretty much have a semifreddo?

mrslarkin April 10, 2015

Hi LBF! Thank you! It's very similar to creme anglaise. It takes no time at all if you have all your ingredients prepped (i.e. make your espresso first and get your cake and/or cookies ready). It does not retain it's volume when chilled - at least I don't think so - I've never done that. It's meant to be eaten immediately. But if you fold in whipped cream and froze it, I think in that case it would be very much like a semifreddo, which sounds delicious!

ChefJune April 9, 2015

Oh boy! I so love Zabaglione/Sabayon, and also coffee flavored desserts. This is definitely going on my short list.

AntoniaJames April 9, 2015

The coffee + cardamom combo sounds marvelous. I've never put the two together. Looking forward to trying this! ;o)

Midge April 9, 2015

Oh wow, sounds so good. Congrats Liz!

drbabs April 9, 2015

Wow, congratulations on being a finalist! Hard choice this week! XO

mrslarkin April 9, 2015

Thanks, drbabs!! I agree, definitely a tough one.

testkitchenette April 16, 2011

Fantastic. Lovely memory sharing as well!

mrslarkin April 16, 2011

thanks, tk!

boulangere April 15, 2011

Love your coffee measure!

mrslarkin April 15, 2011

:)

dymnyno February 7, 2011

No I don't think it sounds gross!!!! Isn't eggnog made with raw eggs? This sounds very sophisticated. Your blue and white cup and saucer look gorgeous too!

mrslarkin February 7, 2011

Thanks so much, dymnyno!! (I love my cup and saucer, too. Thx!)

Lizthechef February 5, 2011

I love this recipe as well as your shot and covet that gorgeous cup!

mrslarkin February 5, 2011

Thanks, Liz! That's from my Spode Italian demitasse set. Love the blue and white.

coffeefoodwrite February 4, 2011

Hi mrs l,

could not find cardamom pods but found ground -- do you think that would work as a good substitute and if so, how much would you suggest? thx!

mrslarkin February 4, 2011

hmmm...not sure as I never buy ground cardamom, BUT I would probably start with 1/2 teaspoon ground. I think if you are able to smell the aroma of the spice when it's whisked in at step 2, you'll be good. Definitely keep looking for fresh pods in your travels - they are amazing.

coffeefoodwrite February 4, 2011

thx! ended up using about a fourth and it turned out great -- poured it over a nice espresso....decadent!

mrslarkin February 4, 2011

so great to hear!! now I'm craving an espresso and some more of this. :)

coffeefoodwrite February 3, 2011

wow! this looks amazing...can't wait to try! :-)

mrslarkin February 3, 2011

thanks cfwg! hey where have u been? we've missed u.

coffeefoodwrite February 4, 2011

I've been off finishing a writing project -- so glad to be back on a bit -- missed you guys too!

TheWimpyVegetarian February 3, 2011

This looks perfect to make tomorrow! Love it!

mrslarkin February 3, 2011

Thanks, ChezSuzanne! Let me know how it turns out!

Deb S. February 3, 2011

Super duper grown-up yum! I cannot wait to try this!

mrslarkin February 3, 2011

Thanks, Deb! Let me know if you make it!

drbabs February 3, 2011

nice!

mrslarkin February 3, 2011

thanks!

hardlikearmour February 3, 2011

Yum, mrslarkin. I'd be happy to eat this with a spoon!

mrslarkin February 3, 2011

Thanks, hla! Me too! :)

Zabaglione al Caffé Recipe on Food52 (2024)

FAQs

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 are the ingredients in zabaglione? ›

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.

What is caffe allo zabaione? ›

The unanimous favorite of all coffees tasted is the Caffè allo Zabaione, which is prepared using whisked egg yolks. After breakfast, it was time to shop the markets, Quadrilatero and Mercato delle Erbe, to gather food for lunch.

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.

How do you make zabaglione thicker? ›

Keep whisking. That's right, keep whisking. It is necessary to bring the temperature down a bit, which will help the zabaglione thicken further. I understand you might be tired at this point, but who can't use a little more arm-toning?

How do you thicken sabayon? ›

You can add whipped cream or egg whites to the sabayon to make it thicker and more mousse-like.

Why is my zabaglione grainy? ›

However, don't allow it to get too hot during cooking or it will become grainy. If it begins to bubble or feel too warm, remove the pan briefly from the heat and continue beating until the mixture cools. Then return the pan to the heat and continue cooking.

What is a substitute for Marsala wine in zabaglione? ›

At times it can be difficult to procure what I always considered the correct ingredient for Zabaione - Marsala. However, I have discovered that I can use other fortified wines or spirits. Wikipedia suggests Cognac - which got me thinking about a good smooth whiskey - such as - Redbreast.

What does zabaglione mean in English? ›

noun. , Italian Cooking. a foamy, custardlike mixture of egg yolks, sugar, and Marsala wine, usually served hot or chilled as a dessert.

What is the difference between sabayon and zabaglione? ›

"Sabayon" is a French transliteration of the Italian "zabaglione," originally made with one tablespoon sugar and two tablespoons Marsala per egg yolk; French versions typically use white wine instead of the sweeter Marsala, and increase the liquid by 50% for a softer, lighter cream."

What does zabaglione taste like? ›

The custard is full-bodied and lightly sweet from the aged sherry, the hints of hazelnut earthy and warm. It's perfect spooned over a handful of ripe figs. Or have a little fun, and try a zabaglione using beer. A Belgian ale with its delicate, light flavor will give the custard a nice, malty finish.

What is the flavor of zabajone? ›

Zabajone has been enjoyed for centuries. It is a sweet, creamy custard-like dessert that is flavored with wine and served with sponge fingers and fruit.

What is the most famous 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 runny? ›

Be careful, heating too quickly will make your mixture too runny, while heating it too slowly will make it too thick and it will curdle. The whole process will take about 5-10 minutes. Keeping an eye on your thermometer, bring the zabaglione to 160°F (71.1°C).

What is tiramisu called in Italian? ›

In Italian, Tiramisu is spelled with an accent at the end: Tiramisù. pull-me-up, but Tiramisù means: Cheer me up.

How do you fix sauce that is not thickening? ›

The most readily available sauce-thickener is flour. For a too-thin sauce, try adding a slurry (equal parts flour and water, whisked together) or beurre manie (equal parts softened butter and flour, kneaded together to form a paste)—both are ideal thickeners for rich and creamy sauces, such as steak sauce recipes.

Why is my curd not thickening? ›

Trouble shooting: Most Lemon Curds are runny because they don't get cooked long enough, to 170 degrees F, to thicken the egg yolks – so cook on! If your curd isn't thickened after 10 minutes, or up to 15 if using a double boiler, then increase the temperature of the stove slightly – and don't stop whisking!

Why is my sauce not thickening? ›

To thicken a sauce that's too thin, your best bet is simply to reduce it, which means letting it simmer uncovered to evaporate excess liquid. Keep in mind, a sauce that might seem too thin in the pot after the first cook, will thicken up after a few minutes off the heat.

Why is my custard sauce not thickening? ›

Increase stovetop cooking time.

If you've tried a few recipes and your custard is still runny, thicken your custard by increasing the stovetop cooking time (instead of adding a thickening agent). Follow your recipe stovetop cooking time, right up until the custard starts bubbling.

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