Zabaglione (Italian Marsala Mousse)

I found this recipe in a recipe book I bought in a used bookstore for fifty cents. I was drawn to the spices on the cover. Spices fascinate me. I’m always trying to learn more about them. The book was very old (almost as old as me) and it was in really good shape, just the pages yellowed.

There are a lot of great recipes, some calling for THREE 1 ½ lb lobsters upon which you commit mayhem, but this one was so simple and involved a fair amount of alcohol so I really had to try it right away!

It is as easy to do as it sounds.

At first bite I thought this might be an acquired taste unless you are Italian. I’m not used to custardy things with really strong flavor, but the first bite was enough to get me to take a second bite and then…it was all gone and since I was home I could clean the sides of the glass with my fingers.

It does have a lot of wine in it that I would assume is mostly cooked out since you blend and blend and blend until your arm is about to fall off, while it’s cooking over the boiling water. That being said, it also has a strong sweet Marsala flavor that is unique. The nutmeg on top was the perfect addition.

This would be a great holiday or wine tasting party dessert, or a last minute needed dessert, because it really whips up fast. I would think you could use other things in it but since it calls for 2/3 cup I’d think of something like a nice sweet Riesling not a hard liquor.

It is very light…….and yes, it’s like foamy eggnog, it does not solidify too much. It’s like adult dessert foam.

I found that if I put what I didn’t “eat warm” as directed, in the fridge, by morning it was a weird looking mousse.I would consider at that point mixing it with cool whip just because the visual was ......icky.

Zabaglione

An Herb and Spice Cookbook: by Craig Claiborne 1963

6 egg yolks
6 tbs fine sugar
2/3 cup Marsala wine

beat the eggs vigorously with a wire whisk or rotary beater. And gradually add while beating the eggs the sugar and wine.

Place the mixture over boiling water and continue beating vigorously until the custard foams in the pan and begins to thicken. Do not overcook.

Serve warm in sherbet glasses or as a sauce.

(I put a sprinkle of nutmeg on top and it was PERFECTO!)