Espresso Zabaglione, the ideal closure for festive tables

A light Italian dessert gives another note to Christmas and New Year.

Christmas is a real gastronomy festival, with dozens of flavors parading non-stop from our tables. However, it is a fact that many of the Christmas flavors are heavy, full of fat and spices, so the choice of dessert is difficult - and it would certainly be a wise choice a light, delicate dessert, which pleasantly contrasts the heavy but delicious festive dishes.

One such dessert is Zabaglione, the Italian dessert consisting of egg yolks and alcohol. Light, airy and very tasty, it is the ideal balance of the palate, after a Christmas "craze".

Zabaglione dates back at least to the 15th century, as its recipe has survived in a medieval manuscript, while in the Tuscan region, the courtyard of the Medici was enjoyed, according to recorded testimonies, from about the same time. Apart from Tuscany, other parts of Italy, such as Emilia Romana and Piedmont, claim its name, as well as the original recipe, as is usually the case with traditional recipes. However, Zambaglione became famous in the USA, where it was established as a dessert in a number of Italian restaurants, in every city where there was "Little Italy".

The version we present today keeps the creamy, light texture of the original Zabaglione, but its taste is enhanced with strong espresso! It is a dessert that suits the festive atmosphere and closes perfectly Christmas tables, while its serving can utilize slices of stale bun or panetone - everything you need for the holidays, that is.

What do we need for Espresso Zabaglione?

200ml espresso
30ml coffee liqueur
6 egg yolks
120 grams of brown sugar


How do we prepare Espresso Zabaglione?

After carefully separating the yolks from the egg whites, place them in a saucepan that we have put in a baking pan.
Add the sugar
Add the liqueur and coffee.
Stir with a whisk until the mixture doubles in volume and acquires a soft texture.
Let stand for a while and serve!


Tips for delicious Espresso Zabaglione

It is important to prepare our dessert in a ben - marie, so that the yolks are not cooked immediately and the dessert is not "cut" - but also so that the yolks do not become an omelette!
Contrary to many people's beliefs, the yolks in Zabaglione are not raw, but lightly cooked in a ben-marie. In any case, it is good to use very fresh eggs, which we know their origin.
Zabaglione is good to serve fresh, shortly after preparation. In any case, it is prepared easily and quickly, without much waiting.
We can serve Zabaglione in individual portions, putting it in glass cups, decorated with a coffee bean.
We can also serve it as an accompaniment to panettone or tsoureki. Especially if we have one of the two that has started to stale, we can, after toasting it, serve it with Zabaglione and a little whipped cream.
We use a strong espresso blend, so that the taste of the coffee sounds satisfactory.

Dinner is judged by the bread and the dessert, say many gastronomy experts - and with Espresso Zabaglione, our table will take off!