With rich flavors of honey, caramel, stone fruit and pineapple, one would think that Dolce is a dessert in itself. This could be true – it may be all you need to end a special meal. Then, the waiter tempts you with fresh bread pudding, or your eyes are drifting to the crème brûlée on the dessert menu. Can you have too much of a good thing? We say nay! Simply remember to keep your dessert less sweet than the wine.
Read on for more tips on enjoying Dolce with desserts that are more luscious than light.
Style & Preparation Crème brûlée, crème caramel, tiramisu, petit pots à la crème, soufflés, flan, ice cream, bread puddings, ice soufflés, crème anglaise, puddings (try butterscotch).
Cooking Techniques Eggs combined with milk or cream creates a velvety texture... Delicious with Dolce! However, too much egg or cream in the dessert can overpower the wine and seem heavy.
Sweetness For a delicate balance with Dolce, create lightly sweet and gently rich desserts. Very sweet desserts that are also rich will seem cloying and dense.
Tartness Add fresh fruit, fruit coulis or sauce (such as raspberry, orange, or lemon) to a dessert that is rich. This slight acidic accent will contrast the creamy richness in the dessert and create a beautiful match with Dolce.
Cream & Richness Avoid garnishing these desserts with additional cream. When measuring and cooking, it is better to have more cream than egg.
Tips & Notes If the dessert is rich: Use less sugar. Use as little egg as possible, and use natural sugars.
Don't forget to tweet your Dolce pairing experiences to @DolceWine!
