MANILA, Philippines?In celebration of Intercontinental Hotels & Resorts? 60th anniversary, InterContinental Manila is re-creating some of the best dishes of its sister hotels.

The first of these promotions, held May 19-June 2, featured popular items on the menu of InterContinental Carlton Cannes on the French Riviera.

The menu included codfish fillet with local vegetables and crayfish fritter; sea bass fillet with black olives and zucchini, marinated garlic, ewe?s cheese and tomatoes; and for dessert, there was Sabayon, a classic French dessert, served with poached mandarin oranges.
Here?s my own recreation of InterContinental?s Sabayon.

Sabayon

1 c whipping or heavy cream
8 egg yolks
1 2/3 c sugar
? c red or white wine
Zest of one orange
Sugar for topping, optional

Whip cream in a bowl of electric mixer until medium peaks form.
Cover bowl and keep in refrigerator until ready to use.
Whisk the egg yolks over a double boiler.

Add sugar gradually while whisking continuously until mixture thickens slightly.

Pour in wine and continue whisking until mixture becomes very thick.
Transfer to a clean bowl of electric mixer and whip the mixture until it cools. Fold in prepared whipped cream and orange zest.

Pour into individual serving cups or flan molds. Chill until firm. Serve with fresh or candied fruits and chocolate.

Optional: If desired, before serving, sprinkle sugar on top of each Sabayon and use a portable blow torch to brown the top.

Makes 8-10 servings.

Cook?s tips

While Sabayon may look like a crème brülée, it has a softer and more pliable texture. It is sometimes used as a sauce for fresh fruits and sponge desserts.

To get the most volume out of the whipping cream: pre-chill the mixing bowl and the beaters of an electric mixer before using them to whip the cream.

If available, use superfine sugar so mixture doesn?t become gritty.

Use only the outer orange part of the fruit to get the zest. Do not use the white inner pith which is bitter.

To cool the egg mixture quicker, position the bowl containing the mixture over another bowl filled with ice. Whip with a handheld electric mixer.