Berry Grantin with Lemon Sabayon

Lemon Sabayon ¼ cup water

½ teaspoon lemon zest grated

3 tablespoons juice from 1 large lemon

pinch table salt

3 large egg yolks

1/ 3 cup sugar (2 1/3 ounces)

Berries

1 cup fresh raspberries

1 cup fresh blackberries

1 cup fresh blueberries

3 tablespoons sugar for caramelized crust

FOR THE SABAYON:

Adjust an oven rack to the upper-middle position and heat the oven to 400 degrees.

Combine the water, lemon zest, lemon juice, and salt in a small bowl and set aside.

Whisk the egg yolks and sugar in a medium bowl until frothy, about 1 minute. Set the bowl over a pan of simmering water. Continue whisking until the mixture begins to thicken, about 1 minute. Gradually whisk in the lemon mixture and continue cooking, whisking constantly, until the mixture is thick, light yellow, and tripled in volume, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove the bowl from the saucepan, whisk constantly for about 30 seconds to cool, then set aside while preparing the berries, occasionally whisking the mixture.

FOR THE BERRIES:

Combine the berries in a wide, shallow 2-quart broiler-safe gratin dish or divide among 6 ramekins or individual gratin dishes set on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake the berries until the fruit is warm and just beginning to release its juices, about 8 minutes. Remove the berries from the oven. Spoon the lemon sabayon over the berries and sprinkle with the sugar. Ignite a kitchen torch and caramelize the sugar. Serve immediately