DOUBLE CHOCOLATE CHERRY WINE COOKIES: National Wine Day & National Cherry Dessert Day

Today is National Wine Day and tomorrow is National Cherry Dessert Day. Celebrate both holidays by making these easy Double Chocolate Wine Cherry Cookies? I always have dried cherries on hand (they keep well in the refrigerator). What could be better than chocolate, cherries, and wine! This is a recipe adapted from one I found on the Foodnetwork.com. It will also be a huge hit at your Memorial Day BBQ, so bookmark this page. As always, use the very best chocolate!

Double Chocolate Cherry Wine Cookies
 
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup good quality dark cocoa powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup dry red wine, Zinfandel (I've used Pinot and Merlot)
10 ounces dark chocolate (65-75% cacao--the best you can find), chopped in small chunks or dark chocolate chips
1 - 1/4 cup dried tart cherries (unsweetened are more tart but use what you have)

Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Combine flour, cocoa powder, salt, and baking soda in bowl.
In bowl of electric mixer, or with a handheld mixer, combine butter and sugars until fluffy.
Add egg, vanilla, and wine, and combine.
Slowly in batches, add flour mixture until just combined.
Fold in chocolate and cherries.
On nonstick cookie sheet, place heaping tablespoon of dough for each cookie about 2 inches apart.
Bake 8 to 10 minutes, or until tops are still soft looking but edges look firm.
Cool on sheet for 5-8 minutes.

CHOCOLATE RED WINE BUNDT CAKE: National Wine Day!

Today is National Wine Day. Thought you needed a special day for wine? Here's a link to the American History Museum and an explanation of National Wine Day. Today is the 43rd Anniversary of National Wine Day, and it all started with a Paris Tasting. 

I've posted many Chocolate and Wine recipes, but this is a favorite. You're going to love this perfect Chocolate Red Wine Bundt Cake!

The taste will improve with good quality dry red wines (I like Zinfandel but Merlot works well, too) and the quality of the cocoa!

Want to decorate this cake for the upcoming Memorial Day Holiday? Fill the center with whipped cream and top with strawberries and blueberries.

CHOCOLATE RED WINE BUNDT CAKE

Ingredients
2 cups flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch process)
1-1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1-3/4 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1-1/4 cup dry red wine
Powdered sugar, for dusting

Directions 
Preheat oven to 350°
Butter and flour 12-cup bundt pan.
In bowl, whisk flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. In large bowl, using hand-held electric mixer, beat butter and sugar together until fluffy, about 4 minutes.
Add eggs, one at time, and beat until incorporated. Add vanilla and beat about 2 more minutes.
Work in two batches, alternately fold in dry ingredients and wine, until just incorporated.
Scrape batter into prepared pan, and bake for 45 minutes, until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
Let cake cool in pan 10 minutes, then turn out onto rack; let cool completely.
Dust cake with confectioner's sugar.

Chocolate and Wine: A Great Pairing!

Chocolate Red Wine Bundt Cake

Today is National Wine Day. Thought you needed a special day for wine? Here's a link to the American History Museum and an explanation of National Wine Day. Today is the 41st Anniversary of National Wine Day, and it all started with a Paris Tasting. 

I've posted many Chocolate and Wine recipes, but this is a favorite. You're going to love this perfect Chocolate Red Wine Bundt Cake!

The taste will improve with good quality dry red wines (I like Zinfandel but Merlot works well, too) and the quality of the cocoa!

Want to decorate this cake for the upcoming Memorial Day Holiday? Fill the center with whipped cream and top with strawberries and blueberries.

CHOCOLATE RED WINE BUNDT CAKE

Ingredients
2 cups flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch process)
1-1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup sweet butter, softened
1-3/4 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1-1/4 cup dry red wine
Powdered sugar, for dusting

Directions 
Preheat oven to 350°
Butter and flour 12-cup bundt pan.
In bowl, whisk flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. In large bowl, using hand-held electric mixer, beat butter and sugar together until fluffy, about 4 minutes.
Add eggs, one at time, and beat until incorporated. Add vanilla and beat about 2 more minutes.
Work in two batches, alternately fold in dry ingredients and wine, until just incorporated.
Scrape batter into prepared pan, and bake for 45 minutes, until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
Let cake cool in pan 10 minutes, then turn out onto rack; let cool completely.
Dust cake with confectioner's sugar.

Chocolate and Wine: A Great Pairing

Chocolate Red Wine Bundt Cake

Today is National Wine Day. Thought you needed a special day for wine? Here's a link to the American History Museum and an explanation of National Wine Day. Today is the 40th Anniversary of National Wine Day, and it all started with a Paris Tasting. 

I've posted many Chocolate and Wine recipes, but this is a favorite. You're going to love this perfect Chocolate Red Wine Bundt Cake!

The taste will improve with good quality dry red wines (I like Zinfandels) and the quality of the cocoa!

Want to decorate this cake for the upcoming Memorial Day Holiday? Fill the center with whipped cream and top with strawberries and blueberries.

CHOCOLATE RED WINE BUNDT CAKE

Ingredients
2 cups flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch process)
1-1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup sweet butter, softened
1-3/4 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1-1/4 cup dry red wine
Powdered sugar, for dusting

Directions 
Preheat oven to 350°
Butter and flour 12-cup bundt pan.
In bowl, whisk flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. In large bowl, using hand-held electric mixer, beat butter and sugar together until fluffy, about 4 minutes.
Add eggs, one at time, and beat until incorporated. Add vanilla and beat about 2 more minutes.
Work in two batches, alternately fold in dry ingredients and wine, until just incorporated.
Scrape batter into prepared pan, and bake for 45 minutes, until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
Let cake cool in pan 10 minutes, then turn out onto rack; let cool completely.
Dust cake with confectioner's sugar.

Chocolate and Wine: A Great Pairing

RED WINE BROWNIES: National Wine Day

Today is National Wine Day. What a great day and weekend to celebrate! Later today, I'll be stopping by one of my favorite wineries that also has an exquisite garden, Lynmar Estate. I'm sure to take a lot of photos plus taste a lot of Pinots, but in the meantime I thought I'd post one of my favorite recipes for Red Wine Brownies. Don't feel like baking? Buy a brownie and grab a glass of great red wine!

Red Wine Brownies

Ingredients
1 cup Merlot
3/4 cup sweet butter
4 ounces dark chocolate (80% cacao, if you have it)
1 1/2 cup sugar
3 eggs
1 teaspoon Madagascar 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 a 13x9-inch baking pan.
In small saucepan, simmer wine over medium heat until reduced to about a 1/4 cup. Pour into large bowl and set aside.
In top of double boiler (or a 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 the 1/2 cup chopped chocolate chunks.
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 tablespoons sweet butter, room temperature
2 tablespoons whipping cream
1 tablespoon 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!