Zabaglione

1. In a large and round-bottomed steel bowl put egg yolks, sugar, grated lemon peel, a drop of vanilla, and a little bit of cinnamon.
2. Include the Marsala wine to the mixture, you can also use sweet Vermouth if Marsala is not your preference.
3. Fill a saucepan halfway with water and bring it to a simmer.
4. Set the bowl containing the custard mixture over the water-filled pan, making sure that the bowl does not touch the water.
5. Whisk the custard until the mixture starts looking light and fluffy. You have to keep in check the temperature of the flame so that it does not boil the water otherwise your custard separate into lumps.
6. Keep whisking for about 10 minutes as the mixture triples in volume and froth. When you see it has reached the desired consistency take the bowl containing the custard off the pot.
7. If you wish you can use this custard as a sauce or you can thicken it more if you wish to go for a mousse. Whisk the mixture further so as to prevent the mixture from sticking to its bowl.
8. You can now serve your custard. If you want to serve it cool then set it aside for 15 minutes.
9. You can also add whipped cream to it, by whisking up heavy cream till it forms soft peaks and then whisking the custard and the cream gently together.
10. When you place the custard on the plate you can decorate it with strawberries, raspberries, or biscotti.

Trivia

In the 16^th century, this was actually a dish rather than thickened custard. Wine or ale was thickened with egg yolks and enjoyed as a dessert.