RED WINE BROWNIES: National Red Wine Day!

You can drink a glass of red wine today to celebrate National Red Wine Day, but why not accompany that Merlot or Cabernet with these fabulous Red Wine Brownies? 

I've posted lots of wine and port and liqueur brownies, but here's another. You can never have too many Brownie Recipes! And, you can always make Brownies from Scratch and add the red wine. Here's a link to a recipe for Merlot Brownies from scratch, but if you don't have the time or the ingredients, here's a great easy recipe using a brownie mix:

Red Wine Brownies

Ingredients
1 box Ghirardelli dark chocolate Brownie Mix
1/4 cup bold Red Wine
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 egg

Directions
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Grease 8″ x 8″ baking dish.
In large bowl, combine wine, oil, and egg. Mix well. Stir in brownie mix.
Spread batter in prepared pan.
Bake for 45 minutes. Cool completely.
Serve with red wine.

CHOCOLATE RED WINE BUNDT CAKE: Red Wine Day!

Today is National Red Wine Day. 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 and good quality cocoa.

Decorate this cake for the upcoming Labor 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 Red Wine: A Great Pairing

RED WINE BROWNIES: National Red Wine Day!

You can drink a glass of red wine today to celebrate National Red Wine Day, but why not accompany that Merlot or Cabernet with these fabulous Red Wine Brownies? 

I've posted lots of wine and port and liqueur brownies, but here's another. You can never have too many Brownie Recipes! And, you can always make Brownies from Scratch and add the red wine. Here's a recipe for Merlot Brownies from scratch, but if you don't have the time or the ingredients, here's a great easy recipe using a brownie mix:

Red Wine Brownies

Ingredients
1 box Ghirardelli dark chocolate Brownie Mix
1/4 cup bold Red Wine
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 egg

Directions
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Grease 8″ x 8″ baking dish.
In large bowl, combine wine, oil, and egg. Mix well. Stir in brownie mix.
Spread batter in prepared pan.
Bake for 45 minutes. Cool completely.
Serve with red wine.

CHOCOLATE RED WINE BUNDT CAKE: National Wine Day!

Today is National Wine Day. Here's a link to the American History Museum and an explanation of National Wine Day.

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 and good quality of the cocoa!

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

RED WINE BROWNIES: National Red Wine Day

Of course you can drink a glass of red wine today to celebrate National Red Wine Day, but why not accompany that Merlot or Cabernet with chocolate as in these fabulous Red Wine Brownies. I've posted lots of wine and port and liqueur brownies, but here's another. You can never have too many brownie recipes! And, you can always make Brownies from Scratch and add the red wine. Here's a recipe for Merlot Brownies from scratch, but if you don't have the time or the ingredients, here's a great easy recipe:

Red Wine Brownies

Ingredients
1 box Ghirardelli dark chocolate brownie Mix
1/4 cup bold Red Wine
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 egg

Directions
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Grease 8″ x 8″ baking dish.
In large bowl, combine wine, oil, and egg. Mix well. Stir in brownie mix.
Spread batter in prepared pan.
Bake for 45 minutes. Cool completely.
Serve with red wine.

CHOCOLATE RED WINE BUNDT CAKE: National Red Wine Day

Today is National Red Wine Day. Thought you needed a special day for red wine?

I've posted many Chocolate and Red 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 wine and the quality of the cocoa!

Want to decorate this cake for the upcoming Labor 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 Red Wine: A Great Pairing

RED WINE BROWNIES: National Red Wine Day

Of course you can drink a glass of red wine today to celebrate National Red Wine Day, but why not accompany that wine with chocolate as in these fabulous Red Wine Brownies. I've posted lots of wine and port and liqueur brownies, but here's another. You can never have too many brownie recipes! And, you can always make Brownies from Scratch and add the red wine. Here's a recipe for Merlot Brownies from scratch, but if you don't have the time or the ingredients, here's a great easy recipe:

Red Wine Brownies

Ingredients
1 box Ghirardelli dark chocolate brownie Mix
1/4 cup bold Red Wine
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 egg

Directons
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Grease 8″ x 8″ baking dish.
In large bowl, combine wine, oil, and egg. Mix well. Stir in brownie mix.
Spread batter in prepared pan.
Bake for 45 minutes. Cool completely.
Serve with red wine.

RED WINE BROWNIES: National Drink Wine Day

Of course you can drink a glass of wine on National Drink Wine Day, but why not accompany that wine with Red Wine Brownies. I've posted lots of wine and port and liqueur brownies, but this is an easy recipe! You can always make Brownies from Scratch. Here's a recipe for Merlot Brownies. But if you don't have time or the ingredients, here's a great easy recipe:

Red Wine Brownies

Ingredients
1 box Ghirardelli dark chocolate brownie Mix
1/4 cup bold Red Wine
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 egg

Directons
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Grease 8″ x 8″ baking dish.
In large bowl, combine wine, oil, and egg. Mix well. Stir in brownie mix.
Spread batter in prepared pan.
Bake for 45 minutes. Cool completely.
Serve with red wine.

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!

Red Wine Hot Chocolate

Red Wine Hot Chocolate is the hit of the season. Martha Stewart called it 'spectacular'. Cosmo said 'the best of both worlds' and The Kitchn (recipe below) called it "the answer to your cold-weather blues."

I love cocoa aka hot chocolate, so adding my favorite Zinfandel or Merlot only elevates the cocoa. I've seen so many recipes this month, but really it's a matter of making your favorite hot chocolate, adding a bit of sugar and cinnamon, removing from the heat, and adding some wine! I usually add whipped cream or marshmallows, but that's optional! How easy is this? As always, use the very best chocolate and cocoa.

Here's an 'actual' recipe, in case you need it. This one is from TheKitchn, one of my go-to recipe sites. You can always cut the ingredients for fewer servings. This recipe is for 8.

Red Wine Hot Chocolate 

Serves 8

Ingredients
5 ounces dark chocolate, finely chopped
2 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
2 Tbsp packed brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 quart (4 cups) whole milk
Pinch of salt
1 1/2 cups fruity red wine, such as Merlot, Shiraz, or Zinfandel
Cinnamon sticks and additional cocoa powder, for serving (optional)

Directions
Whisk chocolate, cocoa powder, sugar, and cinnamon together in large saucepan. Add milk and bring to simmer over medium heat, whisking occasionally, until hot and smooth, about 5 minutes. Stir in salt.
Remove from heat and add wine. Divide among 8 small glasses or mugs, garnish with cinnamon stick and dusting of cocoa powder, if desired, and serve.

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

CHOCOLATE RED WINE BUNDT CAKE

September is California Wine Month. So many of my California Wine friends are hard at work with the wine harvest right now. So in honor of California Wine Month, here's the 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!

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.