Wine and dessert pairings are a great way to round off a meal or party. They also add a textural nuance to your palate.
When choosing a dessert wine, consider its acidity, intensity and sweetness. This will help you to pair it with the right dessert.
Caramel and Toffee
Caramel is a sweet, amber-hued confection made by heating sugar until it caramelizes. During this process, sucrose breaks down into glucose and fructose, creating an array of aromatic compounds that deepen the sugar’s flavor.
Caramel can be paired with a variety of desserts, and while it’s often used in sweet recipes like cakes, cookies, and frostings, it also works well in more salty applications. It can also be used to flavor other desserts, such as ice cream and fruit.
Toffee is similar to caramel, but it has a different final cooking temperature and is typically made with a mix of butter and sugar. In order to achieve the crunchy texture that toffee is known for, it needs to be cooked at a higher temperature than caramel.
A candy thermometer should be used to ensure the sugar is heated to 300 degrees Fahrenheit, which is when it should turn from a liquid into a hard, chewy substance. This is a key distinction between the two candies.
It’s also important to note that caramel is made using a mixture of water and sugar, whereas toffee is usually made with a combination of sugar and butter. Because of this, caramel is able to take on a richer and more decadent texture than toffee.
This can be especially true of chocolate-based caramels that have been infused with a variety of flavors, like chocolate, peanut butter, and bacon. A wine such as a Hungarian Tokaji, or a dry Oloroso Sherry can pair with these treats very nicely.
These wines have a complex, rich character that can complement the sweetness of caramel and toffee. Alternatively, you can try a wine with less sugar and more acidity to balance the sweetness of these two indulgences.
Another option is to add a bit of milk to your caramels, which can help to smooth out their texture and make them easier to chew. This can be done by adding a small amount of milk to the sugar mixture, or by adding a bit of milk to the caramel after it has already been cooked.
Nuts
Nuts can be a fun addition to your dessert menu, especially when you know how to pair them with wine. This is because the fat of nuts can help draw out additional flavors in your wine, which can really change the way that it tastes.
For example, roasted walnuts go well with a bold red like Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, or Merlot. This is because the nutty flavors of the walnuts will complement these wines and create a wonderful pairing.
Pecans are another nut that goes well with red wines. This is because they have delicate flavors that match the noble grape beautifully.
Hazelnuts are also another nut that can be paired with red wines. They have a nice balance of sweet and salty flavors, so they will compliment a red wine that is rich in aromas and flavor.
Pistachios can be paired with a light and zesty white wine, such as Sancerre, Pinot Grigio, or Albarino. This will allow the light and zesty taste of the wine to bring out the nutty undertones in the pistachios, and visa versa.
Almonds and Cashews are another type of nut that can be paired with wine. This is because they have a nice balance of nutty and buttery flavors, and they will enhance the flavor of a sparkling wine.
This is because the fat in almonds and cashews can help draw out additional flavors in your wine, so they will complement a sparkling wine that is rich in aromas and flavor.
You can also pair pistachios with a summer wine. This will allow the nutty taste of the pistachios to be brought out by a light and zesty wine, such as a Gewurztraminer, Malvasia Bianca, or even a Pinot Grigio.
When it comes to pairing wine with nuts, the most important thing is to pick a nut that is similar in flavor and texture to the wine you are drinking. This will ensure that your taste buds will get a complete and satisfying experience.
Aside from that, it is a good idea to try the wine and nut together for a few minutes before you decide on the perfect pairing. This will help you to decide if you truly enjoy it or not. If you do not enjoy it, you can always try a different wine or pair with a different nut.
Fruit
If you enjoy wine and dessert, you can try pairing your favorite wines with fresh fruit to create a wholesome treat that is also delicious. Just be sure to choose fruit that is high in antioxidants and nutrient content, such as berries, grapes, and fruits like apples and pears.
While most people associate food and wine pairing with formal dinners, it is possible to pair fruit with wine at home or on a casual day. Just follow the same rules that you would use for wine and meat, such as paying attention to sweetness, acidity, and robustness and pairing a milder fruit with a light wine or a heavy fruit with a sweeter wine.
For example, a sweeter red wine, such as Malbec, pairs well with fresh strawberries or raspberries. The fruit’s sweetness and the spiciness of the wine balance each other to make for a perfect pairing.
On the other hand, a richer red wine, such as Cabernet Sauvignon, pairs well with plums or cherries. The fruit’s sweetness and the tannic acid in the wine complement each other to produce a flavorful combination that is sure to delight your taste buds.
Another fruit that pairs well with wine is pomegranate. The intensely flavored fruit goes well with both sweeter and savory wines, such as white Riesling or a dry, fruity Gewurztraminer.
Other fruits that go well with wine include peaches, pears, and figs. These fruits are known for their high levels of fiber and antioxidants, which make them a healthy addition to any meal.
If you are on a diet, a serving of pomegranate is an excellent way to satisfy your cravings while still remaining healthy and enjoying the flavors of fruit. This delicious snack will wake up your taste buds and impress your friends, so be sure to try it soon!
Besides fruit, other types of food can be paired with wine as well. For example, cheeses and charcuterie boards are often served with grapes or other fruits as a complement. This is a great way to add variety and flavor to your dining experience, and it can be an enjoyable, low-stress way to spend time with friends or family.
Spices
When paired with a dish, wine has the ability to create a harmonious symphony on your taste buds and enhance the flavour of a dessert. The key to a successful pairing is to choose a style of wine that complements the spices in your dish.
Herbs and spices are an integral part of most dishes, bringing an extra element of flavor that is hard to miss. They can be delicate, almost like a bouquet of flowers in their softness, or powerful, with strong herbaceous notes.
Fresh herbs go well with dry wines, especially aromatic whites that have herbaceous overtones. Avoid reds with too much punch as they can overpower the flavour of the herbs.
Spicy and hot spices are the most challenging to pair with wine, but they do not have to be impossible to enjoy. Using the tips in this guide will help you find the perfect wine pairing for any spice.
For example, a spicy, herbal herb like star anise is a great match for a Pinot noir and soy-glazed chicken. This is because both the peppery, citrus aromas of Barbera and the star anise are complimentary to each other.
Cinnamon is also a great spice to pair with a red like Zinfandel. This juicy, fruity grape variety has rich cherry and raspberry flavours that work with the sweet pepper and nutty aromas of cinnamon.
Another example is a smoky red with notes of spicy clove or nutmeg, like Tempranillo. These wines display tobacco and leather flavours that work very well with the paprika, cayenne pepper and red bell pepper flavors in a spiced dish.
If you are going to serve this spice with a savoury dish, try pairing it with a crimson red like Carmenere. This deep crimson wine is complex and pairs beautifully with food that has been seasoned with pungent herbs like oregano.
If you are serving a rich dessert, like this chocolate ganache, it is important to choose a wine that matches the intensity of the dessert. A lighter dessert will be overpowered by a heavier one like a Pedro Ximenez sherry, while a darker dessert will go well with a sweeter sherry.