Fonseca Bin 27 Port Cookie Rumble 2013 – Port in Storm Cookies

Port is one of my favorite after-dinner indulgences.  So the Fonseca Cookie Rumble was a siren song encouraging me to imbibe, for the sake of research, some fine port while creating and testing cookie recipes for the ideal pairing.  While any port in a storm may suffice, just any cookie with the splendid Fonseca Bin 27 port will not.

This port is no lightweight in style, color, or taste.  Rather it is a reserve wine that is blended to produce a full body and luscious fruit flavors which pundits liken to rich black fruit redolent of blackcurrant and cassis.  Pairing this wine with chocolate or soft ripe cheese is a no-brainer—and for good reason.  While I am blonde and adventuresome in the kitchen, I am not stupid.  So rather than concoct an entirely new symbiotic pairing, I decided to use one of the old standards as a platform to which I could add my own touches.

I live in the Coachella Valley and my area is lousy with great dates.  No, not the eHarmony kind, but the fruit from date palm trees.  Dates are a versatile food, good on their own but wonderful in sweet or savoury dishes and a great alternative to added sugars.  So I combined Medjool dates with a soft, ripe, creamy French cheese.  The sweetness of the dates was complimented by the saltiness of the cheese, and with a dollop of the port itself I created a cookie that was a perfect accompaniment to a draught of Fonseca Bin 27.

The cookie dough needs about an hour in the freezer to set properly, so plan accordingly.  The cookie logs freeze well and are great to keep on hand if cookies are needed for entertaining, snacking, or a late night glass of port on a stormy, winter’s night.

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Port In Storm Cookies

 

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Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

15 mins

Total time

25 mins

 

The cookie dough needs about an hour in the freezer to set properly, so plan accordingly. The cookie logs freeze well and are great to keep on hand if cookies are needed for entertaining, snacking, or a late night glass of port on a stormy, winter’s night. Makes 4 logs, and each log approximately 24 cookies

Author: Christy Majors

Recipe type: Dessert, Appetizers

Cuisine: Californian

Serves: 8-10

Ingredients

• 8 ounces Le Delice de Bourgogne (Triple Cream Soft Ripened Cheese from France found at Trader Joe's)
• 1½ tablespoons Fonseca Bin 27 Port
• 2 teaspoons fleur de sel
• 10 Medjool Dates pitted and diced
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2 large egg yolks
• 1½ cups all-purpose flour
• Parchment Paper or Martha Wrap

Instructions

1. In a medium sized bowl, place the cheese, Fonseca Bin 27, fleur de sel, dates, ground pepper, olive oil, and egg yolks and mix together until smooth.
2. Add the flour and stir in until most of the flour is absorbed. Use your hands to knead the dough until it starts to form a smooth ball.
3. Divide the dough ball into 4 smaller balls. Roll each ball into a log approximately 10 inches long and 1 inch thick. Wrap each log in parchment paper, put into a Ziploc bag, and place in freezer for 1 hour.
4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone baking pad.
5. Take a log out of freezer and cut into ½ inch slices and arrange on the prepared baking sheet with small amount of space between them.
6. Bake until golden brown - approximately 12-18 minutes. Transfer to a rack and let cool.

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