Meramec Chocolate Truffles

2 bags of dark chocolate chips (12oz. bags)

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/4 cup Peaceful Bend Vineyard Meramec (dry red blend of Norton and Chambourcin)

1-2 TBL vegetable shortening

optional: 2 TBL white chocolate or sprinkles

Coarsely chop one bag of chocolate chips. Put your coarsely chopped chocolate in a heat-proof bowl and set aside. In a heavy-bottom saucepan set over medium heat, bring the heavy cream just to a boil. Pour the cream over the chocolate and stir until all the chocolate has melted. Stir in the Meramec until everything is smooth. Set the bowl in the refrigerator or freezer until the mixture is firm, but still a bit pliable. Take the mixture out, and working quickly, roll tablespoonfuls of the mix into balls. Set the balls on a wax paper lined cookie sheet. Put these back in the refrigerator or freezer to re-harden.

Meanwhile melt the second bag of chocolate chips either in the microwave or in a double boiler. It's useful to add a tablespoon or two of vegetable shortening to chips to keep the chips from burning while they are melting, but this is optional. Two and a half minutes on high in the microwave should melt the chips, but do this in one-minute increments to keep from overheating them. Once melted, whisk the chocolate until smooth. Then working quickly again, take out the hardened chocolate balls from the cooler, and coat with the melted chocolate. Two forks will allow you to roll the balls in the chocolate and let the excess drip off into your bowl. Set the coated truffles on another wax-lined cookie sheet.

Now comes an optional step: melt white choclate, dip the tines of a fork in the white chocolate and kinda shake the fork back and forth over the top of the truffles. This will fling little white lines all over the top of the truffles and make you look ever so artistic!

Mixed Berry Pavlova with Strawberry Wine Sauce

First Place Winner - 2013 Missouri State Fair (Just Desserts Contest)
Lorin Fahrmeier, Wellington, Missouri

Meringue:
6 large egg whites, at room temperature
Pinch salt
2 cups granulated sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Strawberry Wine Sauce:
1 pint fresh strawberries
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup Vignoles wine
1 cup strawberry jam (12-ounce jar)

Sweetened Whipped Cream:
1 1/2 cups cold heavy (whipping) cream
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Berry Topping:
1/2 pint fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
1/2 pint fresh blueberries
1/2 pint fresh raspberries
Grated peel of 1 lemon, for garnish

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Place a sheet of parchment paper on a baking sheet.  Draw a 9-inch circle on the paper, using a 9-inch plate as a guide, and then turn the paper over so the circle is on the reverse side.  (This will prevent a pencil mark on the meringue.)

For meringue:

Combine egg whites and salt in a clean mixer bowl.  Using a whisk attachment if available, beat the egg whites on high speed of electric mixer until firm.  With the mixer still on high, slowly add sugar and beat until mixture forms firm, shiny peaks.

Remove the bowl from the mixer. Sift the cornstarch onto the beaten egg whites, add vinegar and vanilla, and fold in lightly with a rubber spatula. Pile the meringue into the middle of the circle on the parchment paper and smooth it within the circle, forming a disk.

Place meringue in preheated 300-degree oven and reduce oven temperature to 250 degrees.  Bake for one hour.  Turn off the oven, keep the door closed, and allow the meringue to cool completely in the oven.  It will be crisp on the outside and soft on the inside.

While the meringue is baking and cooling, prepare Strawberry Wine Sauce, Sweetened Whipped Cream, and Berry Topping.

For Strawberry Wine Sauce:

Combine strawberries, sugar and Vignoles wine in a small saucepan.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer 4 minutes. Pour cooked strawberries and strawberry jam into bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade; process until smooth.  Refrigerate.

For Sweetened Whipped Cream:

Pour cream into chilled mixer bowl. Using a whisk attachment if available, whip cream with electric mixer until it starts to thicken. Add powdered sugar and vanilla; beat until firm. Refrigera

For Berry Topping:

Combine strawberries, blueberries and raspberries in bowl; add about 1/4 cup of the Strawberry Wine Sauce and toss to coat berries lightly. Refrigerate.

When the meringue has cooled completely, invert it onto a serving plate. Spread Sweetened Whipped Cream on the top, covering top completely.  Spoon Berry Topping into the middle of the Pavlova, leaving a border of cream and meringue.  Garnish with grated lemon peel. Serve immediately in large scoops, topped with the remaining Strawberry Wine Sauce.

Yield:  6 to 10 servings.

Raspberry Mead Dream Cups
Third Place Winner - 2013 Missouri State Fair (Just Desserts Contest)
Gabriele Sage Harlan, Green Ridge, Missouri

Raspberry Wine Sauce:
1 1/2 cups raspberry mead
2 cups fresh raspberries
2 tablespoons honey

Pastry cream:

1/2 cup granulated sugar
6 egg yolks
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup cornstarch
2 1/2 cups milk
1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3/4 teaspoon lemon extract
2 cups fresh raspberries, for topping

Chocolate cups (optional):
12 ounces dark chocolate wafers
Small (9-inch) balloons

For Raspberry Wine Sauce, combine raspberry mead, raspberries and honey in a medium saucepan; simmer for 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and let cool. Refrigerate until needed.

For pastry cream, combine sugar and egg yolks in a medium-size heatproof bowl; stir well. (Do not let the mixture sit too long or clumps of egg will begin to form.) Sift flour and cornstarch onto egg yolk mixture; mix to form a smooth paste.

Meanwhile, pour milk into saucepan and bring just to boiling (just until milk starts to foam up).  Remove from heat and slowly add hot milk to egg yolk mixture, whisking constantly to prevent curdling. (If you get a few pieces of egg, or curdling, in the mixture, pour it through a fine mesh strainer.) Transfer the mixture to a medium saucepan and cook over medium heat until boiling, whisking constantly.  After it comes to a boil, whisk mixture constantly for 30 to 60 seconds, until it becomes thick.  Remove from heat.  Stir in vanilla and lemon extracts.

Pour into a clean bowl and immediately cover with plastic wrap to prevent a crust from forming.  Let cool to room temperature.  If not using right away, refrigerate until needed, up to three days. Whisk or stir before serving to get rid of any lumps that may have formed.

Spoon pastry cream into dessert cups or small bowls. Top with fresh raspberries. Spoon some Raspberry Wine Sauce over each serving. Serve at once.

Serving suggestion: Serve pastry cream in chocolate cups, if desired. To make chocolate cups, blow up balloons to desired cup size. Place large, heat-resistant bowl on top of pan of simmering water; make sure bowl is dry inside. Place dark chocolate wafers in bowl and melt, stirring often. Dip each inflated balloon into melted chocolate, coating half of the balloon. (You may have to turn balloon to form scallops of chocolate.) Dip bottom of balloon a second time for a thicker mass, then place on waxed paper-lined tray. Place balloons in refrigerator for 10 minutes, or until chocolate is firmly set. Remove from refrigerator, pop balloons and peel balloons from chocolate cups; discard balloons. Place each chocolate cup on serving plate. Pipe pastry cream into the cups. Top with fresh raspberries. Spoon some Raspberry Wine Sauce over each serving. Serve at once.

Named for the man who coined the term "show-me" this modern twist on a Moscow Mule will have you saying "Show me another, please."

1 oz.  Vodka

.5 oz The Big O Ginger Liqueur

.25 oz Lime Juice

3-4 oz Les Bourgeois Vineyards Brut Sparkling Wine

Shake all ingredients except the sparkling wine and strain into an ice filled copper mug. Top with sparkling wine, and garnish with a lime wedge.

This winetail was developed by Doug Frost in conjunction with The American Restaurant for the 2014 Paris of the Plains Festival.