How Italians Turn Raw Eggs And Espresso Into A Decadent Coffee Drink

You may be skeptical of ingesting raw eggs in any form (though really, who doesn't taste the cookie batter?), but let's level with ourselves for a second: When it comes to espresso, Italians know what they're talking about.

Subjectively, one of the best traits of a good cup of coffee, Italian or not, is creaminess, and the classic breakfast companion espresso zabaglione has creaminess in spades. Alongside espresso, it has raw eggs and sugar. A common variation of zabaglione has the coffee swapped for a sweet wine such as Marsala. But if you're sticking with the caffeinated variation and you're determined to try this type of Italian coffee at home, it's pretty simple — the hardest part will be finding the arm strength to beat your mixture to the point of ultimate foaminess.

All you have to do is whisk one or two egg yolks with a generous amount of sugar until the mixture turns a pale yellow color, and then pour the cream over a shot of espresso. You can also pour it over a small amount of coffee made with a moka pot (which, by the way, is a great gift for any coffee lovers in your life).

Salmonella is a group of bacteria sometimes found in poultry meat and eggs that can cause severe food poisoning. It's found in about 1 of every 20,000 eggs, and occasionally results in mass recalls of grocery store eggs when there's an outbreak. As long as they're properly pasteurized or cooked to 165 degrees Fahrenheit, the bacteria will be killed. Traditional zabaglione, however, does call for fully raw egg yolks to make the dessert thick and frothy, meaning there is some risk of contracting salmonella if you try it.

If you're cooking for young kids, elderly people, or people with compromised immune systems and you want to be extra cautious, you can temper the egg yolks by heating them up with the sugar gradually in a double boiler. Or you can try pasteurizing your eggs at home using a technique that involves covering the shelled eggs completely in water, and heating them to kill the potentially harmful bacteria while still retaining the texture and consistency of an uncooked egg. Then you can try a delicious zabaglione safely.