Lately I've been learning to make zabaglione. The process itself is straightforward when you get the hang of it but silly me couldnt just be happy with scooping zabaglione over berries. Another twist is that the local liquor stores here dont sell but sweet Marsala. Well, to be honest, I even did one experiment with cherry liquor. Technically, it can be done but oh my it was sweet! Nevertheless, here's a version I am happy enough with to share it in the blog.
When I make desserts like this one, I usually pay a lot attention to sugar and sweetness. I like sweet but not too sweet. My taste for sugar has seriously
declined (Or developed? Your call.) since teen years. Back then we
used to joke that sugar in coffee is not for sweetening but thickening. Now I
can't ingest it too sweet. Still like sweet more than my mom, whose gift
choc boxes usually eats yours truly. My dad, oh well, he can down a
Fazer Blue bar in a respectable time.
 |
| My steamer boiler thingy |
Concerning this recipe, 1 xl egg (73-80 gr) should be enough to cover a portion for 2 persons, for one it's maybe even a bit too much. I tried to use one medium egg, and it proved difficult; heat management was more difficult and the egg curds easy as there is so little of egg mass to heat. Anyways, this is a good recipe in that way that you are not left with extra egg whites wondering what to do with them.
Pictures are from a portion with 3 ladyfinger bisquits, which makes a abundant dessert for one (or 2 on a diet). Add a few more bisquits for 2 gourmands. This dish is easy to spoil by daydreaming, so make sure you can work without delays and interruptions. You also need a two-storey kettle or some other means to keep the bottom of the bowl out of simmering water, and a metal bowl for whipping.
And for those who are still wondering, ice cream does not melt in the oven because air that has been whipped into egg mass provides insulation. When the egg mass has been cooked, then heat can access ice cream and melt it, so be sure to take your baked alaska out in time!
Ingredients for zabaglione baked alaska:
- 2-5 savoiardi/ladyfinger bisquits
- 1 egg, separated
- 25 cl Marsala (dry)
- 0,75 tbsp sugar
- 3-5 tbsp cherry, raspberry etc. jam
- 0,5+ dl sweet wine, juice or liquor to moisten the bisquits. I diluted cherry liqour.
- Plain vanilla ice cream
During my experiments I also came up with a Finnish version.
Arctic cloudberry (
hilla) works fantastically in zabaglione! Yummmmy! To be honest, I prefer it over Marsala. I heartily recommend to try it if you can get your hands on arctic cloudberry.
- Use arctic cloudberry liquor instead Marsala ( a generous 1 tbsp)
- Do not add sugar to the yolk nor the egg white foam
- Moisten the bisquits with diluted (50/50) arctic cloudberry liquor or apple juice
- Use low-sugar apricot or arctic cloudberry jam or even fresh fruit/berries pureed with a small pinch of sugar
1. Fill the kettle with water and put to simmer on medium heat.
2. Put bisquits on baking parchment and moisten generously with liquid of your choice. Soak them well, 'til they turn darkish from the liquid. They need to become soft.
3. Separate egg, white in one bowl and yolk in the metal bowl.
4. Start whipping the egg yolk with sugar until it foams lightly.
5. Add Marsala and transfer the bowl to the boiler. The bowl itself must not touch water.
 |
| This is a picture from another zabaglione experiment but demonstrates the kettle system |
6. And keep on whipping. If the egg mixture doesnt begin to heat up despite minutes of beating, add heat very carefully.
7. Still keep on whipping. Depending on the number of eggs this can take a good while. Check with your finger that the foam doesnt get too hot, or it curds. You should be able to put your finger in. If it starts to get too hot, remove from heat for a moment.
8. Now it starts to look like it's ready. Note how the foam keeps the waves and shapes after beater movement.
9. That's it ready!
10. Beat the egg white into stiff foam. It should stick to the bowl even if you turn it upside down.
11. See, it sticks there.
12. Mix egg white foam into zabaglione very tenderly. See that it makes a nice perky foam able to "stand on its own", it must stick to the sides and stay over ice cream. If there is excess egg white foam, discard it.
13. Put some jam over the bisquits.
14. Put ice cream over the bisquits.
15. Finally coat the whole thing with zabaglione foam. Be very careful especially to cover the ice cream so that it wont melt. Then rush it into oven.
16. Bake in 250C for 2-3 mins, until the foam gets a nice golden brown hue.
17. Cut, put it on a plate and serve immediately.
I guess it's best I start from the beginning. The other day, we decided to go to a lake side campfire spot and and torch some sausage, pick blueberries, spy for new mushrooms and have a good healthy dose of fresh air. Many cities here have established campfire or barbeque sites for citizens to use and often the city council provides wood for the fire. As Finnish cities are small and practically next to nature, it's very popular summer pastime, to go hiking and eat in the wild. So we bought sausages, filled water bottles and I prepared some vegetables to roast in the fire: cut them in pieces, add some spices, oil and wrap in tin foil. Then we set out.
