How to succeed in making sabayon (syllabub)
A sabayon is a delicious and delicate preparation based on egg yolks and sugar, with a liquid added (wine, alcohol, fruit juice, etc), which is then whipped in a bain-marie until it is both light and smooth.
Usually sabayon is sweet (syllabub), but you can make it savoury, in which case there is only egg yolk, salt, and the chosen liquid, which could be stock, reduced wine, roasting juices, etc...
This recipe is for a sweet sabayon, using just two egg yolks. You will need to adapt quantities according to your needs, or your recipe.
Usually sabayon is sweet (syllabub), but you can make it savoury, in which case there is only egg yolk, salt, and the chosen liquid, which could be stock, reduced wine, roasting juices, etc...
This recipe is for a sweet sabayon, using just two egg yolks. You will need to adapt quantities according to your needs, or your recipe.
20 min.
Average
230 g
4 IngredientsLast modified on: November 12th 2017
For 230 g, you will need:
- 1
4 egg yolks - 2
1⁄3 cup caster sugar - 3
12 tablespoons sweet white wine - 4
2 pinches flour
Change measures:
Times for this recipe
Preparation: 8 min.
Cooking: 10 min.
All in all: 20 min.
If you start now, at , you will finish around : ?.Change start time
To finish around 7pm, you'll need to have started before: .Change end time
Step by step recipe
Stage 1 - 5 min.
Put in a container that can go over a bain-marie, 4 egg yolks and 1⁄3 cup caster sugar.
Without delay, beat until mixture whitens.
Without delay, beat until mixture whitens.
Stage 2
This whitening of the mixture happens because by beating, you incorporate thousands of tiny air bubbles into it.
Stage 3 - 3 min.
Add 12 tablespoons sweet white wine to mixture (or sweet wine, fruit juice, coffee, etc.) and 2 pinches flour, mix thoroughly.
Please note, this pinch of flour is vital to the success of the sabayon. While over the bain-marie, this will facilitate the blending of the mixture: an essential knack to make your sabayon work every time (or almost), so you do not finish up with an omelette...
This is the first "secret" of success.
Please note, this pinch of flour is vital to the success of the sabayon. While over the bain-marie, this will facilitate the blending of the mixture: an essential knack to make your sabayon work every time (or almost), so you do not finish up with an omelette...
This is the first "secret" of success.
Stage 4 - 10 min.
Put mixture in the bain-marie, and begin beating.
The bain-marie is the second "secret" of success, you need the temperature of the mixture to rise gradually.
You need to beat constantly until obtaining the shiny and smooth mixture desired.
The bain-marie is the second "secret" of success, you need the temperature of the mixture to rise gradually.
You need to beat constantly until obtaining the shiny and smooth mixture desired.
Stage 5
You can use an electric whisk, in which case do not beat too fast, but nothing is better than a simple hand whisk, you will keep operations under control.
Stage 6
After few minutes, the mixture will begin to foam and thicken.
Stage 7
Stop when you like, it is necessary to arrive at a good compromise: quite shiny and very smooth... It's an absolute delight!
Remarks
The two important points for making a good sabayon are: a pinch of flour (for easier blending) and a bain-marie (gradual rise in temperature).
Syllabub is often poured over a dessert, but you can also serve it plain in a small cup (warmed beforehand) instead of coffee or tea.
Syllabub is best served warm, on something which should be neither too hot ( not straight from the oven), nor too cold (not straight from the fridge).
This recipe is for a sweet syllabub but it can also be made savoury (see above). You will notice that in this case, because of the absence of sugar, the syllabub thickens much more quickly.
Syllabub is often poured over a dessert, but you can also serve it plain in a small cup (warmed beforehand) instead of coffee or tea.
Syllabub is best served warm, on something which should be neither too hot ( not straight from the oven), nor too cold (not straight from the fridge).
This recipe is for a sweet syllabub but it can also be made savoury (see above). You will notice that in this case, because of the absence of sugar, the syllabub thickens much more quickly.
Keeping: 1 or 2 minutes, no longer.
Source: Home made, but I am deeply grateful to Hervé This for his explanations of how syllabub works and the essential role played by the pinch of flour.
Nutritional information
| Proteins (gr) | Carbohydrates (gr) | Fats (gr) | Energy value (in k-calories) | Energy value (in k-joules) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whole recipe | 10 RDI=5 % | 90 RDI=8 % | 30 RDI=4 % | 620 RDI=30 % | 2,600 RDI: 30 % |
| Per 100 g | 4 RDI=2 % | 30 RDI=3 % | 7 RDI=1 % | 190 RDI=10 % | 810 RDI: 10 % |
How much will it cost?
- For 230 g : 1.75 €
Change currency: 
Note: Be careful, these prices are only an estimate, you can consult the table of prices by ingredients used for this estimate.
Some other recipes using this recipe
Soft fruits in sabayon
This recipe is made by briefly cooking an assortment of soft fruits (raspberries, blackcurrants, blackberries, blueberries, currants...) with a little sugar to glaze them. They are served in a small dish, covered with a delicious sabayon which can be lightly "burned" on surface.
267 K3.9 50 min.
Strawberry brunoise in a dessert-wine sabayon
This is a very simple recipe, but the result is absolutely delicious (as long as it's strawberry season, of course): morsels of really ripe strawberries in a sabayon made with sweet white wine.
28 K 25 min.
Fresh fruit in sabayon
Fresh grapefruit and / or pears, covered with a sabayon and a pinch of citrus crunch.
288 K4.7 55 min.
This recipe uses (among others)
Caster sugar
Like these other recipes: Rice pudding with fruit and nuts, Caramelized pear custard tart, Shortcrust pastry (pâte brisée), Norman flambéed apples, Crème caramel, ... See them all 357
Sweet white wine
Like these other recipes: Strawberry brunoise in a dessert-wine sabayon, ... See them all 1
Egg yolk
Like these other recipes: Pistachio ice cream, Smoked eggs, Gnocchi alla romana, Crusty cockle tart, Apple confectioner's custard, ... See them all 73
Flour
Like these other recipes: Cod loin with saffron, Puff or flaky pastry (pâte feuilletée), Milk rolls, Cornmeal baps for Anne, Galette Charentaise, ... See them all 199
Other recipes you may also like
Epiphany galette
Here is the recipe for the very classic but delicious "galette des rois" (Epiphany galette) in puff or flaky pastry (pâte feuilletée) with almond cream or frangipane . You will also see some professional tips to easily handle the dough, and obtain a nice and regular galette.January 1st 2025292 K 24.5 3 hours 8 min.
Vanilla sugar
Almost essential in patisserie, you can find it in expensive little sachets of about 10g. It's necessary to distinguish between the vanilla sugar which really contains vanilla, and vanillin sugar, purely chemical which has never seen a vanilla pod. Here is how to quickly make a whole jar full of...August 12th 2018419 K 15 30 min.
Brioche dough
It's a soft and rich dough, with butter and eggs which give a smooth and incredibly tasty brioche. This is the basic recipe for brioche dough, used for all other brioche-based recipes on the site.September 16th 2020526 K 44.2 14 hours 30 min.
Clarified butter
This is a way of melting butter to eliminate all the impurities. The clarified butter can then be heated without spoiling, and is more digestible. It is ideal for cooking at high temperatures where small black specks would spoil the appearance, or for emulsified sauces like béarnaise or mousseline.June 21th 2017463 K4.2 2 hours 15 min.
Confectioner's custard (Crème pâtissière, or French pastry cream)
Quite similar to crème anglaise but much thicker. It is used in many pastries like choux pastry (pâte à choux) or millefeuille.January 27th 2017756 K 313.7 40 min.
News list of cooking-ez.com
Sign up to receive the latest recipes (next batch due to be sent on 2025-04-06)
Note: We'll never share your e-mail address with anyone else.
Follow this recipe (as 9 people already do)
If you are interested in this recipe, you can "follow" it, by entering your email address here. You will then receive a notification immediately each time the recipe is modified or a new comment is added. Please note that you will need to confirm this following.
Note: We'll never share your e-mail address with anyone else.
Alternatively: you can subscribe to the mailing list of cooling-ez.com , you will receive a e-mail for each new recipe published on the site.
The 5 comments already posted on this recipe