Strawberry Cupcake

Strawberry Wine Cupcakes

Strawberry Cupcake

Recipe Date: July 4th, 2020
Difficulty: Easy
Measurements: Imperial (US)

Strawberry Rosé Wine Cupcakes Recipe

From Pastry Tales

Our friends from Pastry Tales bless us with another amazing dessert recipe. These strawberry cupcakes feature our fan favorite La Fantasia, an ideal match for the Frizzante-Style Rose. These soft vanilla cupcakes are filled with a homemade wine strawberry curd and topped with a delicious wine strawberry whipped cream frosting.

Ingredients

For the vanilla cupcakes

1 and 1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1 and 1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature. Do not use oil. Oil will make your cupcakes greasy and dense.

1 cup white granulated sugar

2 large eggs, room temperature

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/2 cup Greek yogurt (plain)

For the strawberry wine curd

1 lb of fresh strawberries, chopped in small pieces

1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter

3/4 cup white granulated sugar

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1/2 cup La Fantasia wine (or any other pink sweet wine)

4 egg yolks

For the frosting

1 cup heavy whipping cream cream

1/2-2/3 cup cup powdered sugar (it’s up to you how sweet you want the frosting to be)

1/4 cup La Fantasia wine (or any other sweet pink wine)

1/2 cup strawberry puree (puree them in a blender)

For the sugar coated strawberries

14 small/medium size fresh strawberries. Please use ripe strawberries BUT NOT SOFT.

1/2 cup La Fantasia wine (or any other sweet pink wine)

1/2 cup white granulated sugar

Instructions

For the curd

1.- Place wine strawberries, wine and ¼ cup of sugar in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil on medium high heat cook for 10 minutes, until the fruit is broken down. You can use a potato mash to break down the strawberries too. Pass the mixture through a sieve and allow to cool for about 5 minutes. We are using a sieve so we can catch all the little seeds or thick skin that didn’t cook.

2.- While the strawberries are cooling, make the egg mixture : In a small saucepan, whisk the egg yolks, butter, cornstarch and remaining sugar. Pour in strawberry mixture and place on medium heat stirring constantly. Allow to cook, continually stirring, until thickened to a custard-like consistency then remove from heat. Pass this mixture through a sieve and allow to cool it completely to room temperature. Place it in the fridge for about 2 hours or more. We are using a sieve here again because we want to catch any leftover yok that did not cook very well.

-Your filling/curd is done, now let’s make the sugar coated strawberries-

 

For the sugar coated strawberries

1.- Wash your strawberries, dry them with paper towel. Place strawberries in a shallow container and cover them with 1/2 cup of La Fantasia or any other sweet rose wine. Cover the container with plastic wrap or lid and refrigerate for 1 hour or 1 hour and a half.

2.- Drain strawberries and lightly dry them. If you want, you can reserve the liquid so you use it for the frosting. Place them on the top of a small baking sheet or shallow dish and roll them in the white granulated sugar. Place them the baking sheet/dish in the freezer until ready to use. Do not leave your strawberries at room temperature because the sugar can melt.

-Your sugar strawberries are done, now let’s make the vanilla cupcakes-

For the cupcakes

1.- Preheat oven to 350 F. Line a regular size muffin pan with cupcake liners. Set aside.

2.- In a small bowl mix flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

3.- In a big bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter for 2 minutes. Then, add sugar slowly and mix in medium speed for 3 minutes until light and fluffy. Add eggs one by one mixing well after each addition.

4.- Add in vanilla. Mix. Add in yogurt. Mix for 1 minute.

5.- Add in dry ingredients and mix in low speed until you don’t see any leftover flour. Be careful to not over mix the batter.

6.- Fill your cupcake liners just until 1/2 full, I like to use an ice cream scoop, it works great. Bake for 20 minutes aprox. or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cupcake comes out clean or with a few dry crumbs.

7.- Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Then, transfer the cupcakes to a cooking rack to cool completly.

-Cupcakes are done, wait till they are all cooled off and then start with the frosting-

Please Note

When the cupcakes are all cooled off, using a pairing knife cut the centers so you can fill them with the curd . You should make all this before you start making the frosting. Begin by cutting a small circle on the top , cutting about 2/3 down into the thickness of the cupcake. Be sure to not cut all the way down and take out the core.

Then, fill that hole with the strawberry curd. Just use a small spoon. You won’t need to cover the top of the hole with some of the core you took off. But if you want to, you can do it.

For the frosting

For the frosting you have 2 options: Use fresh strawberry puree or you can cook down the strawberries to get rid of some of the moisture so your frosting is not too runny. If you decide to cook down the strawberries, follow the directions since number 1 otherwise jump to number 3. I decided to cook down the strawberries and my frosting was better than using just fresh strawberries.

1.- Place your strawberries in a blender and puree until creamy. Pass this mixture through a sieve so you can discard the seeeds.

2.- Add the strawberry puree to a small saucepan and cook over medium heat. Bring it to a boil and continue cooking to reduce it to 1/4 cup. This will take you about 15 minutes. When your mixture has reduced and thickened pour it into a small container and let it cool, you can place it in the fridge to cool it faster.

3-. When cooled, add the strawberry mixture, heavy whipping cream and powdered sugar to a large mixer bowl. For the first minute whip in low speed. Add wine (or some of the liquid you reserve from the sugar coated strawberries) and mix on medium speed for 2 minutes and then high speed until the mixture holds nice peaks. Place this mixture in the fridge until you are ready to frost.

4.- Using a piping bag and a tip (I used Wilton 1 M), frost your cupcakes. Place one sugar coated strawberry on the top.

Remember – Keep your sugar coated strawberries in the freezer until ready to serve. These strawberry rosé wine cupcakes are the best the same day or the day after that you make them.

 

Enjoy and cheers!


Related Products – La Fantasia



Cherry Cake

Red Wine Chocolate Cherry Cake

Cherry Cake

Recipe Date: July 3rd, 2020
Difficulty: Easy
Measurements: Imperial (US)

Red Wine Chocolate Cherry Cake

From Pastry Tales

With Cherry season in full swing, our favorite collaborator at Pastry Tales had a special recipe in mind. If you love wine & chocolate, you are sure to love the recipe. The chocolate cake creates an ideal match for fresh cherries. The cake is highlighted by our 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley.

Ingredients

For the cake

1 and 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1/3 cup dark cocoa powder

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

3/4 cup white granulated sugar

2 eggs, room temperature

1/3 cup vegetable oil

3/4 cup red wine. I used Cabernet Sauvingon

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups fresh cherries. Sliced and pitted.

For the ganache/icing:

3 ounces semi sweet chocolate, chopped into small pieces. If you don’t have baking chocolate, you can use chocolate chips.

1 tablespoons light corn syrup

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/4 cup powdered sugar, sifted

2 tablespoons red wine. I used Cabernet Sauvignon

Instructions

For the cake

Preheat oven to 350 F. Butter and flour your baking pan. Line the bottom of your pan with parchment paper.

1.- In a mixing bowl add flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, cocoa powder and sugar. Mix. Set aside.

2.- In a smaller bowl mix eggs, oil, vanilla extract, wine. Mix well.

3.- Using a mixer in low speed, add the wet ingredients into dry ingredients and mix until everything is combined. Do not overmix.

4.- Using a spatula fold in cherries.

5.- Pour the cake batter into your prepared pan.

6.- Bake for about 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. If you notice the top of your cake is all baked but the inside isn’t ready yet, just cover the top with a piece of foil and keep baking until it’s done.

For the glaze

1.- In a heat-proof bowl mix the chocolate, light corn syrup and butter. Place this bowl in the microwave and heat it up medium heat for about 40 seconds. Take the bowl out of the microwave, stir well and do another 40 seconds. Mix well until everything is well combined and chocolate is melted. Be careful to not overheat the chocolate because it can burn.

2.- Place this bowl on a cooling rack and let it cool completely. It will thicken more when it cools off.

Enjoy and cheers!


Related Products – Cabernet Sauvignon



Castello di Amorosa Dessert Recipe

Red Wine Pear Chocolate Cake

Castello di Amorosa Dessert Recipe

Recipe Date: July 1st, 2020
Difficulty: Easy
Measurements: Imperial (US)

Red Wine Pear Chocolate Cake

From Pastry Tales

Ingredients

For the bundt cake

1 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

1/4 cup light brown sugar

3/4 cup white granulated sugar

3 large eggs, room temperature

2 teaspoons vanlla extract

2 1/4 cups all purpose flour

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup yogurt or sour cream

3/4 cup wine, I chose to use Zinfandel

1-2 cans pears, you should cut each half of pear in 2 slices. You should decide how much pears you add in your cake. I used 1 can and I think I could have used more.

For the glaze:

1 3/4 cups powdered sugar, sifted

red wine, I used Zinfandel

For decoration:

Chopped chocolate. I used Brix chocolate for wine.

Instructions

For the cake

1.- Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease Bundt pan and set aside.

2.- In a bowl, sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Set aside.

3.- In a bowl of a stand up mixer and with the paddle attachment, mix butter, white sugar and brown sugar, for about 4 minutes. Add eggs, one by one mixing well after each addition. Add in vanilla extract.

4.- Incorporate half of the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, then add yogurt and wine, mixing it carefully. Then, add the rest of the dry ingredients.

5.-Pour half of the batter into prepared pan. Take the pears and put them on the top of the batter. Add the other half of the batter.

6.-Bake for about 45  minutes, or until a knife inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool completely.

For the glaze

1.- In a small bowl, add some wine into the sifted powdered sugar and mix it until it becomes a thick glaze.

2.- Decorate the cake with glaze and sprinkle chopped chocolate before the glaze sets.

Enjoy and cheers!


Related Products – Old Vine Zinfandel



Fritatta

Recipe Date: March 2nd, 2020
Difficulty: Easy
Serving Size: 4
Cook Time: 00:15
Measurements: Imperial (US)

Easy Breakfast Frittata

Ingredients

A Frittata can be made with an assortment of ingredients; mushrooms, broccoli, cauliflower, or zucchini. For a heartier main course preparation, ground sausage, bacon or potatoes can be included. To make a frittata, beaten eggs are cooked briefly in a hot skillet along with other ingredients like onions, spinach, bacon and/or potatoes, and then topped with cheese and finished in the oven.

The Castello provided the bounty for this frittata. The royal chickens supplied the organic free range eggs. From the castle garden; zucchini, red and yellow pepper and serrano chili peppers.

Directions

♦ In medium size bowl, using a fork, blend together 4 – 6 eggs, grated Parmesan, 1/2 tsp pepper, and 1/4 tsp salt.

♦ Heat 12-inch non-stick, oven safe saute pan over medium high heat.

♦ Add butter to pan and melt. Add frittata contents. Pour egg mixture into pan and stir with rubber spatula.

♦ Cook for 4 to 5 minutes or until the egg mixture has set on the bottom and begins to set up on top.

♦ Sprinkle with parsley and additional grated parm.

♦ Place pan into oven and broil for 3 to 4 minutes, until lightly browned and fluffy.


Related Products – Gioia



Balsamic Vinegar Reduction

Recipe Date: February 27th, 2020
Difficulty: Easy
Serving Size: 2
Cook Time: 01:00:00
Measurements: Imperial (US)

Balsamic Vinegar Reduction Recipe

The dictionary defines reduction as the act or process of reducing. This is concise and fairly straightforward. In the kitchen, reductions are equally concise and straightforward. Reducing is simply the process of thickening a liquid i.e. soup, sauce, wine etc. by heating. This slowly causes evaporation thereby intensifying the flavor of the liquid. Using a pan without a lid is preferable (which allows the vapors to escape) until the desired volume is reached.

Ingredients

  • 20 oz Balsamic Vinegar

Directions

  • Pour Balsamic Vinegar into a large sauté pan to maximize surface to balsamic ratio. Start at medium heat stirring occasionally, increasing stirring as it thickens. Do not overheat the Balsamic to the point of simmering or boiling—this is a slow reduction. Target temp is a constant 190 degrees. 68 ounces will reduce to approximately 15 oz. (lasts forever and worth every minute) Store in the fridge in a squeeze-bottle and it will become thicker and more viscous over time.
  • Serving suggestions: Serve over hard cheeses, Caprese Salad or drizzle on chicken before roasting.
  • ** Warning** as this reduces the vinegar odors can get intense; I prefer to do this on day with a cross-draft and the windows open.



Heirloom Caprese Salad

Recipe Date: February 26th, 2020
Difficulty: Easy
Serving Size: 4
Cook Time: 01:00:00
Measurements: Imperial (US)

Heirloom Caprese Salad

The best Caprese salad around. Fresh from the farm ingredients are the real key. Use summer tomatoes if at all possible. Quality mozzarella, basil and olive oil are essential in this recipe.

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds mixed heirloom tomatoes or the best ripe tomatoes available
  • 8-ounce ball of mozzarella, preferably fresh or packed in water
  • Handful of fresh basil (smaller leaves look nicer)
  • 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • ½ teaspoon flaky sea salt or ¼ teaspoon kosher salt, to taste
  • Freshly ground black pepper

Directions

  • With a serrated knife, cut the tomatoes into ¼″ thick slices. Arrange them on a large serving platter, overlapping their edges and varying the shapes as best you can.
  • Cut the burrata or mozzarella into ¼″ to ½″ slices (burrata is tricky since the inside is so creamy; I cut it into ½″ slices and gently tugged the slices into smaller sections, see photos). Tuck the cheese around and underneath the tomatoes, dispersing it relatively evenly across the platter.
  • Sprinkle basil leaves all over, and tuck a few more into the crevices. Drizzle the olive oil over the salad. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper.
  • For the best flavor (if you have the time), let the salad rest for 30 minutes so the tomatoes release some juices and the flavors have time to mingle. This salad is best served within a few hours. The perfect wine pairing for this Caprese salad is our Pinot Bianco. Leftovers will keep, covered and refrigerated, for up to 3 days.

Related Products – Pinot Bianco



Sautéed Button Mushrooms

Recipe Date: February 26th, 2020
Difficulty: Easy
Serving Size: 4
Cook Time: 00:15
Measurements: Imperial (US)

Sautéed Button Mushrooms

Ingredients

  • 6 tbsps Extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 1/2 lbs whole small button mushrooms, wiped clean
  • 3 tbsps butter
  • gray sea salt
  • 1 tbsp minced garlic
  • 1 1/2 tsps fresh thyme leaves, chopped
  • 2 tbsps lemon juice
  • 1/2 cup white wine
  • 1 tbsp chopped parsley leaves

Directions

  • In a large skillet, heat the oil over high heat. Add the mushrooms. Do not move the mushrooms until they have caramelized on the bottom. If you toss them too soon, they will release their liquid and begin to steam. When the bottoms are caramelized, toss them and continue to cook for about 5 minutes.
  • Add the butter. Cook and toss for 5 minutes, until beautifully browned.
  • Season with salt and add the garlic. Saute another 2 minutes, and add the thyme, lemon juice, and white wine. Cook to evaporate the liquid.
  • Toss in the parsley and serve immediately.
  • Enjoy an ideal pairing with a Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon and Filet Mignon. Learn how to cook the perfect filet mignon to pair with your sautéed button mushrooms with this great instructional video from our friends at Best Filet Mignon:



Castello di Amorosa dessert recipe

Chocolate Red Wine Cupcakes

Castello di Amorosa dessert recipe

Recipe Date: February 12th, 2020
Difficulty: Easy
Measurements: Imperial (US)

Chocolate Red Wine Cupcakes Recipe

From Pastry Tales

Our friends from Pastry Tales bring us another sweet dessert recipe! These chocolate red wine cupcakes are topped with a delicious homemade blackberry buttercream frosting that pairs perfectly with any dark fruit wine.

Yield 26 cupcakes (You can cut the ingredients in half if you want less amount of cupcakes) 

Ingredients:

For the cupcakes:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup cocoa powder

1 cup light brown sugar

1 cup white granulated sugar

2 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

2 large eggs, room temperature

2 cups buttermilk

1 cup olive oil

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup red wine

For the frosting:

2 cups fresh blackberries

3 teaspoons granulated sugar

juice of 1 lemon

2 cups unsalted butter, at room temperature

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 1/2 – 4  cups powdered sugar,sifted

2-3 tablespoons of cream

For decorating:

Fresh blackberries or sprinkles

Instructions:

For the cupcakes:

1.- Preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare cupcake pan with liners, set aside.

2.- In a large bowl, sift together flour, cocoa powder, brown sugar, granulated sugar, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Set aside.

3.- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix eggs, buttermilk, olive oil and vanilla extract and mix on medium speed for about a minute until combined.

4.- Add flour mixture to the bowl and combine on low speed, gradually increasing speed to medium, until completely combined. Add wine and beat to combine again for about 1 minute.
Pour batter into prepared cupcake liners, filling 2/3 full. Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out with a a moist crumb.
Let cool in pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely. Be careful with how you handle the cupcakes, if they are still warm they can be soft and they can break.

For the frosting:

1.- In a small saucepan over medium heat, add blackberries, sugar and lemon juice, frequently stirring and squishing blackberries. Stir until blackberries are soft, about 10 minutes.
Push the mixture through a fine mesh strainer over a small bowl to remove all the seeds. Put the bowl in the fridge so it cools completely.

2.-In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter until smooth for a couple of minutes. Add 1 cup of powdered sugar, salt and half of the blackberry juice. Mix well until is fluffy. Add 2 tablespoons of the cream (for me 2 tablespoons was enough). Add more powdered sugar, mix well. Taste the buttercream and see if you need more of the blackberry juice, check the texture and flavor. I used almost all the juice. Beat well until completely combined and fluffy.

3.- Frost the cupcakes. I used 1 M Wilton tip.

Enjoy!! Don’t forget to grab a glass of your favorite Castello di Amorosa Wine




Cheesecake Squares Recipe

Vanilla Cheesecake Squares with Wine Gelée

Cheesecake Squares Recipe

Recipe Date: January 22nd, 2020
Difficulty: Easy
Measurements: Imperial (US)

Vanilla Cheesecake Squares w/ Wine Gelée

From Pastry Tales

Ingredients

For the crust

  • 1 cup vanilla animal crackers, crumbs
  •  5 – 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
  •  1 1/2 tablespoons white granulated sugar

For the cheesecake

  • 12 oz cream cheese
  • 1/4 cup plain Greek Yoghurt
  •  1 cup sweetened condensed milk
  •  1 large egg, at room temperature
  •  2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  •  2 1/4 teaspoons vanilla extract
  •  Pinch of salt

For wine gelée

  • 1 envelope unflavored gelatin
  •  3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons red wine
  •  2 tablespoons hot water
  •  5 tablespoons sugar

Directions

For the crust

  1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Line 8×8 square baking pan with aluminum foil, leaving 2 sides hanging over the edges.
  2. In a blender or food processor, mix the animal crackers until they look like fine crumbs. Then, put the crumbs into a bowl and add the melted butter and sugar. Mix well.
  3.  Transfer the mixture into the prepared baking pan. Make sure that you spread it evenly.
  4.  Bake for 10 minutes. Let it cool on a wire rack.

For the cheesecake

  • In a bowl of a stand up mixer, beat the cream cheese for about 3 minutes. Then, add the yoghurt and condensed milk. Mix it well for about 2-3 minutes.
  •  2.- Add the egg, flour, vanilla extract and salt. Mix until well combined 2-3 more minutes.
  •  3.- Pour cream cheese mixture over the cooled crust. Bake for about 25 minutes, until the filling is set.
  •  4.- Let it cool to room temperature on a wire rack and then chill it in the fridge for about 2 hours.

For the wine gelée

  • 1.- After a couple of hours, sprinkle the gelatin over 1/2 cup of wine and let it sit for 5 minutes.
  • 2.- In another small bowl, stir in sugar and hot water. Add the sugar water into the wine gelatin mixture, mix well until the gelatin is completely melted. Add the reminaing wine and cool the mixture to room temperature, about 10 minutes.
  •  3.- Finally, pour the wine mixture on the top of the cooled vanilla cheesecake bars. Refrigerate overnight and serve next day.
  •  4.- I cut mine in 16 squares. Enjoy!!




Austrian Schnitzel

Recipe Date: March 9th, 2019
Difficulty: Easy
Serving Size: 4
Cook Time: 01:10
Measurements: Imperial (US)

Austrian Wiener Schnitzel with Cucumber Salad

From Castello President Georg Salzner

Serves 4

Schnitzel Ingredients

  • 2 pounds pork loin cut into 1/3″ thick pieces (tenderized to 1/4″ thick)
  • 4 eggs
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream or milk
  • 3 cups all purpose flour
  • 5 cups regular bread crumbs
  • 500 mL grapeseed oil
  • Salt and pepper
  • 1 lemon
  • 1 cup lingnonberry or cranberry sauce

Cucumber Salad Ingredients

  • 3 cucumbers, peeled and sliced thin
  • 1/2 red onion, sliced thin
  • Salt to taste
  • Pepper to taste
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 3 tsp white or apple cider vinegar
  • 6 tsp heavy cream
  • 3 tsp fresh dill, minced

Directions

Wiener Schnitzel

Prepare three shallow pans for dredging the pork filets, fill one with flour, the second with beaten eggs and heavy cream, and the third with breadcrumbs. Generously salt and pepper both sides of the pork filets. Dredge each filet in the flour, then eggs, then breadcrumbs, making sure to shake off excess flour before dipping in the eggs. Set breaded filets aside on a plate for frying.

Fill a large sauté pan with 1/2″ grapeseed oil and heat to medium high (not too hot; oil should pop gently when you throw a droplet of water in to test it). Carefully place breaded schnitzel in the hot pan, laying the filet away from you to prevent hot oil from splashing. Pan should fit about 4 filets at a time. Saute filets approximately 3-5 minutes until golden brown, turning once for even cooking. Remove cooked schnitzel to a plate lined with paper towels to absorb extra oil.

Serve with lemon wedges and lingnonberry sauce.

Cucumber Salad

Peel and thinly slice the cucumbers and add salt, pepper, and sugar. Let rest for 5 minutes.

Squeeze excess liquid from the cucumbers and add vinegar, onions, heavy cream, and fresh dill. Toss thoroughly and serve with schnitzel.

Pair with our Morning Dew Ranch Pinot Noir or Dry Gewürztraminer