Coppi’s Zabaglione

Coppi’s on U Street seems to make desserts that the ladies like. For the second time this year, someone asked me to find out how to make one– chocolate zabaglione.  It’s is super easy, there’s just a mystery flavor we couldn’t figure out.  Turns out, it’s creme de cassis.

Rough chop 12 or so strawberries and heat them over medium heat in a pan.  In the meantime, whisk 2 T lemon juice, six egg yolks, 2T creme de cassis, and 3T sugar in a mixing bowl over just simmering water. (I use a shallow pan filled with water.) Whisk constantly until the liquid triples in volume and reaches 140 degrees (about five minutes). Take it off the heat, then transfer to a mixer for about three minutes. 
 
As it’s mixing, using that same simmering water, place half a really good chocolate bar (dark, go to Biagio for one) in a separate mixing bowl and allow it to melt, stirring occasionally.  Once it’s melted, add it to the egg mixture in a steady stream.  
 
If you don’t have a mixer, you can do the egg yolks by hand in a copper bowl, which is sort of romantic, I guess. It just takes longer. I tend to get attention deficit so this very easy dessert would take me like an hour by hand.
 
Take two cocktail glasses and layer each with the strawberries from the pan.  Spoon zabaglione over strawberries.  If you’re really ambitious, roll a couple of strawberry halves in sugar for a garnish.

You can do this with any lovely berry, subbing brandy for creme de cassis, minus the chocolate. Tonight, I used bing cherries, inspired by this month’s La Cucina Italiana and Cookthink.