This is a delicious grown-up dessert which combines three of my favourite ingredients, rhubarb, red wine and chocolate. You could use cherries or berries in place of the rhubarb.
Time: 20 minutes
Serves: 4
Ingredients:
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500ml cabernet sauvignon
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110g caster sugar, plus 1 tablespoon extra
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1 small cinnamon stick
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2 cloves
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2 star anise
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1 bunch rhubarb, washed
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75ml pouring cream
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75g chocolate, broken up
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1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
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300g crème fraîche or light sour cream
Method
Place the wine, the 110g of caster sugar and the spices in a large saucepan over medium heat. Stir until the sugar is dissolved.
Cut the rhubarb into lengths, add it to the simmering cabernet syrup and move it around very gently with a wooden spoon. When just tender, remove the rhubarb to a bowl.
Increase the heat under the cabernet syrup and simmer until thickened and reduced to 125 ml (1/4 cup). Strain, pour over the rhubarb, and allow to cool.
Meanwhile, put the cream and chocolate in a saucepan over low heat. Melt the chocolate and stir to combine. (Alternatively, do this in a microwave on low for a couple of minutes.) Cool, but do not chill.
Gently fold the vanilla and the extra tablespoon of sugar through the crème fraîche.
Spread a quarter of the crème fraîche mixture onto each serving dish, top with rhubarb pieces and drizzle with some syrup. Top with the chocolate and serve immediately.
Recipe taken from Taste of Australia, by Lyndey Milan
Join much-loved Australian media personality Lyndey Milan as she travels across the country’s stunning geographic regions to unearth the real taste of Australia. Discover the diverse multicultural cuisines of the capital cities, the fresh produce of the lush wine regions and the spectacular high country, the delectable seafood of the sun-kissed coast and the indigenous flavours of the Australian bush.
You can buy Taste of Australia at cooked.com.
Published by Hardie Grant
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A woman and her wine