Seasonal Pairings

Photo by Ellen Callaway

Bittersweet Chocolate Tart

Pairing: Graham's Six Grapes Reserve Porto, Douro Valley, Portugal

Silky and smooth dark chocolate in a vanilla crust makes this an elegant ending to a meal paired with Port. Try a Ruby or a Late Bottled Vintage Port. For an extra treat, serve with a chilled cherry sabayon to bring out the red fruit flavors.

Yield: Serves 10–12

Tart Dough

• 4 ounces unsalted butter, room temperature
• ¼ cup sugar
• 1 egg yolk
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1¼ cups plus 2 Tablespoons flour, sifted
• 2 Tablespoons cornstarch, sifted
• Pinch of kosher salt

Chocolate Filling

• 9 ounces bittersweet chocolate, 64–70% cacao (Guittard, ScharffenBerger, Valrhona), chopped
• 3 ounces unsalted butter
• 6 egg yolks
• 1 egg
• Pinch of kosher salt
• 3 Tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 Tablespoons Ruby Port

Chilled Cherry Sabayon

• 8 ounces Banyuls Wine
• 4 ounces Cherry Wine
• 6 egg yolks
• 6 Tablespoons sugar
• Pinch of kosher salt
• ½ cup heavy cream, whisk to soft peaks just before adding to sabayon

Tart Dough

In mixer using paddle, cream butter with sugar. Whisk egg yolk with vanilla extract and add to above mixture. Combine flour, cornstarch, and salt and add slowly until dough comes together. Do not over mix. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill at least 30 minutes. Roll out to ½ inch thickness. Fit into a 9 inch round tart pan with removable bottom. Chill again. This can be done one day ahead. Blind bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. Remove weights and finish baking until golden brown in color, about 5–10 more minutes.

Chocolate Filling

Melt chocolate and butter over double boiler. Reserve. In mixer, whisk yolks, egg, salt, and sugar for 5 minutes or until triple in volume and pale yellow in color. Fold into cooled chocolate. Add vanilla extract and Port. Place into prebaked crust and bake for 8 minutes at 325 degrees. Serve with chilled Cherry Sabayon.

Chilled Cherry Sabayon

Combine Banyuls and Cherry Wine in saucepot and reduce by one-half, 6 ounces. Reserve. Whisk yolks with sugar and pinch of salt in large metal bowl. Add wine reduction and place bowl over a saucepot of simmering water. Whisk constantly about 4–5 minutes. Mixture will become thick and color will be pale pink. Remove from heat and continue whisking over clean bowl filled with ice until cold. Cover with plastic wrap and place in refrigerator. When chilled, fold in whipped cream. Serve immediately.

Photo by Ellen Callaway

Raspberry Almond Financier

Pairing: Gratien & Meyer "Cuvée Cardinal" Demi-Sec Rouge

Welcome spring with a taste of raspberry almond financier and sparkling 100% Cabernet Franc from the Saumur region in the Loire Valley. Flavors of red fruits like cherries, strawberries, and raspberries will keep you toasting while tasting these French almond sponge cakes.

Yield: Serves 8

Financier Batter

• 4 ounces butter, unsalted and melted
• 1 ½ cups almond flour
• 2 Tablespoons cornstarch, sifted
• ¼ teaspoon baking powder
• Pinch of salt
• ½ cup sugar
• 4 ounces egg whites
• ¼ teaspoon almond extract
• ¼ cup seedless raspberry jam, melted

Method

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Butter and flour a financier mold or mini muffin pan. Combine almond flour, cornstarch, baking powder, salt, and sugar. Add egg whites and combine. Add melted butter and almond extract. Fill molds halfway. Place a small amount of raspberry jam in the center of each. Bake 12–15 minutes until golden.

Photo by Ellen Callaway

Blueberry Tart

Pairing: Dry Creek Late Harvest Zinfandel, Sonoma County, CA

This summer time favorite utilizes local berries, which are cooked down to a thick jam. The cornmeal crust makes it quite rustic in appearance and when served with Dry Creek's Late Harvest Zinfandel, it is a fabulous match. A red dessert wine from Sonoma County, it presents with a nose of dark berry fruit with flavors of blackberry, black raspberry, notes of chocolate. It is simply delicious!

Yield: Serves 8

Components

• One 9 inch fluted tart pan with removable bottom, lined with cornmeal dough
• Cornmeal strips for lattice
• Blueberry filling

Cornmeal Dough

• 2 cups flour, sifted
• ⅓ cup cornmeal
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• 6 ounces unsalted butter, cubed and chilled
• 1 egg
• 1 egg yolk

Filling

• 3 pints blueberries (6 cups)
• 1 cup sugar
• Juice from one half lemon
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 cinnamon stick
• ½ vanilla bean, split and scraped

Cornmeal Dough

In a food processor, combine flour with cornmeal, baking powder, salt, sugar, and lemon zest. Pulse in cubed butter. Mixture will resemble coarse meal. Combine whole egg with egg yolk. Add all at once until blended. Remove the dough from the food processor and place it in plastic wrap. Flatten dough with the heel of your hand into a round disc. Chill at least one hour. Roll dough to ¼ inch thickness and fit into tart pan. Roll remainder of dough and using a pizza or pasta cutter, cut one inch strips or desired width. Place on parchment paper and chill, along with tart shell, for at least one hour. Yields dough for one 9 inch fluted tart pan and lattice strips.

Filling

Wash and pick over blueberries. Combine all ingredients in large saucepan and cook until slightly thickened, about 20 minutes. Remove cinnamon stick and vanilla bean. Cool completely or refrigerate overnight.

Assembly

Place chilled filling in the 9 inch tart pan lined with cornmeal dough. Top with lattice strips and brush strips carefully with egg wash (1 egg yolk mixed with 2 Tablespoons cream). Bake 400 degrees for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake for 30–35 minutes longer. Allow to cool completely before slicing. Dust lightly with powdered sugar before serving.

Photo by Ellen Callaway

Pumpkin Mostarda Strudel

Pairing: Yalumba Museum Reserve Muscat, Rutherglen, Australia

Yalumba Museum Muscat from Australia is a fortified wine made from the Muscat grape. It is tawny in hue with aromas of ginger, orange, some clove and raisined fruit. It will pair nicely with pumpkin mostarda strudel, a pumpkin puree mixed with mustard fruits, pine nuts, spices and amaretti cookie crumbs, wrapped in phyllo dough.

Yield: 2 strudel logs

Components

• 1 package phyllo dough (available in grocery freezer)
• ½ lb butter, unsalted
• Amaretti cookie crumbs, pulverized

Filling

• 1 pound pumpkin puree
• 1 egg
• 1 cup Panko breadcrumbs, toasted
• ⅓ cup dark brown sugar
• 1 Tablespoon molasses
• 1 Tablespoon maple syrup
• Pinch of cloves
• Pinch of salt
• ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg
• ¼ teaspoon ginger
• ½ teaspoon cardamom
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• ⅓ cup golden raisins
• ⅓ cup pine nuts, toasted
• 3 mustard fruits, diced
• 1 ripe pear, peeled, cored, and diced

Phyllo Dough

Defrost phyllo according to package directions. Melt and clarify butter. Brush one sheet of phyllo dough with butter. Sprinkle with Amaretti crumbs. Repeat with six more sheets of phyllo.

Filling and Assembly

Combine pumpkin puree with egg. Add rest of ingredients and combine well. Place half amount of filling on bottom third of prepared phyllo sheets. Roll. Brush top with butter and sprinkle with Amaretti crumbs. Place seam side down on silpat or parchment lined cookie sheet. Prepare phyllo sheets again and finish with remaining filling. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes.