Festive flavours

Italians love sweet treats and confections throughout the year, but really go all out at Christmas. From traditional baked goods such as citrus-peel bejewelled Panettone and star-shaped Pandoro, to traditional desserts such as zabaglione – a contradiction of textures and flavours where wonderfully rich egg yolks are whisked with sugar and sweet wine until fabulously thick to produce a surprisingly light and aerated mousse. Thought to have been created in Florence in the 16^th century, zabaglione has been a national favourite ever since and no more so than in a small baroque town in Sicily where the sweet wine used in the mixture is made – Marsala. Here the wine is fortified using traditional methods and aged in oak barrels for varying lengths of time, the most expensive versions over a period of many years. My zabaglione is scented with Christmassy flavours including Marsala Superiore which is matured in the cask for at least 2 years. Enjoy this fabulous dessert with some small cantucci or biscotti on the side, or if you can get them, some dark chocolate covered orange sticks. Perfetto!

Christmas-spiced Zabaglione with Marsala

If Christmas could be served in a glass and eaten, then this is it! This super-simple dessert is gloriously light and the addition of warming mixed spice and zesty orange makes it really festive and special. It’s perfect as an alternative to heavy Christmas pudding after an already indulgent meal, or just as good in the summer after a rich barbecue (although I would omit the Christmassy mixed spice and zest in warmer months).

Prep time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes
Serves: 6

100g caster sugar
5 large egg yolks
125ml Marsala (use the best you can – I use Pellegrino Garibaldi Dolci)
A pinch mixed spice
Finely grated zest of ½ orange, plus extra to serve
Dark chocolate orange sticks, cantucci, or biscotti, to serve

1. Put the sugar and egg yolks into a large heatproof bowl. Beat with an electric whisk for 5 minutes, until thick and pale.
2. Place the bowl over a pan of barely simmering water (don’t let the water touch the underside of the bowl).
3. Add the mixed spice and zest, and continue to whisk for another 12–15 minutes, gradually drizzling in the Marsala as you go, until the mixture almost triples in volume and is light and foamy.
4. Spoon into 6 glasses or dishes and sprinkle over a little more spice and zest. Serve warm or cold with chocolate-coated orange sticks or biscotti.

Cook’s tip: For variation an English mead or honey wine makes a tasty alternative to Marsala.

Typical Nutrient Values per 108g Serving (inc 50g biscotti)
Calories 374kcal 19%
Sugars 19g 21%
Fat 12.7g 18%
Saturates 3.8g 19%
Salt 0.14g 2%
% of an adult’s guideline daily amount * Based on GDAs for women

Category:

Food, Italy, Recipe, Sicily, Sights & Travel

Tags:

• biscotti
• Christmas
• Food
• food and drink
• Italian
• Italy
• Marsala
• Recipe
• Sicily
• zabaglione

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My gloriously rich, yet lighter-than-light zabaglione is scented with Christmassy flavours including Marsala Superiore which is matured in oak casks for at least 2 years.

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