Uncorked: Dessert Pairings

 "Life's short. Drink the wine. Order the dessert." - Unknown

Valentine's Day is almost here! This is the perfect time to share some of my favorite wine and dessert pairings! The selections are ideal to enjoy with the special person in your life or with your girlfriends on Galentine's Day. 

Below I'm sharing some of my favorite wines and the desserts that go together perfectly.

Zinfandel

The Biltmore Estate Limited Release Zinfandel is so delicious! It pairs well with many things, but one of my favorites are truffles.

The Perfect Pair: Dark Chocolate Truffles

 

Chardonnay

I really enjoy a clean and crisp chardonnay. My personal favorite is the Upper Shirley Chardonnay. This wine goes perfectly with anything vanilla!

The Perfect Pair: Vanilla Cupcakes

 

Cabernet Sauvignon

One of my favorite red wines is cabernet. The Caymus Cabernet is to die for, and I absolutely love it ... especially with chocolate!

The Perfect Pair: Chocolate Chip Cookies

 

Prosecco

The Tesoro della Regina Prosecco is crisp and has a hint of apple notes. What better dessert to pair with than apple pie?

The Perfect Pair: Apple Pie

 

Champagne

Piper-Heidsieck Brut is a new favorite for me. This will pair well with chocolate covered strawberries. If you aren't fan of chocolate, you can use whipped cream as a substitute. 

The Perfect Pair: Strawberries

 

Merlot

The Rosemont of Virginia Merlot is like velvet and is absolutely great! I love drinking this wine at dinner with an amazing chicken dish, but I definitely save a glass for dessert. This merlot is perfect with a double chocolate brownie!

The Perfect Pair: Brownies

 

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Recipe: The Goods

"Bake the world a better place."

I absolutely love baking, and lucky for me my entire family loves it when I do! My go to baked goods are chocolate chip pecan cookies, and fudge brownies with nuts or chocolate chips in them! I love hopping in the kitchen with my KitchenAid Stand Mixer , and watching my Real Housewives on Bravo!, while G does his famous quality control taste testing on the treats, ha :)

Below are my recipes for both items, and with the holidays coming up I'm making both of these goodies - otherwise I'm sure my family would disown me!

Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookies

First, mix the following ingredients together for about 30-45 seconds:

  • 1 cup of brown sugar
  • 1 cup of granulated sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 sticks of softened butter
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons of vanilla

Then gradually mix in the following items into the mixture above for about 2 minutes:

  • 1 teaspoon of baking soda
  • 3 cups of all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon of salt

Finally, my favorite part, adding in the chocolate chips and chopped pecans!

  • 6 ounces of dark chocolate chips
  • 6 ounces of pecans

Then roll each cookie, place then on baking sheet with parchment paper, heat the oven to 375 degrees, and bake for about 10-12 minutes. 

* Pro tip, add a dash of cinnamon to the cookies, or add a extra handful of pecans!

Fudge Brownies

First melt the following ingredients: 

  • 1/2 cup of butter
  • 4 squares of unsweetened chocolate 

Then mix the following items for about 2 minutes:

  • 1/2 cup of butter
  • 2 cups of sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoons of salt
  • 1 teaspoon of vanilla
  • 3 eggs (blend in each egg, one at a time)

Next, add the cooled chocolate to the previous mixture with 1 cup of all-purpose flour and mix for about 30 seconds. Throw in pecans or chocolate chips into the better, about 1 cup each.

Bake brownies for about 40-45 minutes, at 350 degrees. 

* Pro tip, I use a glass pan, and use parchment paper in the pan to get those goodies out of the pan easy and with no mess. Also, when cutting the brownies in those perfect squares, once they cool, use a plastic knife! The metal knife often times break the brownies, causing them to stick to the knife.

What are some of your favorite goodies to eat or bake? Enjoy!

XO, Analise

 

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