Try These Double Chocolate Luxardo Cherry Cookies with Merlot!
Recipe Inspiration:
If you have an opportunity to pop open a bottle of our "Collin’s Reserve” Merlot, you will understand just how delightful this wine is, especially when paired with anything cherry or chocolate. With that said, as the dessert course for this years’ Spring Wine Release Party, we decided to pair our “Collin’s Reserve” Merlot with a rich cherry chocolate cookie. The result? Heaven of course, and here’s the recipe!
First, How to Pair Merlot:
Flavor Profile: When pairing Merlot, one must consider its medium-bodied profile, marked by typical flavors of plum, cherry, and sometimes even herbal notes. In this recipe, we took inspiration from that bright and beautiful cherry flavor that we get from our “Collin’s Reserve” Merlot and ran with it.
Versatility: Merlot is a highly versatile wine with nice acidity and soft tannins, so it has an ability to complement many savory dishes as well like roasted poultry, pork tenderloin, or even mushroom-based dishes. Merlot generally has a smooth texture and moderate acidity making it a great match for creamy cheeses like brie or camembert as well.
Age: Lastly, take into account the wine's aging potential; older Merlots with more developed flavors can stand up to heartier fare like grilled steaks or lamb, while younger, fruit-forward bottles are best paired with lighter fare to let their vibrant fruit flavors shine.
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COOKING TIME: 55 minutes
YIELD: 4.5 dozen cookies
PAIRED WINES: “Collin’s Reserve” Merlot
INGREDIENTS
8 oz bittersweet chocolate chips
½ cup olive oil
3 large eggs, room temperature
3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
3/4 cup bread flour
1 cup all-purpose flour
¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
25 Luxardo cherries, drained and coarsely chopped or dried cherries, halved
Maldon salt flakes
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 375 degrees and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Melt the chocolate and oil, stir until smooth. Let cool slightly and then whisk in eggs, brown sugar, granulated sugar and vanilla.
In another bowl whisk together the two flours, cocoa powder, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Add the flour mixture into the chocolate mixture and stir until the dough just starts to come together. Add the cherries and mix until combined.
Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for 20-30 minutes.
Once the dough is firm, gently roll 1 tablespoon or 20 grams of dough into a ball and place it on the cookie sheet allowing about two inches between each dough ball. Bake for 8 minutes (will be very slightly underdone). Once out of the oven sprinkle with salt flakes and allow to cool for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.