I love the dear subtle taste of sabayon made with a nice dry wine - champagne or something, but it's a little silly because it's no good as a stand-alone dessert, hot and runny and all. So I'd like to know if you have suggestions to make it into a pudding or mousse, or something equally solid- well I tried mousse, but with all that whipped cream, the flavor went flat. Other thoughts to mold it or thicken it so it stays put?

how about adding some gelatin? maybe soften & add to the wine,warmed. it can be soft enough to pipe or make quenelles, or firmer depending on the amount of gelatin

Sabayon is not always hot. I make a champagne sabayon that goes aprox. like this (this is off the top of my head so I may miss the exact measurements):

5 yolks
1/4 c. sugar
2/3 c. champagne

Cooked over a double boiler till very thick. Chill in a water bath. When whip:

2/3 c. heavy cream

Fold into custard above.

This holds for a couple days. It doesn't "set" like mousse but it's the consistancy of whipped cream. The flavor comes through just fine.

I don't think I would try adding gelatin to it, because than you might as well make champagne mousse. Currently on my ala carte menu I had almond pound cake with fresh berries topped with armaretto sabayon. It's more interesting than whipped cream.

W,
that is close to what i do except i add boiling sugar to the eggyolks and beat in volumn. I let this set to be my base. I add heavy cream to loosen the base. This is also great torched over fresh fruit.
panini

I don't know if you're interested in a frozen dessert, but I have a recipe that I've used for a frozen zabaglione which I wrapped with sponge cake and coated with chocolate and then praline. People absolutely loved it but I soon was sorry I ever developed it! Big pain to make. But the frozen zabaglione was great. If you're interested I'll dig up the recipe when I get back to work.

i like the gelatin because it doesn't affect the flavor. i have a recipe for frozen sabayon. sounds like yours but frozen.mix 5 yolks,4 1/2 oz sugar,4 1/2 oz wine over heat until steam rises up. take off heat. beat until room temp. whip 1c cream stiff. fold in 1/3 2/3. freeze. i was thinking you made your sabayon w just yolks,sugar & wine. i never had it w cream in it except for frozen. you torch it with the cream in it?i've also never had it w water in the eggs. for the gelatin its sabayon without cream. 2 g gelatin for 4oz yolks,8 ozsugar & 8 oz wine.when made whip over ice bath until cool.

I boil and reduce the wine and sugar, add this to the whipping egg yolks. Get my vol. and let it set up. I add heavy cream to thin it to a consistancy of creme anglaise. Coat and sugar the fruit and burn.
panini

To Ramodeo, oh yes, please, I'd just love to know how you do the frozen zabaglione dessert! Yes!~ Please!

My recipe is the same as W.DeBords above. Basic recipe plus folded in whipped cream. Freeze in a container (as opposed to an ice cream freezer), let it soften a bit before scooping.
To make it into the dessert in my last post, I pour it into a sheet pan to freeze. Then I bake two thin layers of orange flavored genoise - about 1/4" thick. When they are cool, they get brushed with orange syrup and pressed onto each side of the frozen sheet of zabaglione. When all of that is refrozen, it gets cut into serving pieces, coated with chocolate ganache and rollen in chopped mixed nut praline. Hold frozen until service.

Good Luck! R.

I am positively enthralled! Thank you, can't wait to try it.