Category Archives: Dessert

On a Lighter Note: A White Chocolate and Wine Pairing for Valentine’s Day

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Happy Valentine’s Day, readers! I hope you’ve got some indulgent treats awaiting you today, perhaps a special bottle of wine or your favorite dessert? If not, I have a pairing I hope you will really like.

Valentine’s Day typically calls to mind images of dark chocolates nestled romantically together in a box and sleek, alluring bottles of red wine. But since I’ve already covered what to pair with milk chocolate, dark chocolate, and what to pair with sparkling wine, I wanted to explore uncharted territory: I became curious about what to pair with white chocolate. I’m sure there are some people out there who prefer white over milk and dark chocolate. Sure, white chocolate isn’t *true* chocolate because it lacks cocoa solids and only contains cocoa butter, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t a delicious treat. To me, there is a time and an occasion for every type of chocolate! 🙂

But is there a wine for every type of chocolate, especially white?

White chocolate is very rich, sweet, and creamy, and calls for something that can handle its weight and richness.

Last year, for fun, I paired some white chocolate with Pinot Noir and then with Sauvignon Blanc. In both instances the pairings were flops and tasted less than desirable. Of course there may be certain versions of those wines out there that randomly would work well with white chocolate, but if I don’t like something when I try it, I am certainly not going to recommend it to you. Bad wine and food pairings can be truly awful!

But there has to be something, right?

I am probably not the first one to invent this pairing, so I won’t take credit for it; in fact, I most likely encountered it while reading about wine (what else is there to read about?). It occurred to me that pairing white chocolate with orange Muscat, a white wine that can be made in a sweet dessert style, would create that amazing flavor combination of orange and vanilla, like an orange creamsicle. Anyone remember the Dixie® cups with the swirl of orange sherbet and vanilla ice cream? The ones that came with the little flat wooden spoons?

I love that flavor combination, so I sent my husband to pick up a bottle of orange Muscat and some white chocolate bars so we could conduct some scientific research (that is what I call drinking wine and pairing it with food in my house. Best science class you’ll ever have.). 😉

Here is what our research yielded:

Quady Electra Moscato 2022

Quady Electra MoscatoWhite Chocolate

  • ABV 4.5% (super low!)
  • $11.49/bottle (whoa, also super low, very helpful right now)
  • Pale gold color
  • Light bodied, nice refreshing acidity, sweet
  • Aromas/Flavors: “millions of peaches, peaches for me” | honey, grape, Muscat aromas
  • Serve chilled
  • Admittedly, this is quite sweet wine, and rather simple, but it works beautifully with the white chocolate.
  • It really is reminiscent of tangy orange sherbet and smooth, creamy vanilla ice cream.
  • Pairing it with white chocolate was delightful and seamless.
  • But word to the wise – only use plain white chocolate! We tried a hazelnut white chocolate bar with this wine and it was gross. Try the brands Private Selection or Lindt, for example.

I like this pairing because it’s a little different, a little more unique than chocolate truffles and red wine (or heaven forbid, sparkling wine – great to drink just separately from chocolate).

It’s rich yet light, sweet, floral, creamy, delicious. It’s like Valentine’s Day in its purely innocent form: cute, flirtatious, fun and easygoing. There are no clashing flavors, making it an entirely pleasant experience. Phew!

I can get serious and sullen sometimes, turning inward and becoming preoccupied with gloomy thoughts. Forget the outside world, which is serious and sullen enough on its own; my own inner world can brew more than its fair share of despair.

At those times I have to remind myself to reject negative thoughts and lighten up. I’ve even started re-watching the TV series The Office because it still makes me laugh out loud, every episode, after all these years. How it is a 25-year old show now is beyond me.

I think this white chocolate and orange Muscat pairing works that kind of magic.

Here’s to lightening up.

Cheers, and Happy Valentine’s Day! 🙂

Love You Bunches Grape Galette and Sparkling Wine

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Disclosure Statement: This post contains affiliate links. When you click on an affiliate link and make a purchase, I receive a commission at no additional cost to you. All opinions are my own.

Happy Valentine’s Day, readers! ❤ I hope you fell in love with the dark chocolate + ruby port duo we explored yesterday. For my final post in this mini themed series, I am leaving chocolate behind, diving into homemade dessert territory, and popping open a bottle of bubbly to accompany it. Intrigued? Read on!

I have to admit I am not the biggest fan of sparkling wines (including Champagne), which is reflected in the number of posts I have written on the subject. But every now and then I reluctantly try some more to see what the fuss is all about grow in my appreciation and understanding of wine. In order to keep learning, I have to challenge myself with all wines, even ones I don’t gravitate towards (yes, I mean you, rosé). What’s making me take more notice of sparkling wine lately though is the fact that it can pair well with a number of different types of foods.

I have Total Wine & More to thank for introducing me to this charming sparkling wine from the Burgundy region of France, known as a Crémant de Bourgogne. While these wines are made in the same méthode traditionnelle as their famous neighbors in Champagne, they cannot be called Champagne due to the fact that they are not from the geographic region of Champagne, France. Remember, European wines are usually called by place, not grape variety. This is helpful to us consumers who enjoy sparkling wine once or twice a year but don’t need to spend an arm and a leg on a bottle of the fancy stuff (although there is nothing wrong with loving the fancy stuff). Options like Spanish Cava, Italian Prosecco, this gorgeous sparkler from California, and today’s Crémant de Bourgogne are handy to keep in mind whilst shopping for bubbles.

Louis Bouillot Extra Dry Sparkling Wine

Louis Bouillot Extra Dry Sparkling Wine

  • $25/bottle at Total Wine (approximately half the starting price of true Champagne)
  • 12% ABV
  • Medium body with some sweetness (extra-dry actually means more sugar than brut/dry – I know, makes zero sense), focused and tight perlage (bubbles)
  • Some yeasty aromas but also peach, apple, pear flavors
  • While I am not reviewing the Brut here, it is available on wine.com for you to try, where it retails for around $18-$20/bottle. This one will be less sweet.
  • I definitely recommend this wine, and am already excited for the next time I can pop open another bottle.

When it comes to desserts, I prefer anything in the chocolate, cake, and cookie departments, but that’s not to say I never diverge into other territories. Plus, it’s Valentine’s Day, so I am considering my husband’s preferences here, which fall squarely in the pie and fruit dessert departments. 🙂

This dessert uses only FOUR ingredients and is a snap to throw together, even for non bakers. Plus, how often do you see a dessert made from grapes anyway? Take this unusual recipe for a spin and pair it with this lively and refreshing sparkling wine. Together, they bring out the best in each other (yes, you can use that in your Valentine’s Day card if you must). 😉

Happy Valentine’s Day! ❤

Please note, this galette is very sweet, and for me personally it’s a bit much when paired with the sparkling wine. To tame the sugar a bit, slice up some rich, creamy Brie cheese to balance out the high levels of sweetness in the dessert and also complement the sparkling wine.

For additional dessert ideas from The Rambling Vine, check out:
Sparkling Rosé Cake with Candied Roses
Snickers Cheesecake
Oatmeal Chocolate Chai Tea Cookies

Love You Bunches Grape Galette
Serves 8
Recipe courtesy of Oregon Wine Board
Adapted from Kristin Marchesi of Montinore Estate in Forest Grove, Oregon

Ingredients

  • Pie dough rolled out into a large circle 18-20 inches in diameter* (I used a Jus-Rol pre-rolled pie dough and literally unwrapped it, plopped it on the baking sheet, poured the fruit filling inside, and folded the dough up and around the sides to make a galette)
  • 1 pound seedless grapes (no slicing required, just wash them)
  • 1/2 – 3/4 cup sugar, depending on tartness of grapes
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch

Preparation

1) Whisk the sugar and cornstarch together and then add it to grapes. Stir to combine until the starch is completely hydrated and sugar has evenly coated the grape skins.

2) Place the dough on a sheet tray lined with parchment paper. Pour the filling into the center of the dough circle and fold the edges over the filling covering the perimeter but not the center. Chill for 20 minutes.

3) Preheat the oven to 400° and bake the galette for 10 minutes, then reduce the heat to 350° and rotate the sheet tray. Continue baking for approximately 30 minutes until the crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbling. Cool for at least 30 minutes before serving.

Love You Bunches Grape Galette

Easier than pie – galette!

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Wine + Chocolate: Finding Dark Chocolate’s Soul Mate

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Disclosure Statement: This post contains affiliate links. When you click on an affiliate link and make a purchase, I receive a commission at no additional cost to you. All opinions are my own.

Wine and chocolate… two of God’s most revered gifts and humanity’s most celebrated gustatory creations, coming in a range of colors and flavors. You already know how divine Brachetto and milk chocolate can be together. I posted on it last year and apparently I had posted on it years before. (Oops. Just take that as a sign of how good it is.) 🙂

But are wine and chocolate better together, or should each just be enjoyed on its own? If so, which ones work together and which ones flat out don’t? Since Valentine’s Day is imminent, I’d like to explore this question with you, with the goal of sending you home with an amazing wine and chocolate pairing that will score some serious brownie points with your loved one(s). No pun intended with the brownies.

Today, we’re going to step out of the light and into the dark and sensual realm of chocolat noir. But what to pair with the darkest of the dark, the richest of the rich? Be prepared – it’s an indulgent pairing that may or may not be what you’re thinking.

Compared to milk chocolate, dark chocolate is bitter, with fruity notes, and very tannic, thanks to those blessed polyphenols that are so good for us and cause the grippy sandpapery feeling in our mouths. And what do a lot of red wines tend to be? Dry, bitter, and tannic. You would think all these shared traits would make for a great pairing, but it frequently has the opposite effect in the mouth – bitter and bitter do not make good bedfellows (duh, says every couple alive). Some other red wines probably go well with dark chocolate, but pairing can get tricky and takes some trial and error. You have to take into account more factors in the wine (sweetness, alcohol, acid, tannin, fruit, etc.), and this requires more experimentation than I have time for today (or tonight as I write this).

But one type of red wine is always a sure bet and a foolproof partner to dark chocolate… ruby port.

wine and chocolate pairing

You have to try it to believe it.

Ruby port? you ask, confused. Not Cabernet Sauvignon? Not Merlot?

Um, a resounding yes, and here is why.

Ruby port and dark chocolate are a perfect match because they create balance together. The richness, intensity, and body of both are similar, but the port’s sweetness contrasts beautifully with dark chocolate’s bitterness. Dark chocolate will simply amplify bitterness and tannins in a dry red wine like a Cab or Merlot and make for a disappointing pairing. We can’t have that now, can we?

I am lucky enough to have some Bacovino Rubi 2020 Red Mountain Dessert Wine lying around, and opened some up to pair with dark chocolate. Sumptuous, silky, and made from Washington Syrah grapes versus the traditional Portuguese grapes (various Tourigas and Tintas), it’s a divine treat that showcases well the depth and beauty of Washington grapes in this wine style.

Here is all you need to know about this lovely wine:

Bacovino Rubi 2020 Red Mountain

  • 100% Red Mountain Syrah made into a port-style dessert wine
  • $45/bottle
  • 19.5% ABV
  • Beautiful label that commends itself as an attractive Valentine’s Day gift
  • Sweet and smooth but the acid and alcohol pull it back from “syrup” territory
  • Delicious right now, but imagine laying it down for a number of years – whoa baby! It will just continue to get richer and more complex with age.
  • Deep ruby color
  • The winemaker notes: “Appealing red fruit and white pepper followed by a lengthy, candied finish.”

For the dark chocolate, I used Private Selection 72% Cacao Dark Chocolate Swiss Bar from my local grocery store. It’s absolutely delicious chocolate and is typically less than $3/bar (so you can splurge on this amazing dessert wine). When paired with the port, it’s like a chocolate covered cherry exploding in your mouth. Dear. God.

Bacovino Rubi and Dark Chocolate

Look no further for your Valentine’s Day gifts.

While there are numerous wine and chocolate pairing recommendations for Valentine’s Day, many might not be steering you in the right direction. Ruby port and dark chocolate is a time-tested, decadent, indulgent pairing that is a guaranteed hit. You could use any dark chocolate bars, truffles, or even a flourless chocolate torte. Just make sure it’s dark chocolate, not milk.

Random tip from a winemaker I spoke to not too long ago – she recommended enjoying port/dessert wine as an aperitif (a before dinner drink). I tend to think of port keeping post as the ultimate dessert wine/after dinner drink (which it rightfully does), but what a novel way to think about it: a little treat for when you want to sip some wine while you make dinner. Put it in a little crystal glass and turn cooking dinner into less of a chore. 🙂

Are you a dark chocolate & ruby port fan? Comment below with your favorite brands! And let me know if you try the Rubi. 🙂

Happy Valentine’s Day/Wine & Chocolate Day, readers! ❤

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Sparkling Rosé Cake with Candied Roses for Mother’s Day

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Disclosure Statement: This post contains affiliate links. When you click on an affiliate link and make a purchase, I receive a commission at no additional cost to you. All opinions are my own. 

Mother’s Day is Sunday, and here in the Puget Sound area of Washington we are looking at forecasted highs close to 90 degrees! I’m perspiring just thinking about it. This is no time for dry reds that are going to overheat Mom (although, of course, it’s your mom, get the lady what she wants). Time to present her with a chilled, refreshing, bubbly beverage, of the pink variety since this is a female holiday, after all – sparkling rosé! Treat Mom like the queen she is with All Queens Rosé Brut. Bonus points if you get her outside, have her put her feet up somewhere comfortable, and bring her a glass of this chilled wine. What an amazing child she raised! 😉

Here are the details of this scintillating wine. As you can see, the name and label make it very giftable and cute.

All Queen Brut Rose

The Ultimate Mother’s Day Beverage

All Queens Rosé Brut California

  • $15/bottle at Total Wine
  • Sparkling Wine from Lodi, California
  • Lovely light/medium salmon pink color
  • Brut (dry – no sweetness or residual sugar)
  • Light body, 11.5% ABV
  • High acidity
  • Aromas and flavors of strawberry, cherry, peach, tangerine

This wine is befitting a lavish Mother’s Day brunch. Try it with Eggs Benedict and a whole host of other delicious foods. It’s very difficult to screw up pairing this wine with other foods – in fact, sparkling wines are extremely versatile (kinda like moms) and go better with more foods than practically any other wine style out there (say, wha?).

If you really want to go over the top, and win the Child of the Millenium award, whip up this pretty in pink cake using 1 cup of your sparkling rosé. It’s picture perfect for Mother’s Day or any springtime/feminine occasion, such as Easter or a bridal shower. This cake is moist, fluffy, very tasty, and baking it will make your house smell like a French pâtisserie (ooh la la).

I think edible candied flower petals make anything look utterly posh, so don’t be shy and use the recommended candied rose petals on top; they are delicious and will wow Mom. I have also used candied violet petals on a lemon cake, yum! (As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases)

To all the mothers out there, a very Happy Mother’s Day! Thank you for mothering well. Take a moment to have your cake and drink it, too. You deserve it. ❤

Sparkling Rose Cake with Candied Rose Petals

“Eat Me!”

Sparkling Rosé Cake with Candied Rose Petals
Adapted from a recipe by Kevin Lee Jacobs | agardenforthehouse.com

Chef’s Notes
1) If you don’t have the large capacity Bundt pan as I did not, pour into a regular Bundt pan about 3/4 way full, then use the rest of the batter for cupcakes or a smaller cake pan.
2) Since my Bundt cake fell apart upon turning out from the pan (alas, it happens), I took pictures of the cupcakes that I made from the same batter.
3) We don’t use artificial food coloring so the natural food coloring I used to make the cake batter pink is extremely light.

Equipment

  • A large-capacity Bundt pan (10 1/2 inches wide and 4 1/2 inches deep), generously sprayed with cooking spray (I use sunflower oil)

Ingredients

The dry ingredients:

  • 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 3/4 teaspoon table salt

The wet ingredients

  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 2 1/4 cups sugar
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon strawberry extract (I did not find this in my local grocery stores, easiest to buy from Amazon) (As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases)
  • 1 cup All Queens Brut Rosé at room temp (or other pink Champagne, Prosecco, or sparkling wine)
  • Optional: pink or red food coloring

The glaze:

  • 1 1/2 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar
  • 2-4 tablespoons water
  • 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • Candied Rose Petals (As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases)

Instructions

  • Center the oven rack; preheat oven to 350°F. In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients. In the bowl of a standing mixer, beat the butter and sugar at medium-high speed until pale and fluffy — about 5 minutes. At medium speed, add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the sour cream, and the vanilla and strawberry extracts.
  • At low speed, add the dry ingredients in three additions, alternating with the sparkling wine, beginning and ending with the flour. At medium high speed, quickly beat in the (optional) food coloring.
  • Pour the batter into the prepared Bundt pan. Use a spatula to spread the batter up against the sides, and away from the center (this encourages a level surface during baking). Bake until a skewer inserted in the cake comes out clean — about 1 hour. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then unmold and let cool completely.
  • In a medium bowl, beat together the confectioners’ sugar, 2 tablespoons of water, and the vanilla extract. Add more water as needed to achieve a thick but pourable glaze. Drizzle the glaze generously over the cake.
  • Before glaze sets, adorn cake with candied rose petals.
Sparkling Rose Cakes with Candied Rose Petals

The trick is not to eat them before Mom has a crack at them.

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At First Blush: Evoke Winery Heralds First Day of Spring

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A Perfect Springtime Sipper: Evoke Winery’s Blush Wine

At last, it’s the first day of spring! Release the doves and explode the confetti! Seriously, give yourself a pat on the back for getting through the winter. Western Washington has it pretty easy weather-wise compared to many other parts of the world, but the increase in daylight hours and sunshine so far has been more than welcome.

Sure, spring brings its fair share of rainy days for the foreseeable future, but that doesn’t change the fact that it’s a new season; one of freshness, greenery, new growth, colorful and sweet-smelling flowers. Clearly, we need a wine to match the fast-approaching debut of daffodils, cherry blossoms, and tulips. And I cannot think of anything that epitomizes spring better than Evoke Winery’s Talk Flirty to Me Blush Wine.

Yes, you heard me correctly, I said blush wine. And why not? When was the last time you had a blush wine, or, have you ever even had a blush wine? I remember the bygone era when my parents kept boxes of Franzia White Zinfandel (blush wine) in our basement fridge.

And no, blush wine is not rosé. Read on for the juicy details….

Rosé wine can be made in a range of styles from dry (no sweetness on the palate) to sweet (where, obviously, you taste sweet). Pretty much all wine grapes, even red ones, have white flesh inside, not red (Alicante Bouschet is a notable exception). So a rosé wine is made by allowing the red skins to impart some color (longer time contributes to more intense color) to the grape juice, but then the skins are separated from the juice and do not ferment with the juice as it becomes wine (otherwise it would be red wine).

Blush wine, on the other hand, can have pink color like rosé, but instead of being dry it is sweet, with stronger fruit flavors and softer texture. Blush wine in particular is a good route to go if you are just starting out in wine (it’s sweet, aromatic, approachable) but experienced wine drinkers should not overlook the vernal charms of blush wine, either.

To be honest, I am not a huge rosé fan. There have been some standouts, but they generally leave me annoyed, because I see the pink color and naturally expect some sweetness, then I’m let down by drinking dry white wine with pink color. It messes with my brain! Blush wine is more my cup of tea (er, glass of wine).

I love “serious” wine – wine that offers up so many aromas, flavors, and textures you have a lot to ponder as you consume it – but I also really love it when people have FUN with wine and get creative with names and descriptions. Case in point: Evoke Winery, based out of Hood River, Oregon (which used to be called Naked Winery years ago – see my post on their Chardonnay from back in the day or their Oh! Orgasmic Barbera). I love their motto – “Northwest Wines for Fun People.” They can be silly with their wines because what is in the bottle, truth be told, is SERIOUSLY GOOD WINE. No need to try and impress or come across as serious – the wine speaks for itself.

According to their website, “Evoke Winery is an Oregon-based winery with a big personality – and a little something for everyone. From full-bodied reds (like our Penetration Cabernet Sauvignon) to the best-tasting rosé wine (like our fan-favorite Our Cliché Rosé), it’s our mission to make feel-good wines for whatever the times.”

Those words couldn’t be more true. Check out their wide selection of wines, there really is something on here for every palate.

Evoke Winery has three tasting rooms in Oregon (Hood River, Bend, and Seaside) and one in Vancouver, Washington, which just opened a few days ago. Lots of great options and excuses for getting out and seeing what the fun is all about.

Evoke Winery Talk Flirty to Me Sweet Blush Wine

Stop it, you’re making me blush!
Photo courtesy Evoke Winery

So on to the wine at hand:

  • Evoke Winery Talk Flirty to Me Sweet Blush Wine Columbia Valley 2020
  • $28/bottle
  • 13.5% ABV, Residual Sugar 6
  • Varietals used: Viognier, Muscat, Petite Sirah
  • Aged 3 months in stainless steel
  • Medium body, semi-sweet
  • Soft and dreamy, low acidity
  • I got aromas/flavors of strawberry, peach, and orange blossom. Heavenly!
  • Evoke says: “Evokes notes of marmalade, peach rings, and hitting your data limit.”
  • Evoke also suggests pairing this with strawberry shortcake or rhubarb strudel à la mode.

This wine smacks of springtime perfection. Just writing about it is making me thirsty!

Happy First Day of Spring, readers! Go try some Talk Flirty to Me Sweet Blush Wine and share it with your favorite flirty people IRL.

Special thanks to Shelly at Evoke Winery for your enthusiasm and help answering my questions! 🙂 
Flowers

Daze of Wine and Roses: An Indulgent Pairing of Chocolate Truffles and Sparkling Wine for Valentine’s Day

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Disclosure Statement: This post contains affiliate links. When you click on an affiliate link and make a purchase, I receive a commission at no additional cost to you. All opinions are my own.

Eat Your Sweetheart Out: Snickers Cheesecake

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Eeeeeeeee! It’s the season of sugar! (You really can’t make weight loss resolutions until after Easter, seriously). Valentine’s Day is today, and I sure hope your pancreas is ready for what I’m about to dish up. 🙂

It started with the urge to make a decadent cheesecake for my mom’s birthday.

When I googled snickers cheesecake, I came up with results that showed cheesecakes with swamps of Snickers bar chunks on top. This seemed like a good idea (and it’s not bad, I’ve had it at the Cheesecake Factory before), but not quite what I was hoping for, as far as great flavor and texture are concerned. Instead, I decided to pay tribute to the spirit of a Snickers bar, with roasted, salted peanuts, hot fudge, caramel, and whipped cream on top. I think I’ve created a winner! Snickers Cheesecake

If you’re looking to make dessert this Valentine’s Day (or any celebration, for that matter), you’ll appreciate this cheesecake recipe. It’s not too hard (considering) and it tastes way better than shoving mutilated candy bars in your cheesecake batter. 🙂

Ditch the box of chocolates, Forrest Gump… you and your Valentine will die and go to candy heaven with this recipe.

Ode to Snickers Cheesecake
(Heavily adapted from a recipe for Irish cream cheesecake from Favorite Old-Fashioned Desserts by Pat Dailey)
(As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases)
By Brenna Arnesen

CRUST
1 – 9 oz. box Nabisco Famous Chocolate Wafers
4 T unsalted butter, melted

FILLING
1 c. plus 2 T granulated sugar
3 large eggs
2 lbs. (4 – 8 oz. packages) cream cheese, softened
1 T cornstarch
1 tsp. vanilla extract

TOPPING
Hot fudge sauce
Caramel sauce (I used jarred for both, quick & easy)
Roasted salted peanuts, coarsely crushed
Whipped cream (from a can)

Preheat the oven to 350°.

Crush the cookies into fine crumbs in a food processor or blender. Add the butter and mix well. Transfer crumbs to a 10-inch springform pan and press them into an even layer on the bottom of the pan. Bake until the crumbs are set, about 10 minutes. Set aside to cool.

For the filling, mix the sugar and eggs in a food processor or with an electric mixer for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the cream cheese in batches and mix until thoroughly smooth. Add the cornstarch and vanilla and mix well.

Pour the filling into the crust. Bake until the cake is just set in the center, about 35 – 40 minutes. Remove the cake from the oven and cool for 5 minutes, but leave the oven on.

Take your crushed peanuts, approximately 1 – 1.5 cups worth, and sprinkle on top of cheesecake. Return cheesecake to oven and bake for 6 minutes or so, until peanuts set and get slightly toasted. Cool to room temperature. Drizzle with room temp hot fudge sauce and caramel sauce to your liking. Cover and refrigerate 4 hours before serving, and then serve with whipped cream.

And snicker at how easy this dessert was to make! 🙂

Have a sweet Valentine’s Day! What are you eating and drinking tonight?

Love,
The Rambling Vine

Chai This Out: Oatmeal Cookie Makeover

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Give humdrum oatmeal cookies a hint of the exotic with pure milk chocolate and chai spices.

Give Your Oatmeal Cookies a Theo Chocolate Makeover

OK, yes, this blog is primarily about wine, but I am one who hates to be defined or labeled, so from time to time I might branch out (I am the rambling vine, after all) and go down a different path for fun. Gourmet cookie mavens, lean in, I’ve invented a diabolically delicious cookie!

While some may consider it a cardinal sin to corrupt as perfect a classic as the oatmeal raisin cookie, I appreciate a good, creative “remix”: it pays homage to the original in a way that enhances it, not completely changes it.

If you love Quaker oatmeal raisin cookies as much as I do, but prefer chocolate to raisins, and enjoy high quality fair trade organic chocolate and piquant spices, this cookie has your name written all over it. 🙂

Here is Quaker Oats’ (As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases) immortal “Vanishing Oatmeal Raisin Cookie” recipe, but with my substitution. Leave out the raisins and instead include small pieces of a broken up Chai Tea Milk Chocolate Bar.

In order to make this recipe, you must secure four Theo Chocolate Chai Tea bars (be sure to get at least one to eat straight).

The Rambling Vine’s Oatmeal Chocolate Chai Tea Cookies

2 sticks butter, softened (1 cup)
3/4 c. firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 c. granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla (preferably the gourmet kind from Mexico)
1.5 c. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
Dash of salt
3 c. Quaker oats (quick or old fashioned, uncooked)
1 c. Theo Chocolate Chai Tea bars, cut into small pieces

Heat oven to 350 degrees. In large bowl, beat butter and sugars on medium speed of electric mixer until creamy. Add eggs and vanilla; beat well. Add combined flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt; mix well. Add oats and chocolate; mix well.

Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets.

Bake 8-10 minutes or until light golden brown. My cookies are usually larger than a literal tablespoonful, so 12-15 minutes might be more accurate.

Cool 1 minute on cookie sheets; remove to wire rack. Cool completely. Store tightly covered. Yields 4 dozen cookies.

How’d you like them?

Put the Wine in the Cho-Co-Late and Drink Them Both Up

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Disclosure Statement: This post contains affiliate links. When you click on an affiliate link and make a purchase, I receive a commission at no additional cost to you. All opinions are my own.

A Fine Chocolate Wine For Your Consideration

Red wine and dark chocolate: cliché Valentine’s Day trappings, or greatest palate-pleasing pairing in history? That is the question….

Enough pondering already. I don’t know about you, but most of my attempts to pair red wine with dark chocolate have not gone so well. They usually result in face scrunching and gagging. You have to consider the cacao and sugar percentages in your chocolate and how those will interplay with the grape type and sugar/alcohol content of the wine you select. With so many factors to consider, who has time to figure it all out?

Well, whoever thought of combining red wine and dark chocolate in the glass was a genius! And he who pulled it off successfully is my hero! You will be surprised how red wine and dark chocolate pair so seamlessly together in a dessert wine when you sip on Chocolate Shop, The Chocolate Lover’s Wine.

What a find! Not sure whether I should be glad I found this or unhappy that I am now addicted to this, but I’m sure excited to tell you about it! This red wine behaves like any other red wine in the glass but with the added twist that it is a SWEET wine; in essence, it is a dessert wine, but without behaving like viscous, syrupy Dimetapp in the glass. Let’s call it a dessert wine for non-dessert wine drinkers.

The first sip is like a mouthful of cherry tootsie pop but better! Real dark chocolate flavoring is added to drinkable and balanced Walla Walla red wine. The fact that there is a good quality wine as the base helps, so the consistency won’t remind you of Aunt Jemima.

Here is what the label reads: “… a deep, ruby red wine blended with rich, velvety chocolate. Inviting aromas of black cherry and chocolate combine in the glass and continue on the palate surrounded by hints of cocoa powder. Nuances of sweet red wine lingers [sic] on the smooth finish. Chocolate Shop provides you with an indulgent wine experience like no other.”

Whether you’re a coldhearted cynic, a hopeless romantic, or just craving a sweet wine, this will win you over.

Here is some further reading on pairing wine with chocolate, and another post I did on pairing chocolate and wine.

(Sidenote: Use an expert to make your life easier. When you do want to have a wine & chocolate pairing party, ask your local wine merchant for a red that pairs well with chocolates. There is usually chocolate available for sale, and they are more than happy to give you a great recommendation.)