It’s already mid-February! I had the best intention to get this blog out last week. However, it wasn’t a case of procrastination, a characteristic I’m often guilty of. I had a writing deadline, and we are gearing up for the quarterly spring club shipment. BUT, I have continued to work on the February food pairing.
So, which direction did I want to go this month? Most people think about chocolate and wine pairings in February. (We are actually offering one in the tasting room all month long.) TRITE! BORING! UNORIGINAL!
So, I looked for an interesting option. And here it is: Flourless Chocolate Cake. Hey, don’t mess with tradition OR chocolate! Besides, it pairs perfectly with the Westcave wine of the month—the 2017 High Plains Malbec.
More About Malbec
Malbec is a French varietal, commonly called Côt, meaning “coast” in English. It is one of the original varieties grown in France. In the past, Malbec was considered an inferior grape and used primarily for blending. The cool climate made it difficult to fully ripen. A Frenchman living in Argentina, missing his beloved wine, planted Malbec in his new country. The sunny days and cool nights were ideal growing conditions for the grape. Today, Malbec is THE grape of Argentina, with 75% of vineyards producing it.
Malbec grapes are smaller and have a thick skin. So, the ratio of pulp to skin and seeds is greater. These factors contribute to a wine that has a darker color and more pronounced tannins. Malbec has jammy notes of cherries and plums with hints of spice and chocolate. (A-HAH, that’s part of the reason for a chocolate recipe!)
Malbec Wines At Westcave
We offer two Malbecs in the tasting room: a 2018 Estate and 2017 High Plains. They are totally different wines. Allan, a former ops manager, likes to have a second source for the Estate wines. He crafts the Estate wines to be bigger, bolder, and more complex. These wines are definitely to be enjoyed with food. The other wines are often more fruity, softer on tannins, and don’t necessarily need food to be enjoyed.
Now, let’s focus on the Westcave 2017 High Plains Malbec. Grown in Thomas Acres vineyard on the High Plains, this wine has a deep garnet color. The nose offers plum, black currant, and cassis aromas. It brings flavors of ripe cherries, succulent plums, with hints of chocolate and coffee. This Malbec has a spark of spice on the finish. As wine of the month, we are offering a case (12 bottles) special of 30% off online and in the tasting room.
The First Two Recipe Tests
While red wines pair with all kinds of meats, Malbec is best served with leaner cuts. Blue cheese is also a great partner to Malbec. In fact, at one of the club pick-up parties, we offered the 2017 Malbec alongside a bison meatball (with a nice sprinkle of black pepper). It rested on a blue cheese smear. YUM!
I had fun researching the February recipes. Allan didn’t seem to mind, either. I tried a Mexican Hot Chocolate cake first. The recipe called for cayenne pepper. I thought the spice would highlight the spice in the Malbec. I poured two glasses of Malbec and cut into the cake. The Malbec was delicious! Now for the pairing. YIKES! The spice was really aggressive. The whole cake went into the trash can. At least we had the wine…
Next up, truffles. They can be rolled in different coatings, which could be selected based on the flavors in the wine. I made some with cocoa alone and others with cocoa mixed with ground coffee. The truffles were a very tasty pairing, especially since I incorporated the wine. After sitting in the fridge several days, the cocoa coating got crisp. That really changed the texture. Allan assured me that he would have no problem eating all the truffles in one night if I made the recipe again. I set that recipe aside.
On to Recipe Three: THE Flourless Chocolate Cake!
This recipe is simple and, quite honestly, so very decadent. Pairing the cake with the Malbec increases the intensity of the chocolate flavors in the wine and smooths out the tannins. The flourless chocolate cake was the winner! But a word of advice—after you open the bag of chocolate chips, hide them until you are ready to make the ganache. Some people just help themselves to the remaining chips, which results in less gooey goodness on top of the cake!
Finally, thank you to all who made the January recipe, Pasta Y Fagioli! I loved receiving the photos and comments. If you try the flourless chocolate cake, be sure to let me know.
Cheers!
Margaret | Owner
Flourless Chocolate Cake
Servings: 12
Cake
1/2 c salted butter
1 c high-quality semisweet chocolate chips
3/4 c granulated sugar
3 T Westcave 2017 Malbec wine, room temperature
3 large eggs, beaten
1/2 c unsweetened cocoa powder
Ganache
1 c semisweet chocolate chips
2 T Westcave 2017 Malbec wine, room temperature
1/3 c heavy whipping cream
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a round 8” or 9” pan with parchment paper and spray with nonstick spray. Set aside.
- Place the chips and butter in a glass mixing bowl. Microwave in 30-second intervals, mixing in between, until the ingredients are melted and smooth.
- Add the sugar and wine. Whisk until smooth.
- Stir in the eggs.
- Stir in the cocoa powder until just blended. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl to make sure all is mixed together. Don’t over stir.
- Pour the batter into the pan, spreading evenly. Bake for 25 min. or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 min. Run a knife around the edge. Using 2 cake plates, invert the pan onto one plate. Immediately, flip it back to the second plate so the cake is right side up. Let cool completely.
For the ganache
- Place the chips and wine in a small mixing bowl.
- Heat the cream in the microwave until just simmering, about 4 min.
- Pour the cream over the chips and let stand 2 minutes. Stir until smooth and pour over the cake.
NOTES
- Vanilla can be substituted for the wine.
- I used Guittard chips in this recipe. Guittard is known to have a deep chocolate taste (not overly sweet) and a creamy texture.
- I used Dutch-processed cocoa to add an even deeper chocolate flavor to the cake. (I sound like I’m a paid influencer. YIKES!)
- It’s a trick to flip the cake two times. I made the recipe twice and had difficulty centering the cake on the second plate on each attempt. So, have two spatulas handy to help maneuver the cake. This cake is really moist, so it’s easy to press broken pieces back on. If all else fails, cover the entire cake with the ganache!
- This is a VERY rich cake. Thin slices are recommended.
