News

Small Plates, Perfect Wines: Creating Little Dishes with Big Flavors

Warm Chocolate Puddle Cakes

Small Plates, Perfect Wines: Creating Little Dishes with Big Flavors

Makes 6 Cakes

- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 8 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
- 2 large eggs
- 2 large egg yolks
- 1/3 cup sugar, plus additional sugar
- 1 tablespoon coffee liqueur, plus additional liqueur
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup heavy cream

Warm Chocolate Puddle Cakes

The most important factor in pairing wine and food is balance. In food, there should be a balance among the acid, salt, spice, bitterness, richness, and other components that make up the taste of a dish. When a dish is in balance, it will make a great match with any wine.

Wine pairing: Port

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Heavily butter and lightly flour six 4- to 6-ounce ramekins. Knock out the excess flour.

In a double boiler over simmering water, melt the butter and chocolate. Remove from the heat and set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, egg yolks, and the 1/3 cup sugar. Stir in the 1 tablespoon coffee liqueur. Whisk in the chocolate mixture, then fold in the flour. Divide the batter evenly among the ramekins. Place the ramekins on a baking sheet and bake until firm at the edges and glossy and barely set in the center, 9 to 11 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes in the pan.

In a deep bowl, beat the cream until soft peaks form. Add additional sugar and coffee liqueur to taste.

Run a sharp knife around the edges of the cakes to loosen them. Invert each cake onto one of 6 small plates and top each with a dollop of the whipped cream.

Contact: Tammie Barker, (800) 851-8923, ext. 6921, tbarker@amuniversal.com

Small Plates, Perfect Wines: Creating Little Dishes with Big Flavors

Authors: Lori Lyn Narlock
ISBN: 978-0-7407-6913-9
Format: Paperback with french flaps: 8 ¾ x 8, 152 pages
Price: $16.95 ($20.95 Canada)