Memorable Quotes:

“A Bearnaise sauce is simply an egg yolk, a shallot, a little tarragon vinegar and butter, but it takes years of practice for the result to be perfect.” — Fernand Point

Vanilla Bean Zabaglione with Berries

A light and creamy Italian dessert featuring Marsala, fresh vanilla bean, and orange, served over fresh berries. Folding whipped cream into the zabaglione gives it a wonderfully light texture, while a splash of Chambord adds extra flavor to the berries.


Servings: 4
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 5–10 minutes
Source: The Italian Dish

Ingredients

Vanilla Bean Zabaglione

  • ¾ cup heavy whipping cream
  • 4 large egg yolks
  • ⅓ cup granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon dry Marsala wine
  • ½ vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped out
  • 1 tablespoon fresh orange juice

Berries

  • 1 cup fresh raspberries
  • 1 cup fresh blackberries
  • 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon Chambord, optional

Instructions

  1. Whip the heavy cream until stiff peaks form. Place in the refrigerator until needed.
  2. Prepare an ice bath by filling a large bowl with ice and cold water. Set aside.
  3. Fill a medium saucepan with about 2 inches of water and bring to a gentle simmer.
  4. In a medium stainless-steel bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, ⅓ cup sugar, Marsala, vanilla bean seeds, and orange juice until well blended.
  5. Set the bowl over the gently simmering water. Whisk continuously until the mixture becomes thick, about 5–8 minutes. It may take as long as 10 minutes. Keep the water barely simmering rather than boiling so the eggs heat gently without scrambling.
  6. When the mixture has thickened, remove it from the heat and place the bottom of the bowl in the prepared ice bath, being careful not to get any water into the zabaglione.
  7. Whisk for a couple of minutes until the mixture has cooled.
  8. Gently fold the chilled whipped cream into the cooled zabaglione.
  9. Place the raspberries and blackberries in a bowl. Add 1 tablespoon sugar and the Chambord, if using, and gently toss.
  10. Divide the berries among 4 dessert glasses.
  11. Spoon the Vanilla Bean Zabaglione over the berries and serve.

Make Ahead

The zabaglione can be prepared ahead of time and refrigerated until ready to serve. The whipped cream can either be folded into the zabaglione before refrigerating or folded in later.

For the best presentation, assemble the berries and zabaglione shortly before serving.