Gratin of Fresh Berries With Sabayon Recipe
In this dessert, a selection of fresh berries is topped with fluffy sabayon sauce flavoured with lemon zest and Grand Marnier or rich Marsala. Served in individual dishes, each gratin is grilled close to the heat to warm the fruit and give the sabayon an attractive golden-brown top. Professional chefs often save time by using a small blowtorch instead of the grill. Choose berries that are plump and full of colour. Getting Ahead: The berries can be prepared, arranged in the dishes, and refrigerated 4 hours ahead. Sabayon sauce separates on standing, so it must be made and the dish grilled at the last minute. Order of Work:
Ingredients
- 12 oz (375 g) mixed berries such as raspberries, strawberries, blackberries, blueberries
- 1 lemon
- 3 egg yolks
- 1 3/4 oz (50 g) caster sugar
- 3fl oz (90 ml) Grand Marnier
Instructions
- #Prepare the Berries# Pick over the berries, washing them only if they are dirty. Hull the strawberries. Cut any large berries in half or into quarters.
- Divide the berries evenly among the gratin dishes, arranging them decoratively, and chill in the refrigerator. “Arrange berries attractively in individual dishes” #Make the Sabayon# Heat the grill. Grate the zest from half of the lemon. “Tap the grater firmly on the work surface to dislodge all the zest.”
- Put the egg yolks, sugar, and Grand Marnier in a large heatproof bowl and whisk them to mix. “Combine ingredients in heatproof bowl to whisk over hot water later”
- Set the bowl over the saucepan half-filled with hot but not simmering water and start to whisk. A note from Eatopic: Make sure the bowl is large enough to sit in the saucepan without touching the water or the sauce will overheat and may curdle.
- Continue whisking until the mixture is frothy and thick enough to leave a ribbon trail, 5-8 minutes. Take the sauce from the pan of hot water, whisk in the zest, and continue whisking 1-2 minutes until slightly cooled. “Mixture will become quite pale as it is whisked.” #Brown the Gratin# Arrange the gratin dishes on the baking sheet and spoon the sabayon over and around the berries. Grill about 15 cm (6 inches) from the heat until the sabayon is golden brown and the fruit is warm, 1-2 minutes. #TO SERVE# Transfer the hot dishes to plates for easy service and serve immediately. “Sabayon is grilled to deep golden brown.” “Berries are warm and succulent” A note from Eatopic: “Look for berries in season achieve the full fruity fragrance of this sumptuous dessert.”