A Sabayon is a thin custard that is enhanced with alcohol, usually something bubbly.
The Sabayon is a French version of the Italian Zabaglione and first appeared in France in the 16th century when Italian Catherine de Medici married the French King Henry II. She enjoyed the dessert so much that she introduced it to her new land.
The dish does take a lot of attention to detail to make. There is a lot of whisking in the double broiler.
If you don’t whisk constantly the eggs could cook separately. No one wants egg pieces in their custard.
The custard itself is very thin, more like a sauce than a pudding custard.
That taste is rich and decadent. You get a little of the champagne taste, and a little of the cognac taste. The champagne’s alcohol cooks out, the cognac does not, so it does have a bit of an alcohol content.
I served mine over poached pears.
It was heavenly!
SABAYON AU CHAMPAGNE
6 Egg Yolks
1 ¼ Cups Sugar
1 ¼ Cups Champagne
2 Tablespoons Cognac, Grand Marnier or Rum
Fresh Pears or Sliced Bananas to Garnish
Combine yolks with sugar in bowl and beat with a wooden spoon until mixture forms a ribbon when dropped from spoon, about 7 to 10 minutes. Stir in Champagne, blending thoroughly. Transfer to top of a double boiler and cook over medium high heat, stirring constantly until mixture thickens and foams. Remove from heat and stir in cognac. Pour over fruit in dessert dishes and serve immediately.
Comments