Wednesday, March 9, 2011

Chocolate covered strawberries with vanilla bean-infused red wine syrup


I was here (for 7 hours!) waiting for the guys from the cable company to come and change my phone service and internet.  So frustrating!.... and I couldn't leave to go to the grocery store.  I ended up eating leftovers but still craved the act of "creating" something.  This is where that endeavor led me...

Ingredients:
1/2 cup      red wine
1/4 cup      granulated sugar
1 large       vanilla bean
                 fresh strawberries, whole
2 blocks     chocolate candy coating
1 block      "white" chocolate candy coating

Notes
  • I used the madagascar vanilla beans, which are reportedly the sweetest and most pungent.
  • The wine I used was a Napa Valley Claret, but any light to medium body wine would be fine.  By the time the syrup has reduced, the alcohol is gone.
  • This probably only makes enough syrup for two people.. but then again, it looks like something that you might serve for an intimate dinner for two!
Method:
  • Red wine and sugar to a small saucepan and heat over medium heat; stirring until sugar is melted.
  • Split a vanilla bean lengthwise with a sharp knife and scrape out the vanilla specks.  Add the vanilla specks and the whole pod into the wine.
  • Let the wine simmer or at most a light rolling boil for several minutes until the syrup reduces.  It should get to the point where it will coat a spoon.... and will taste yummy!
  • While syrup is cooking, melt the chocolate coating in a microwave safe bowl for 35 seconds at a time, stirring after each time.  After it melts, dip the strawberries and let them dry on wax paper.
  • Make the "white" chocolate curls by using a vegetable peeler along the edge of the candy block.  Use the tines of a fork or a toothpick to lift curls, as they are very fragile.
  • Spoon some of the wine syrup on a plate and top with strawberries.  Garnish with an additional drizzle of syrup and white chocolate curls.
  • Serve immediately as syrup will really get thick pretty quickly.

2 comments:

  1. Looks great! What type of "chocolate coating" did you use or do you recommend? Like the chocolate melts you can buy from Michaels? Thanks!

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    Replies
    1. Camille - I think on that day, I used the chocolate flavored "almond bark." Who ever named it that, anyway? LOL But it works great, is not a finicky as chocolate to work with, and makes a nice shell that doesn't soften at room temp.
      Julie

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