CHAMPAGNE SABAYON


A beautiful dessert in minutes.
Print recipe

This silky dessert can be made in 10 minutes and served warm right off the stove with berries or your favourite fruit. For my technique, I served the sabayon in egg dishes and used a chef’s torch to scorch the surface decoratively crème brûlée style.


INGREDIENTS

  • 3 egg yolks

  • 75 g (2.7 oz) white sugar

  • 125 m (4 fl oz)l champagne (or sparkling wine)

  • Small piece of lemon rind for a touch of flavour

  • 400 g (14 oz) mixed berries (I use raspberries and blueberries)


Note

To serve, shallow egg dishes are great if you want to broil the tops of the dessert. Or use a cocktail glass for some class. If you can get your hands on one, a chef’s torch is great to create that crème brûlée look.

Method

  1. Use a balloon whisk to beat the egg yolks with the sugar in a large bowl for about a minute, then add the champagne and lemon rind and continue to whisk for a further 2 minutes to start the emulsion.

  2. Now sit the bowl with the mixture over a medium-sized saucepan containing barely simmering water (or use a double boiler). The water should not touch the bottom of the bowl.

  3. Over medium-low heat, whisk constantly while the mixture becomes foamy and triples in volume. This should take up to 10 minutes. When done, the sabayon will have a glossy, creamy texture and the streaks around the side of the bowl will start to dry. Remove from the heat and place the bowl immediately in a tray of ice to stop the sabayon from cooking further.

  4. To serve, layer a dish or cocktail glass with berries and ladle the sabayon over the top. Place under the broiler for 1-2 minutes or scorch the surface with a chef’s torch.

TIPS

  • For the best results, use a champagne that sits on the sweeter side, not too dry.

  • The key to a light, fluffy sabayon is a large bowl (I used my copper bowl, but glass works well too) and a large balloon whisk. You need plenty of surface area in the bowl to whisk air into the sauce to create that beautiful airy, foamy texture. 

  • If you don’t have a large bowl using an electric hand mixer is the way to go and will also save you time.

  • The sabayon can also be served cold. To try it out, place a plastic film in direct contact with the surface of the sabayon (to avoid a crust forming) then refrigerate until completely cold. When ready to serve, take it out of the fridge and give the sabayon a good whisk to restore the foaminess. Finish by folding in 2-3 tablespoons of whipped cream then serve immediately with or without fruits.


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