Food and drink pairings with fudge | Washington State Magazine (2024)
Fresh fruit is always a winner. I love anything in season when it’s flavor is at it’s peak. Other than that, any kind of fruit works great; strawberries, raspberries, blueberries and pineapple are a few of my favorites.
Red Wine!! Any full-bodied red will do. Favorites are so subjective. Two Washington Syrahs that work are “Haystack Needle” or “Lick my Lips”. Another fun pairing is an Italian Negroamaro by Palama. It has fabulous notes of spice like cassis and pepper, also dark cherry and plum. Amazing with chocolate!!
Bread!! Think… pain au chocolat… Yum!! The simple version is to let the fudge sit at room temperature and then spread inside a fresh croissant. Delish! The blow-your-dinner-guests-away version is to spread truffle cream onto a slice of brioche or challah. Top with slices of fudge. Add another slice of bread and grill… omg!!
Aged Balsamic Vinegar… yes!! The two I tried were a 15-year old by Campari and a 12-year old by Acetaia called, “Cherry Gold”. It was like a chocolate covered cherry that just hit the lottery, creamy chocolate with deep cherry flavor, an unbelievable pairing and oh, so chic!!
Tawny Port. This has to be one of my favorites. A Ruby Port will work too if you prefer something sweeter. I prefer the deeper, caramel tones in a tawny.
As with any pairing, I suggest the European method… Take a bite of fudge and let it warm on your tongue. Just as you taste it on the roof of your mouth take a bite (or drink) of whatever you are pairing. Let the two flavors blend together on your tongue. Swallow. Swoon. Repeat.
One final note… at a 4th of July party last year, one of my friends made s’mores using Fat Cat Fudge as the chocolate. I’m just saying!!!
Beaujolais, Cabernet Sauvigon, Bordeaux, Merlot, and Zinfandel are very good wines to pair with a dark chocolate fudge. The sweeter the fudge, the sweeter your wine choice should be. Always pair a milk chocolate fudge with a sweeter wine or the wine may taste too tart.
Add a simple wooden or paper stick, some transparent gauze wrapping, a bow and a creative label to any piece of fudge, and you've now got something that looks more like an expensive candy apple than a humble square of fudge.
While you shouldn't mix the fudge mixture when it's hot, you should beat the mixture once it has been removed from the heat and cooled. Once again, turn to your candy thermometer.
While beating by hand is the traditional method, you can use an electric mixer if you have one. Fit the mixer with the paddle attachment and turn it on medium. Beat it just until it starts to thicken and lose its gloss. It is easy to overbeat fudge with a mixer, so watch it carefully and check it after every minute.
According to Megan Giller, author of a forthcoming book about American chocolate, barrel-aged spirits like whiskey or aged rum echo the natural vanilla and caramel richness found in many chocolates. Lighter spirits like gin can help bright fruit flavors really pop, she says.
Champagne cuts the sweetness of the dessert and cleanses the palate. Serve the lemon bar chilled with a side of fresh berries and sprinkled with fresh powdered sugar over the bar and plate. Chilled Champagne with a strawberry perfects this pairing.
One of our go-to chocolate-heavy desserts is brownies! When pairing brownies with wine, I recommend sticking to dry red wines like Merlot or even a Cabernet Sauvignon. Dry red wines will accentuate the chocolatey flavors and withstand their sweetness.
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Introduction: My name is Madonna Wisozk, I am a attractive, healthy, thoughtful, faithful, open, vivacious, zany person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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