I made this one on a quiet evening and paired it with McClain Cellars' wonderful port. The verdict, in a word: delish. It is a rich, silky chocolate tart in a buttery cocoa-pastry shell, topped with a glossy port wine reduction. The intense dark chocolate provides deep cocoa flavors that meld beautifully with the sweet wine reduction, and a scatter of fresh berries with a dollop of whipped cream completes an elegant finale.
1 Pairing Notes
The red blend's dark fruit characteristics and subtle spice notes create an unexpected but delightful pairing with rich dark chocolate. The wine's natural sweetness and full body can stand up to the dessert's intensity, while the port reduction folded into the tart creates a flavor echo — the glass and the plate answering one another. With McClain Cellars' port alongside, that echo turns into a full conversation.
2 Ingredients
For the cocoa pastry shell
- 1.5 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup cocoa powder
- 1/2 cup butter, cold
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 egg yolk
For the chocolate filling and port reduction
- 8 oz dark chocolate, 70%
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 3 egg yolks
- 1/2 cup port wine
- 2 tbsp honey
- 1 cup mixed berries
3 The Full Recipe
This is a short summary of a recipe I found over at McClain Cellars — the same folks behind the port I poured with it. For the complete method, quantities, and their notes, head to their wine-pairing recipe collection: