Port Syrup Recipes

SPICED PLUM CREPES WITH PORT SYRUP

Steps:

• Put the plums, port, water, brown sugar, cinnamon, cloves, and peppercorns in a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer and cook until the plums are soft but still hold their shape, 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer the plums to a bowl with a slotted spoon, remove the spices, and cover to keep warm. Increase the heat to medium-high and cook the remaining liquid until thick and syrupy, 3 to 4 minutes.
• To serve, put a crepe on each of 4 dessert plates. Put a spoonful of plums on one quarter of each crepe. Then, fold the crepe over the filling to create a triangle shape. (The crepes can also be served folded in half like an omelet, or rolled.) Top each filled crepe with a dollop of whipped cream, then drizzle the warm port syrup over the top of each.

STANDING OVATION: SWEET CHOCOLATE PORT CUPCAKES, PORT WINE REDUCTION SYRUP, RASPBERRY CREME FRAICHE FILLING, FRENCH CHOCOLATE MOUSSE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line cupcake tins with 24 cupcake liners.
• Whisk together the buttermilk, oil, vanilla and eggs. Combine the sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt and add into the wet mixture. Whisk the batter together until almost all the lumps are gone. Scrape the bowl, then mix again briefly. Add in a small amount of the port wine to help thin the batter. Once it is incorporated, slowly add in the remaining wine, whisking continuously. Scrape the bottom of the bowl and make sure that there are no lumps. Scoop into the prepared cupcake liners using a number 16 scoop. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the middle of a cupcake comes out clean, about 25 minutes.
• To assemble: Allow the cupcakes to fully cool. Using an apple corer, remove a piece of the cupcake from the center. Drizzle with 1 teaspoon Port Wine Reduction Syrup. Fill the cupcake with 1 teaspoon Raspberry Creme Fraiche Filling. Using a large star tip, pipe the chilled French Chocolate Mousse onto the cupcake. Garnish with the gold leaf flake.
• Combine the wine, sugar and salt in a saucepan over a low flame. Simmer until reduced to 3 1/2 ounces liquid.;
• Place the chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl and place over a saucepan containing barely simmering water (or use a double boiler). Melt the chocolate and butter together and stir with a wooden spoon until smooth. Remove from the heat and cool slightly. Add the egg yolks to the chocolate, 1 by 1, beating with a whisk until incorporated. Set aside.
• In another bowl, beat the egg whites until foamy. Add the cream of tartar and continue to beat. Gradually whisk in 1/4 cup sugar and continue beating until stiff peaks form.
• Beat the heavy cream in a chilled bowl until it begins to foam and thicken up. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons sugar and the vanilla. Continue to whip the cream until it holds soft peaks.
• Gradually and gently fold the egg whites into the chocolate mixture to lighten it. Then, delicately fold in the whipped cream. Take care not over work the mousse.
• Whisk the creme fraiche with the raspberry preserves to combine.

PORT SYRUP

Steps:

• Stir together all of the ingredients in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring constantly, for 5 to 10 minutes, or until the sugar dissolves and the syrup is very hot.
• Pour the syrup into a container with a lid and allow it to cool to room temperature before covering and storing in the refrigerator.

FALL FIGS STUFFED WITH STILTON CHEESE, WRAPPED IN PROSCIUTTO AND CHATEAU ELAN PORT WINE SYRUP

Steps:

• Cut figs into quarters and place them in a saucepot with the port wine and bring to boil, simmer and reduce by 2/3. You should have a little less than a 1/4 cup of port at a syrup consistency. Allow the port syrup to cool.
• On a cutting board, tear thin slices of prosciutto lengthwise in half and place 16 pieces on the board. Take a piece of fig and place it at 1 end of the prosciutto and place a small piece of Stilton cheese on top of the fig and roll the fig with the prosciutto. Continue this process with the remaining figs, Stilton cheese, and prosciutto.
• To serve, arrange the figs on a platter and drizzle with the port wine syrup.

FIGS WITH GOAT CHEESE AND PORT SYRUP

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, over medium-high heat, bring the port and honey up to a boil.
• Reduce heat and simmer slowly until reduced by half.
• Set aside and cool to room temperature, the syrup will thicken upon standing.
• Cut the goat cheese into 8 equal pieces, about 2 teaspoon each and roll each piece into a ball.
• Place the figs upright and carefully make four cross cuts, slicing each fig into eight sections, BEING CAREFUL NOT TO GO ALL THE WAY THROUGH.
• Gently separate the figs outward to form a "flower"
• Place a ball of goat cheese in the center of each fig and drizzle with the port syrup.
• Garnish with walnuts.

MULLED WINE SYRUP

Steps:

• Combine the wine, sugar, vanilla bean, star anise, and peppercorns in a wide pot or skillet over medium-high heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Bring to a boil, then decrease the heat to medium; cook until the liquid becomes syrupy and has reduced by about two-thirds, about 10 minutes.
• Use a fine-mesh strainer to strain the syrup into a small container; discard the spices and let cool. Use immediately or cover and refrigerate.
• Use white wine instead of red, and use 1 vanilla bean and five or six 1/4-inch slices of fresh ginger.

PEARS POACHED IN PORT AND CRANBERRY JUICE WITH PORT SYRUP

Steps:

• Combine first 5 ingredients in heavy medium saucepan. Bring to boil, stirring twice. Reduce heat to medium; simmer 5 minutes. Add pear halves to liquid. Simmer pears uncovered until tender, turning occasionally, about 20 minutes.
• Using slotted spoon, transfer pears to large bowl. Boil cooking liquid until reduced to thin syrup (about 1 1/4 cups), about 15 minutes. Pour syrup over pears in bowl. Cool to room temperature. Cover and chill until cold, about 4 hours. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep chilled.)
• Mix yogurt and powdered sugar in small bowl. Spoon cold syrup onto plates. Place 1 pear half, flat side down, on each plate. Spoon yogurt mixture over pears. Garnish with mint, if desired, and serve.

OLD-FASHIONED POUNDED CHEESE WITH WALNUTS AND PORT SYRUP

Steps:

• To make the port syrup, combine the port and brown sugar in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Simmer gently until reduced to a light syrup (it will start to throw bigger bubbles and should be the consistency of maple syrup), about 3 minutes. Let cool to room temperature.
• Break the cheddar cheese into chunks and drop them into a food processor. Process until pureed. Add the butter, mustard, black pepper, and cayenne and process, stopping often to scrape down the sides, until whipped and smooth.
• Transfer the cheese to a shallow dish, break up the walnut halves and drop them on top, and drizzle with the port syrup.
• Note: The pounded cheese can be made a few hours ahead and kept at room temperature. Or it can be made the day before and kept in the refrigerator; just be sure to bring it back to room temperature before garnishing with the port syrup and nuts.