Sabayon has long been a staple dessert in France. This custard-y dessert can be served hot, cold, or warm and comes from the Italian dessert, zabaione. Unlike an English custard that can be heavy on vanilla or lemon flavorings, sabayon has a lighter flavor and texture thanks to some white wine in the recipe. Served with fruit and some sablé or shortbread cookies, this simple dessert has been pleasing people for generations. And, it can bring a bit of that famed European flavor to your table.

To begin making this recipe you’ll need to create a double boiler. You want to make sure that the bottom of the metal or glass bowl is very close to the water in the pan. This way the heat can reach, but not scorch, the ingredients in the bowl. There are only 3 ingredients that go into the sabayon in the double boiler: egg yolks, white wine, and some sugar.

You’ll need to cook this for up to 10 minutes, whisking often so that you can keep it from turning in texture. But, this stirring also helps you to know when it’s become thick- that way you can take it off the heat as soon as it’s ready.

Then serve with some strawberries and cookies for a classic dessert that has a melt-away type of texture and the subtle taste of white wine to liven up the dish.

We used strawberries for this one but you can also garnish with chocolate, candied orange peel, raspberries, or any other sweet topping you desire.

This classic dessert takes the concept of a custard to the next level with the almost-foamy, light, and complex flavor of each bite. It’s just about the best thing you can make with only a few ingredients.