Southern Ontario offers wonderful fresh fruit in mid-summer, says Paolo Vasapolli, executive chef in Food and Catering Services—none more precious than berries.

He suggests making the most of their flavour by pairing them with a preparation, rather than cooking them: as a topping for shortcake, ice cream, or in the recipe he provides, the Italian favourite zabaglione.

The version he favours substitutes espresso for the traditional marsala wine, making it a non-alcoholic pick-me-up:

Zabaglione with mixed berries

Ingredients

• 4 large egg yolks
• 4 tbsp (60 ml) sugar
• 1/2 cup (125 ml) espresso, cooled
• 1 cup (250 ml) blueberries
• 1 cup (250 ml) raspberries

Directions

You are going to cook this over a pot of simmering water, which is called a bain-marie. The pot should be wide enough so that your mixing bowl can rest on it without falling in, and deep enough that the water doesn’t touch the bottom of the bowl. Bring the water to a nice simmer.

In a steel bowl, add egg yolks, sugar and coffee and whisk them together to combine all the ingredients.

Now put the bowl over the pot of simmering water and continue whisking vigorously until the zabaglione is blended, creamy and slightly foamy, which just takes a few minutes. You want to keep whisking so that the eggs don’t cook and turn into scrambled eggs. If the temperature seems too hot, take the bowl off the water.

Once the zabaglione is done, serve it immediately, either on its own or poured over mixed berries. Vasapolli says melon makes a nice match, too!