YOUR OWN WINE & CHOCOLATE PAIRING: Valentine's Day

Maybe you're going to a chocolate/wine pairing at your favorite winery or chocolate shop for Valentine's Day? If you're not, it's still not too late to set up one of your own for your sweetie. This would make a great Valentine's Day gift. 

I came across this fabulous guide to wine and chocolate pairing from ProFlowers several years ago. Taylor Poppmeier pairs 14 popular chocolates like peanut butter cups and chocolate covered espresso beans with complimentary wines. Enjoy! 

Taylor Poppmeier

As a self-admitted chocoholic, it's obvious that I enjoy my fair share of my favorite treat. I have always enjoyed a glass of red with a square (or bar) of dark chocolate but was hesitant to enjoy anything more adventurous out of fear that the taste of both would clash. Some connoisseurs argue that the bold flavors make pairing difficult so I am sharing a handy guide with you. ProFlowers created an easy cheat sheet for wine and chocolate pairings. They included everything from high end lavender truffles to the classic favorites like peanut butter cups. So peel open that candy bar and pour yourself a glass of wine. Cheers!

Basic Wine and Chocolate Pairing Rules:

1. The wine should be as sweet as the chocolate.
2. Begin pairing by color. The darker the chocolate, the darker the wine.
3. When possible, opt for a high quality chocolate bar.
4. Consider texture as well as taste.

WINE AND DONUT PAIRINGS: National Doughnut Day

Today is National Donut Day, and, yes, you'd be right if you said you celebrated National Doughnut Day on the first Friday last June. There are actually two Donut (Doughnut) days. 

Today's holiday is a second more or less official Donut Day depending on your sources. According to food holiday historian John Bryan Hopkins, who cataloged several fringe holidays for his site Foodimentary beginning in 2006, mentions of the November Doughnut Day could be found as early as the 1930s in copies of Ladies' Home Journal. Hopkins speculated that the November 5 date is close enough to Veterans Day on November 11 that a retail outlet likely introduced the date to acknowledge their service.

But donuts are good any day, and to celebrate today's holiday I have a guest post from Julissa Arangure-Garcia on pairing donuts with sweet and savory wines!  This post originally appeared on the Shari's Berries blog and shared from Julissa with a new introduction. I love this!!!

JULISSA ARANGURE-GARCIA:

Let’s be honest, wine was made to be paired with desserts. From wine and chocolate pairings to baking with wine (pinot noir chocolate cake anyone?), wine and desserts are a dynamic duo. Get creative at your next party or event and try pairing the sweet notes of a glass of wine with some sugary delicious donut flavors.

Shari’s Berries has the ultimate wine and donut pairings to help you create mouth-watering combinations. The guide also includes an overview of what flavor notes you’ll taste and what personality the combo is best for. Take a look and find which donut and wine pairing was made for you!

Wine and Donut Pairing Guide

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.

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 Foodnetwork.com. 

These cookies will also be a big 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 pure 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 (I use Guittard)
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.

GIRL SCOUT COOKIE WINE, BEER, AND SPIRIT PAIRINGS!

In my 'real' life, I often facilitate chocolate pairings -- with wine or with beer - and sometimes with Scotch and other Spirits. So since it's Girl Scout Cookie Time, I thought I'd do a mini-round-up of Girl Scout Cookie/ alcohol pairings, focusing on my favorite Girl Scout Cookie - Thin Mints.

Vivino is a wine app that allows users (over 13 million members) to snap a shot of a wine label or list and receive ratings and reviews. They've also put together a guide to pairing wine with other Girl Scout cookies. How awesome is this? Since my favorite Girl Scout Cookies are Thin Mints, I immediately checked that one out. Be sure and look at the entire list or get the app. Quite fun! You can do a pairing at home! Invite friends.

Babble has an infograph (on the right)

So maybe you're not a wine drinker. You're more of a stout or ale type of person? Beer & Brewing has a great pairing for you. Once again, there are several pairings, but I'm sticking with Thin Mints. Recommendation from Beer & Brewing consists of several stouts and ales.

Perennial Artisan Ales 17
Alesmith Speedway Stout
Shipyard Mint Chocolate Stout
Epic Big Bad Baptist
Hardywood Sidamo Coffee Stout

I would add Speakeasy Chocolate Stout, and be sure and put the Thin Mints in the Freezer before your pairing. I think it enhances the tasting flavors. Check out other Girl Scout Cookie/Beer pairings here.

O.K. So maybe you're a Bourbon drinker? The Bourbon Review suggests Thin Mints & Basil Hayden's Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey. Be sure and go to Bourbon Review if you're partial to another cookie.

Scotch? Lagavulin goes well with Thin Mints.

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

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.

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

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!

THIN MINTS: Wine, Beer, and Spirit Pairings

In my 'real' life  (www.teambuilding-unlimited.com), I facilitate chocolate pairings--with wine or with beer..and sometimes with Scotch and other Spirits. So because it's the weekend, I thought I'd do a mini-round-up of Girl Scout Cookie/ alcohol pairings and drinks, focusing on my favorite Girl Scout Cookie - Thin Mints.

Vivino is a wine app that allows users (over 13 million members) to snap a shot of a wine label or list and receive ratings and reviews. They've also put together a guide to pairing wine with other Girl Scout cookies. How awesome is this? Since my favorite Girl Scout Cookies are Thin Mints, I immediately checked that out. Be sure and look at the entire list or get the app. Quite fun! You can do a pairing at home! Invite friends.

Babble has an infograph (on the right)

So maybe you're not a wine drinker. You're more of a stout or ale type of person? Beer & Brewing has a great pairing for you, with a 2019 update. Once again, there are several pairings, but I'm sticking with Thin Mints. Recommendation from Beer & Brewing consists of several stouts and ales.

Perennial Artisan Ales 17
Alesmith Speedway Stout
Shipyard Mint Chocolate Stout
Epic Big Bad Baptist
Hardywood Sidamo Coffee Stout

I would add Speakeasy Chocolate Stout, and be sure and put the Thin Mints in the Freezer before your pairing. I think it enhances the tasting flavors. Check out other Girl Scout Cookie/Beer pairings here.

O.K.  So maybe you're a Bourbon drinker?  The Bourbon Review suggests Thin Mints & Basil Hayden's Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey. Be sure and go to Bourbon Review if you're partial to another cookie.

Scotch? Lagavulin goes well with Thin Mints.

WINE AND DONUT PAIRINGS: National Donut Day

Today is National Donut Day, and, yes, you'd be right if you said you already celebrated National Doughnut Day on the first Friday in June. There are actually two days. Today's holiday is a second more or less official Donut Day depending on your sources. According to food holiday historian John Bryan Hopkins, who cataloged several fringe holidays for his site Foodimentary beginning in 2006, mentions of the November Doughnut Day could be found as early as the 1930s in copies of Ladies' Home Journal. Hopkins speculated that the November 5 date is close enough to Veterans Day on November 11 that a retail outlet likely introduced the date to acknowledge their service.

But donuts are good any day, and to celebrate today's holiday I have a guest post from Julissa Arangure-Garcia on pairing donuts with sweet and savory wines!  This post originally appeared on the Shari's Berries blog and shared from Julissa with a new introduction.

JULISSA ARANGURE-GARCIA:

Let’s be honest, wine was made to be paired with desserts. From wine and chocolate pairings to baking with wine (pinot noir chocolate cake anyone?), wine and desserts are a dynamic duo. Get creative at your next party or event and try pairing the sweet notes of a glass of wine with some sugary delicious donut flavors.

Shari’s Berries has the ultimate wine and donut pairings to help you create mouth-watering combinations. The guide also includes an overview of what flavor notes you’ll taste and what personality the combo is best for. Take a look and find which donut and wine pairing was made for you!

Wine and Donut Pairing Guide

Double Chocolate Cherry Wine Cookies: National Wine Day

Today is National Wine Day, and tomorrow is National Cherry Dessert Day. Why not celebrate both of these food holidays this weekend 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 be a huge hit at your Memorial Day BBQ or any time. 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.

Double Chocolate Wine Cherry Cookies

Today is Cherry Dessert Day and yesterday was Wine Day. Why not celebrate both of these food holidays this weekend by making these fabulous 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 be a huge hit at your Memorial Day BBQ or any time. As always, use the very best chocolate!

Double Chocolate Wine Cherry 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 Cabernet and Merlot)
10 ounces dark chocolate (65-75% cacao--the best you can find), chopped in small chunks or 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 an 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

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

Wine and Chocolate Pairings

I came across this fabulous guide to wine and chocolate pairing from ProFlowers.  It pairs 14 popular chocolates like peanut butter cups and chocolate covered espresso beans with complimentary wines. I asked Taylor Poppmeier, the creator of this pairing, if we could post on DyingforChocolate. Enjoy!

Taylor Poppmeier

As a self-admitted chocoholic, it's obvious that I enjoy my fair share of my favorite treat. I have always enjoyed a glass of red with a square (or bar) of dark chocolate but was hesitant to enjoy anything more adventurous out of fear that the taste of both would clash. Some connoisseurs argue that the bold flavors make pairing difficult so I am sharing a handy guide with you. ProFlowers created an easy cheat sheet for wine and chocolate pairings. They included everything from high end lavender truffles to the classic favorites like peanut butter cups. So peel open that candy bar and pour yourself a glass of wine. Cheers!

Basic Wine and Chocolate Pairing Rules:

1. The wine should be as sweet as the chocolate.
2. Begin pairing by color. The darker the chocolate, the darker the wine.
3. When possible, opt for a high quality chocolate bar.
4. Consider texture as well as taste.

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

LAYER CAKE PRIMITIVO

While shopping at Trader Joe's the other day, I came across this wine. I was definitely intrigued by the name: Layer Cake! And then I loved that a Primitivo is just another name for Zinfandel. I love a good Zin with dark chocolate, and this one tastes a bit chocolate-y.

Clearly the folks at Trader Joe's think the same way. Read the shelf talker below!

Have you tried this yet? Worth a taste!

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!