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For a great way to enjoy the festive season before making your New Year’s resolutions about getting into shape and losing the Christmas kilos, try some of these delicious puddings made with wine. These delicious recipes will ensure an unforgettable traditional Christmas meal as it’s all about indulgent decadence.
It’s important to remember that not only is wine the key ingredient in these recipes, but you also have to pair your puddings with the right wine. A good rule of thumb is to ensure that the wine is sweeter than the dessert it will be accompanying. If you have a tart pudding, try an acidic wine to bring out the flavour.
Fruit and wine: Fresh fruit simmered in wine
Ingredients:
· Fresh fruit (pitted cherries, sliced strawberries, blueberries etc)
· Red wine - try: Kumkani Pinotage www.kumkani.com
· cinnamon sticks and cloves in cheesecloth sack
· sugar to taste
Method:
In a large pot, cover the fruit with the wine. Bring to the boil, the reduce heat to low simmer. Add the spices. Continues to simmer until fruit becomes slightly tender. Remove spices and serve warm or refrigerate overnight, then remove spices and serve cold. Sprinkle sugar on top to sweeten and taste for something decorative add sugar syrup to the plate and serve with wafer biscuit.
Blanched Almonds
Ingredients:
· Finely ground almonds
· powdered ginger spice
· sugar
· salt to taste
· pastry dough
· oil
· honey
· a slightly sweet white wine - try: Arniston Bay Reserve Chenin Blanc www.arniston-bay.com
Method:
Mix almonds with sugar, ginger, and a little salt - this should be a sweet, slightly spicy blend. Roll out the pastry dough. cut out circles of dough, placing filling in the middle, and folding into a half-circle make sure the edges of the pastries are securely sealed.
Fry the pastries in hot oil until lightly browned; remove from oil and let drain.
In a pot, bring the honey to a soft boil, and then reduce heat. Skim off the residue as it rises. Add just enough wine to make a thick sauce. Thoroughly coat the pastries in the wine sauce, and then place on a baking sheet. Bake in a hot oven for several minutes. The pastries may be basted with additional sauce during baking or immediately afterward.
Serve with a dollop of cream.
Wine bread pudding
An update on the classic bread pudding
Ingredients:
· Macaroons
· sponge cake
· 500ml white wine - try: Welmoed Heydens Courage White www.welmoed.co.za
· 1 teaspoon cornstarch
· 3 egg yolks
· 3 teaspoons of sugar
· 3 egg whites
· ½ cup of chopped walnuts
Method:
Place sponge cake into an ovenproof dish (½ full). Add a few macaroons; heat the wine in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Mix the cornstarch and sugar together and slowly add the wine. Beat the yolks of eggs and add to wine mixture. Cook for about 2 minutes. Pour over the cake and let cool. When its cool cover with the stiffly beaten egg whites and sprinkle with chopped nuts. Bake at 180ºC for 5 minutes until golden brown. Serve cold.
Wine prices:
Welmoed Heydens Courage White = R38.99 per bottle
Arniston Bay Reserve Chenin Blanc = R46.99 per bottle
Kumkani Pinotage = R66.99 per bottle
All wines available at Checkers.
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