If you grew up in an Italian family, you may have fond memories of drinking zabaglione al caffè. But what you may not have expected was for this humble (yet delicious) coffee to blow up into a global TikTok trend in 2026. If you haven’t heard of it, get ready—your morning coffee routine is about to transform. And you probably already have all the ingredients on hand.
Recently, Rita Gigante (@rita.gigante on TikTok) shared a video of herself making “coffee and the egg,” aka Italian egg coffee. The TikTok has since amassed over 17 million views. Rita is the daughter of notorious mob boss Vincent Gigante and author of the memoir “The Godfather’s Daughter.” The video is one of many Rita has made sharing recipes from her Italian-American upbringing. According to Rita, her grandmother would often make this drink for her growing up.
“I don’t know who made this up, if it’s an Italian thing or not, but this is what I had growing up and loved it,” Rita says in the video, adding, “This was yum-my.”
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What Is Italian Egg Coffee?
“Coffee and the egg,” as Rita calls it, is known by several names, including zabaglione al caffè, espresso zabaglione, and uovo sbattuto con caffè. Zabaglione — also spelled zabaione — is an Italian custard that dates back to the 15th century. The Francophiles in the room may be familiar with its French equivalent, sabayon. The base of the custard is made with sugar, egg yolks, and sweet wine, often Marsala. However, the alcohol can be omitted when served to children or for breakfast. The coffee version is made by combining zabaglione with espresso or regular coffee. The resulting drink is luxuriously creamy and frothy.
In the video, Rita takes an egg yolk and a teaspoon of sugar, whipping the two together with a spoon until the mixture becomes pale and thick. She then mixes the egg custard with black coffee—the old school brand Chock full o’Nuts was the go-to in the Gigante household. Finally, she finishes the coffee with a splash of milk.
Fans flooded the comments section of the video sharing their own nostalgic memories of the drink. “Zabaglione!! My nonna used to make this for me with espresso. I was in kindergarten. I was well-caffeinated and on a sugar-high just in time for the nuns at school,” one wrote. Others compared the coffee to similar drinks in Cuba and Vietnam.
Since Rita’s video, recreations have been all over our social media feeds, as well as people who grew up with the drink are sharing their own versions of espresso zabaglione.
“Everybody thinks this is some newfound coffee drink that no one’s ever heard of, like it’s brand new. And guess what? Starbucks will have it on their menu in a week and they’ll charge you $7 for a little cup. But guess what, guys, this has been around forever!” another TikTok user said in their video.
How to Make Espresso Zabaglione, Italian Egg Coffee
After seeing Rita’s video, our test kitchen knew they had to try it themselves. Allrecipes Culinary Producer Nicole McLaughlin took on the task, starting by beating the egg and sugar together like Rita, but with a small handheld mixer. After a few minutes of whisking, she mixed in freshly brewed espresso. The resulting coffee was ultra-frothy and ultra-inviting. What better way to start the work day than with a comforting Italian drink?
As for her review? “That is the best sweet creamy coffee I’ve ever had,” Nicole says in her video. “The Italians know how to do it!” This old-school recipe turned TikTok trend is definitely worth trying.
Much like on Rita’s videos, Allrecipes fans began commenting their memories of the drink. We’ve loved reading them all.
“I grew up on that…the fact that it’s now so fancy makes me giggle! It is soooo good! Breakfast of my childhood!” one commenter said on Instagram.
“Boy, did you bring up memories for me. Growing up in Italy, my mom would make this for me and my brother. Had forgotten all about this. Thank you for the sweet memories,” another wrote.
Tips for Making Espresso Zabaglione
Whisking: Use a small, single-beater, handheld mixer or immersion blender to whip the egg yolk and sugar. Your wrist will thank you!
Flavor: Add a touch of Marsala for the grown-up version of the drink. One commenter on Instagram also recommended adding a drop of vanilla. “Your mouth will sing. My mom from Italy made this every morning for us in the ’60s and ’70s,” they wrote.
Serving: Dip biscotti or ladyfingers into the coffee for the perfect accompaniment.
Zabaglione senza caffè: Not a coffee fan? Try the custard on its own, paired it with fresh strawberries.
Read the original article on Allrecipes
Dining and Cooking