Food and Wine pairing
Food & Wine Pairing – Cabernet Sauvignon with chocolate brownies
By Daphna Torres
Need a quick chocolate fix paired with a good glass of wine? Cabernet Sauvignon with chocolate brownies is a match made in heaven! Cabernet Sauvignon is the most popular of red wine grape varietal and perfectly complements chocolate. Red wine and chocolate are thoroughly enjoyed on their own, and when paired together, they are sure to make your tastebuds tingle. This pairing works well because the rich fruit and structure that Cabernet Sauvignon offers withstands the boldness that chocolate has.To soften the tannins, Cabernet Sauvignon is typically aged in oak barrels to make the taste more approachable. Young Cabernet tend to have harsher tannins, whereas aged Cabernet bring out the rich flavour and complexity of the grape.
The intense flavours that chocolate brownies have calls for a bolder, denser red wine that have a concentrated fruit note. Our recommend choice of wine is John Small’s Smallwater Estate- Rob’s Block Cabernet Sauvignon, this full-bodied wine contains blueberries with hints of cedar and cracked allspice and will surely have your mouth watering; one bottle will set you back $50 (Free delivery).
The secret to making a good brownie is to use both melted chocolate AND cocoa powder; and to use butter instead of oil (butter has a nicer flavour). Additionally, using minimal flour and adding brown sugar instead of white will deliver extra moisture and chewiness for that perfect brownie you have been dreaming about.
You can choose how gooey you want your brownies by following this ‘toothpick smearing test’: Stick a toothpick in the centre of the brownie and hold it there for around 2 seconds before taking it out.
For a super gooey brownie – bake them for 24 minutes (there should be a lot of smear on the toothpick).
For moist and fudgy brownies – bake them for 28 minutes (the toothpick should get a brown stain and some smear on it)
For a cakey brownie – bake them for 32 minutes (the toothpick should be clean with just a few crumbs)
We also included a recipe* for the fudgiest brownies with a crisp top!
INGREDIENTS:
- 14 tbsp (200g) unsalted butter
- 1 ¼ cups (200g) dark chocolate chips
- 1 cup (175g) brown sugar
- 3 lightly beaten eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup (75g) plain flour
- 1/4 cup (30g) cocoa powder
- Pinch of salt
- 180g dark chocolate block/bar (optional)
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F (160°C fan forced).
- Spray a square tin with oil and line with baking/parchment paper with overhang
- Place butter and chocolate chips in a heatproof bowl, microwave in 30 second bursts until melted. Stir until smooth.
- Add sugar and vanilla, mix, then add the lightly beaten eggs and mix well until smooth and molten.
- Add flour, cocoa and salt and stir until smooth. Stir in chopped chocolate bar, pour into pan.
- Bake for24 minutes for really gooey in the centre, 28 minutes for fudgy but still very moist, 32 minutes for moist fudge-cake-like. (See above for toothpick test photos).
- If you didn’t use the extra chocolate for stirring in, reduce cook time by 2 minutes.
- Rest for 10 minutes before lifting out of the pan. Allow to cool for at least 20 minutes before cutting. Store in an airtight container for 4 days (bet they don’t last that long!) or freeze for 3 months.
*Recipe acquired from Nagi from RecipeTinEats and modified.
Remember to use cooking chocolate chips from the baking section in the supermarket, NOT eating chocolate and don’t forget to share your photos on our social media if you attempted to make these mouth-watering brownies!
References:
https://cafedelites.com/worlds-best-fudgiest-brownies/