Merlot Brownies: Chocolate & Wine

We celebrated National Wine Day last week, but I have one more recipe to post. It's never too late to celebrate wine and chocolate! Here's one of my favorite recipes -- Red Wine Brownies aka Merlot Brownies. You can use Merlot or Cabernet...or a good Pinot Noir. I think Merlot is bolder, so that's what I suggest, but try them all. See what you think.

Merlot Brownies

Ingredients
1 cup Merlot
3/4 cup unsalted butter
4 ounces dark chocolate (70-75% cacao, if you have it), chopped
1 1/2 cup sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp good quality vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup toasted chopped nuts (pecans or walnuts)
1/2 cup dark chocolate chopped into chunks

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Butter 13x9-inch baking pan.
In small saucepan, simmer wine over medium heat until reduced to about 1/4 cup. Pour into large bowl and set aside.
In top of double boiler (or saucepan over another saucepan of simmering water), melt butter and chocolate. Pour into wine and whisk until smooth.
In top of double boiler, whisk together eggs, sugar, and vanilla until very light and thick. Pour into chocolate mixture and whisk until smooth. Stir in flour and 1/2 cup nuts and 1/2 cup chopped chocolate.
Pour into pan.
Bake 40-45 minutes (give it the toothpick test)

***

I don't usually frost my brownies, but here's a terrific chocolate red wine ganache that makes a great icing. Be sure and cool the brownies before frosting.

Chocolate Wine Ganache 
adapted from Brownies Chocolate-Wine Ganaches in Diana's Recipe Book

Ingredients
6 ounces dark chocolate (65-75% cacao), chopped
3 Tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature
2 Tbsp whipping cream
1 Tbsp sweet red wine (or any sweet red wine/try a late harvest dessert Zin)

Directions
Whisk all ingredients in small saucepan over medium-low heat until melted and smooth.

Red wine and chocolate: Always a great pairing!