Blueberry Port Wine Brownies

 

My last post was Guinness Extra Stout Brownies, however, as I mentioned maybe 100 times, I don't like beer!  So, while the Stout Brownies were extremely rich and chocolately, at the end of day, I could still detect the taste of beer!  Which brings me to my next thought...Port Wine Brownies!  Now, that's something I can get behind!

I'm not a great lover of wine, and certainly no expert when it comes to it's finer points.  In fact, my husband and I visited Sonoma Valley this past fall and traveled the wine trail.  It it took us three days to sip a drop of wine.  We are vodka people.  Sonoma is spectacular, picture perfect, and home to some amazing restaurants, but I'll take a nice French Martini over a glass of wine any day.  So, yeah, I don't know a good wine from a bad one, but I do know I love Blueberry port wine.

I know it's a contradiction, but I really enjoy visiting wineries.  I love the smells and organized rows of grapes going on and on as far as you can see.  I'm fortunate enough to live near some wonderful little wineries on Long Island and I enjoy taking guests out for a lazy day of lunch and tastings.

Most people are surprised there are so many to tour so close to NYC, and equally surprised the wines are not half bad!  My favorite winery is Duck Walk, home to my beloved Blueberry Port Wine, a wonderful dessert wine that pairs excellently with dark chocolate.  Naturally, I decided to experiment with combining the two.  Brownies.  Yeah!

Blueberry Port Wine Brownies

adapted from Dying For Chocolate

1 cup Blueberry Port Wine

3/4 cup butter

4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped

1 1/2 cups sugar

3 eggs

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 cup all-purpose flour

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees
• Grease bottom of 9x13 inch pan
• In a small saucepan, simmer port wine until it's reduced to 1/4 cup
• Pour into large bowl and set aside
• On top of a double boiler (or heatproof glass bowl placed over a pot of boiling water) melt butter and chocolate.
• Pour into wine and whisk until smooth

• In double boiler, whisk together eggs, sugar and vanilla.  Whisk until very light and thick.
• Pour into chocolate mixture and which until combined and smooth.

• Add flour and mix until combined. 

• Pour batter into greased pan.  Add walnuts if desired.

I added walnuts to 1/2 of the batter

• Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out almost clean.  The original recipe said to bake for 40-45 minutes, but mine were done much sooner, so check while baking.

• While brownies are cooling, prepare the port wine ganache:

6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, chocolate

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature

2 tablespoons whipping cream

2 tablespoons Blueberry Port Wine

• Whisk all ingredients in small saucepan over medium low heat until combined and smooth.

• Pour ganache over brownies, let set until chocolate sets.

I wanted to try the brownies both with and without the ganache, so I poured it over half  of the brownies.  After taste testing, I preferred the ganache covered brownies.  They were richer and more chocolately with the coating.  The 1/2 with the walnuts did not cut very well into squares, even though they were completely cooled.  They were tasty, just crumbly.  The ganache half cut nicely.

I could taste a hint of the port, but it's not overwhelming by any means.  Two taste testers agreed.  I really liked them, however, what I really love in Duncan Hines Dark Chocolate Brownies.  In every comparison, boxed brownies are the winner for me!  If you like to experiment with different brownie recipes, I definitely recommend this one.  You can substitute red wine for port and they will be just as tasty!

Let's Get Irish - Guinness Extra Stout Brownies!

St. Patrick's Day is coming and I'm excited to do some Irish inspired baking!  I saw this recipe a few months ago and have been wanting to make it.  I'm not a fan of beer at all, but this just sounded and looked too good!  After all, I'm not one to discriminate against any type of Brownie...

So, all you need is some of this:

And some of that:

And you'll be ready to go!

I first saw this recipe here and was immediately intrigued.  I SO loved the champagne flavor in my Bellini Cupcakes and thought there really could be something to a chocolate and beer combination.  After all, there's a cupcake shop in Manhattan that specializes in beer and wine pairings with cupcakes.  It's called Sweet Revenge and it's genius!  My friends and I had a fantastic time eating and drinking, but I didn't indulge in beer, 'cause as I said, I don't like it.  But why not give beer a try with brownies?

Guinness Stout Brownies

recipe by Blondie's Cakes and Things

1 cup all-purpose flour

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa

1/4 teaspoon salt

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into cubes

8 ounces dark bittersweet chocolate, chopped

3/4 cup white chocolate

4 large eggs, room temperature

1 cup sugar

2 bottles Guinness Extra Stout beer

3/4 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

• Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.  Line a 9x13 inch pan with non-stick or regular foil, lightly greased. 

•  Pour both bottles of beer into a medium sauce pan and simmer down until it's reduced to 1 1/4 cups.  Leave beer on the side to cool down.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa and salt until combined.  Put to the side.
• Use a double boiler to melt butter, the chocolate and white chips over very low heat.  If you do not have a double boiler, place a heat-proof bowl over a pot of boiling water.  Place chocolate and butter in bowl and stir until melted, stirring constantly.  Remove from heat and put to the side.

In a separate, large mixing bowl beat eggs and sugar on high speed until light and fluffy (approximately 3 minutes).  Add melted chocolate mixture and beat until combined.

• Beat the flour mixture into the melted chocolate mixture.  Whisk in the reduced beer and vanilla.  The batter will seem thin, which is fine.  

• Sprinkle mini chocolate chips on top of the batter.

• Pour batter into prepared 9x13 pan and place in oven on center rack for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out almost clean.

• Let brownies cool completely, uncovered.  Sprinkle powdered sugar on brownies if desired.

Voila! Guinness Extra Stout Beer Brownies...chocolatey goodness.  They are not overly sweet, and the texture is very dense, which I love.  I would really like them if I couldn't detect the taste of beer (which, I realize, is the actual point of this recipe!).  Even still, I would recommend them. I baked these as a trial run for the upcoming fundraiser I'm contributing treats to.  My two beer-appreciating taste testers said these are an unqualified success and will be a big hit.  I think they will be, too.  Cheers!