wine pairing dessert?

[rebgold]

I have to do a charity event in a few weeks that has a wine pairing theme. There are 300 people expected, they don't tell contributors what wines they will be serving, and my shop owners are thinking they prefer me not do chocolates because there's a chocolate boutique which will also be contributing at the event. So, any ideas for some other candy or simple dessert that pairs well with suprise wine? lol

Suggestions greatly appreciated and desperately needed!

[rebgold]

Many readers, no comments...

Has anyone ever tried dipping a really moist fruit? Like a slice of wine poached pear? Maybe rolled in sugar first to make the chocolate adhere? Served on a little piece of caramel made with a little red wine? Or port?

Or, something with lavender which I read pairs nicely with wine?

[Mjx]

Moist fruit + chocolate = granulation.

I see this every year around the holidays, when my boyfriend's mother dips fruit in chocolate... but it doesn't seem to bother her that much, so I don't say anything. However, I'd recommend sticking to fruits with dry exteriors, and that are small (one-bite size); eating a large, wet, chocolate-dipped piece of fruit in more than one bite is an aggravating mess. For dipping in chocolate, I'd be inclined to go with a combination of really good quality shortbread, and dry fruit, especially apricots. Small whole strawberries are great, but this isn't the best time of year for good strawberries, and lousy strawberries are always a bit of a letdown.

Dried figs stuffed with a bittersweet ganache, dipped in chocolate, and dusted with cacao, are really good. I've also topped this with a few salt crystals instead of the dusting of cacao, but I don't know what sort of crowd you're going to be serving, so that may not be workable. The figs can't be really dessicated, since that makes them too hard to stuff, although you can soften them in a little port (but that means having to let their surfaces dry before you dip them).

[GordonCooks]

So, you are providing the wine and dessert?

[Big Mike]

I'm on a date kick these days, don't ask why. How about halved dates stuffed with marscapone on a reduced port sauce? Could also do a grilled peach slice on the side, I think those flavors mesh.

[GordonCooks]

So, you are providing the wine and dessert?

Having re-read this, I'm not sure why they don't disclose the wines to contributors for a "wine pairing" event. Go simple - pastry cups - half with red wine poached pears with a blue cheese mousse and half with a kiwi & persimmon crumble, candied citrus, and pistachio brittle.

If you have the time, I'd do a pizzelle or waffle instead of the cups a la minute.

[Lisa Shock]

Mini pecan pies might be nice, they pair well with most dessert type wines especially the straw wine family and fortified wines.

Mini fruit tarts, without any citrus, would probably work as well.

Biscotti can be very good with red wines.

Fruit compotes may also work, I'd go easy on the spices.

[rebgold]

They don't tell you because it's a rinky dink charity event and the "pairing" is probably just a word they use because they think it sounds fancy. Most likely they're going to serve some fairly cheap donated wine and tell people to try tasting them with different foods, lol, most of which will be cheap food because it's donated for a charity event.

I'm now considering mini cupcake with lavender ganache frosting. Maybe a caramel cupcake. Or, maybe a pear cupcake?

[GordonCooks]

Lavender can be a difficult wine accessory even with the most deft touch. If the charity event is what you say it is,....don't worry about pairings, make desserts that showcase your business.

[rebgold]

That's funny, I was thinking lavender because I was researching online and read that it pairs well with many wines. You're right, I should just do something easy that looks good and forget the wine issue altogether.

I really want to do a cute cupcake with a piece of candy on top. Our shop has been open since 1882 and used to be a traditional confectioners with cakes and ice creams as well as candy. It was sold by the original family about 12 years ago and the last owners got rid of everything but candy and were trying to make it just a chocolate shop. I just came on board when it was sold again in November and we're trying to go back to more of the confection tradition so cake would fit, but everyone thinks of it as a candy shop so I want to incorporate that somehow.

[Mjx]

Lavender can be a difficult wine accessory even with the most deft touch. If the charity event is what you say it is,....don't worry about pairings, make desserts that showcase your business.

I thought I'd read that too, and that it posed similar problems to rosemary; didn't mention it, because I figured I must have mis-remembered it.

[rebgold]

Salted caramel cupcake with caramel-dark chocolate ganache frosting and a tiny piece of something chocolate dipped on top?

[rebgold]

So now they say I can get port at my table because I went to the effort of bothering them about it. Cupcakes probably out.

[Lisa Shock]

Port pairs well with dark chocolate. And, with plain pastries like shortbread and biscotti. I like to think of it as being similar to having a pot of jam in front of you; it provides fruit and sweet, you can pair it with a crusty-type item for a pie-like experience.

[Nayan Gowda]

A classic pairing with port is fresh (or rather bletted) medlars. Fresh medlars will probably be hard to come by, but you may be able to source some medlar jelly that you could use to make little tarts.

[rebgold]

Hmm, I have never heard of a medlar.

[Kouign Aman]

Variation on cheesecake? Small tarts, or crustless? Cheese goes well w wine, yes?

Salted pecan brittle?

[rebgold]

Shortbread sounds great, maybe half dipped or with a decorative chocolate drizzle. Then I just need to add an interesting flavor twist and or some height with something, brittle or something like that, caramel, a tiny piece of dipped fruit. I'm thinking tawny port.

[gap]

Dark chocolate dipped candied orange peel?

[Lisa Shock]

A little whisper of cracked black pepper on the top of the shortbread before baking might be interesting. (same flavors as we see in pepper-crusted steak with a cherry/berry sauce) The chocolate drizzle is always welcome. Caramel complements the flavors, but, I'd be wary of adding too many additional flavors, and maybe it might be too much -the shortbread itself has a little caramel flavor going for it anyway. I'd say go with a dried cherry garnish and call it a day.