Oh So Saucy... Red Wine, Cherry & Chocolate Sauce
YIELD: 10 cups
PAIRING: 2013 EDGE Red Blend
Ok, Mrs. Rita (Crystalyn's mom) did it again. This time, she's made a sauce that is to die for! Literally, we can't stop dipping our crostini in it (or fingers when no-one is looking).
All of you working in the wine industry know just how much wine goes to waste at the end of the day in the tasting room. What do you do with all of those almost empty bottles? You either take them home or dump them! We know, the later is total alcohol abuse, which is why we have never been able to actually dump our bottles.
Instead, we decided to give our collection of unporable wines (those, which we didn't drink ourselves) to Mrs. Rita with the challenge of making something fun...The result - the most scrumptiously delicious and velvety red wine reduction folded into a black cherry and chocolate sauce that you could possibly imagine. Yeah, we scored!
So in the spirit of using what you have and making the absolute best of it, you must try this recipe:
RED WINE REDUCTION
4 ¼ bottles (750 ML ea.) of any left over reds that you may have. **
2 Cups sugar
• Add 4 bottles wine and sugar together into a large pot
• Simmer together to approximately 2 cups. Stir often and do not let scorch
• Stir in the remaining ¼ bottle wine in last to freshen the flavor
**NOTE: Leftover wine that has been opened but not finished can be re-corked and saved in a cool, dark location and combined together to total of four 750 ML bottles. You will get an interesting flavor combination and zero waste.
CHOCOLATE SAUCE
3 LB Frozen black cherries with juice (3 LB bag from Costco)
2 TB butter
1 Cup powdered sugar
2 TB unsweetened cocoa
¼ TSP cayenne
24 oz semi-sweet good quality (Ghirardelli) chocolate chips
2 Cups heavy cream
2 Cups red wine reduction (from above recipe)
METHOD:
• In a large heavy pot, heat and simmer cherries, mashing to break down
• Strain out the fruit and reserve
• Return juice to ot and reduce to 1½ cups
• Add 2 TB butter to cherry juice
• Whisk together the powdered sugar, unsweetened cocoa and cayenne and add to cherry juice
• Place the semi-sweet chocolate chips in a mixing bowl
• Pour the heavy cream in a small pot, bring to a simmer and pour over the chocolate chips
• Stir the chocolate cream mixture until melted and smooth
• Add the mixture to the cherry juice and mix well
• Add back the reserved cherries to the mixture and mix well
WHIPPED CREAM TOPPING
(Fluffy and not too sweet)
4 Cups heavy cream
4 TB powdered sugar
7 oz marshmallow cream
• Whip the heavy cream and powdered sugar until soft peaks
• Whip in the marshmallow cream until stiff peaks
SERVING IDEAS:
Spoon over ice cream or berries or use as a dipping sauce for crostini brushed in olive oil, rosemary and black pepper.
Leftover sauce can be refrigerated for 3-4 weeks or frozen.
Developed by Mrs. Rita's Kitchen for Spicy Vines.