Lemon verbena sabayon

This sabayon is made with lemon verbena, but you can use the same technique for infusing cream with all sorts of spices and herbs.

Credit: Manja Wachsmuth

• serves

  8-10

• prep

  30 minutes

• cook

  20 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

• 240 ml (1 cup) double (heavy) cream
• 10–12 fresh lemon verbena leaves, roughly chopped
• ¼ tsp vanilla bean paste, or ¼ vanilla pod (bean), split
• 3 large yolks, at room temperature
• 55 g (2oz./¼ cup) caster (superfine) sugar
• 120 ml (½ cup) sparkling wine

Infusing time 2 hours or overnight

Instructions

Put the cream, lemon verbena leaves and vanilla pod (bean) into a pan and heat to a gentle simmer, stirring. Let cool, then cover and infuse for at least 2 hours or overnight.

To finish the sabayon, place the egg yolks in a heatproof bowl set over barely simmering water and whisk well. Slowly add the sugar a little at a time, then gradually add the sparkling wine and vigorously and continuously whisk for about 10 minutes until light yellow and fluffy. Have an ice bath ready. Transfer to the bowl to the ice bath and continue to whisk the mixture until completely cooled. You may set aside the mixture at this point until service, but keep it chilled.

When ready to serve, strain the leaves from the chilled cream, then whip the cream into soft peaks.

Fold the cream into the egg mixture in three stages, gently mixing until combined. You can make this up to 3 hours in advance, covering and chilling until needed.

This recipe is perfectly paired with this Swiss berry quilt cake.

Source: Undefined / Manja Wachsmuth

Recipes and images from Spice Health Heroes by Natasha MacAller. Photography by Manja Wachsmuth. (Murdoch books, $49.99 hbk). Read an extract right here.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.