Why it works:
Like a summer sunset captured in a glass, the rosy effervescence of Rosé Prosecco creates an enchanting prelude to an evening guided by the fragrance of Forever Summer & Bergamot. The wine's delicate berry notes and gentle bubbles dance harmoniously with the fragrance's bergamot and mandarin, while a garden vegetable puff pastry tart - dotted with vibrant edible flowers - mirrors the candle's heart of white jasmine and neroli. The crescendo arrives with an Earl Grey Tiramisu, where each silky layer echoes the sophisticated tea notes woven through the fragrance, as its creamy decadence melts into the candle's warm base of cedar and musk. This culinary journey follows each element as it flows into the next, creating an evening that feels like summer's sweetest moment caught in time. Enjoy!
Drink Selection: Rosé Prosecco
Specific Suggestion: La Gioiosa Prosecco Rosè DOC 2021 (750 ml)
Dinner Recipe: Veggie Puff Pastry Tart
Ingredients
1 8.5 oz sheet puff pastry thawed
1 egg, for egg wash
4 oz goat cheese, room temperature
¾ cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
1 Tablespoon lemon zest
2 tablespoon fresh thyme plus more for garnish
1 teaspoon dried basil
2 garlic cloves
Pinch sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
½ cup cherry tomatoes halved
6 broccolini into 2-3” pieces
1 zucchini cut into ¼-inch slices
1-2 shallots sliced
2 Tablespoon garlic olive oil
Option to add pre-cooked garlic chicken sausage, sliced thinly
Instructions: The whole process is just like making a pizza!
Start with the Sauce:
Combine the goat cheese, parmesan, lemon zest, basil, thyme, and garlic with a hand mixer or food processor. About 2 minutes until airy and creamy. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
Prep the Dough:
Preheat the oven to 425°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Layout the puff pastry on a cutting board and slice into 9 sections. Use a knife to score rectangles inside of each piece, creating about 1/4 inch perimeter (this becomes the “crust”).
Make egg wash - Whisk an egg in a small bowl and set aside to use as egg wash later.
Prep the Topping:
Put the tomatoes, broccolini, zucchini, and shallots in a mixing bowl and toss with a dash of sea salt, freshly ground black pepper, and garlic olive oil. Toss well until coated.
Assemble the “Pizza”:
Put the pastry rectangles on the baking sheet about 1 inch apart. Spread about 1 Tablespoon of the cheese mixture in the middle of each pastry rectangle (don’t layer over the crust!). Place the veggies nicely on the pastry, then brush the edges “the crust” with the egg wash.
Time to Bake:
Put the baking sheet in the oven and bake for about 20-25 minutes until the pastry is golden, turning the baking sheet halfway through. Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack.
Sprinkle with fresh thyme leaves and serve toasty!
Desert Recipe: Earl Grey Tiramisu
This is an easy no-bake desert, all you need to do is whip up cream, dip cookies and stack!
Ingredients
Earl Grey Tea Concentrate
1 ½ cups filtered water
9 Earl Grey tea bags
¼ cup granulated sugar
1 Tablespoon pure vanilla bean paste (preferred) OR extract
pinch of kosher salt
Whipped Cream
1 ¼ cups cold heavy cream
1 (8-ounce) container cold mascarpone
1 Tablespoon pure vanilla bean paste (preferred) OR extract
4 large pasteurized eggs, yolks only for recipe (you can Google how to pasteurize regular eggs at home if unable to find in your local store)
½ cup granulated sugar
pinch of kosher salt
26 (around 8 ounces) ladyfinger cookies
Instructions
Let’s Concentrate!
Bring the water to a boil in a medium saucepan over high heat. Add the Earl Grey tea bags and quickly reduce the heat to medium-low. Let it simmer for about 10 minutes. When done, the concentrate should have a very strong Earl Grey flavor, almost bitter. If it’s not strong enough, simmer for a few more minutes.
Place the sugar for the tea concentrate in a medium, heatproof bowl (I like to use stainless steel mixing bowls for this). Once the concentrate is done, pluck out the tea bags (or strain tea leaves) into the bowl with sugar. Whisk the concentrate to dissolve the sugar. Then whisk in the vanilla paste and a tiny pinch of salt. Set aside.
Let’s Whip it!
If using a stand mixer, (add the whisk attachment), or use a hand mixer to whisk the cream on medium-high speed until soft peaks form, about 2 minutes. Stop mixing to add the mascarpone and vanilla. Scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula, then whisk the mascarpone and vanilla into the whipped cream on medium speed until combined, about 30 seconds.
*If using a stand mixer, transfer the whipped cream to a different bowl, so the next step can be done in the bowl you were using - you don’t have to clean it out. If using a hand mixer, just grab a new bowl for the eggs and sugar.
Whisk the egg yolks, sugar and a tiny pinch of salt, on medium-high speed about 5 minutes, will fluff up. Then, scoop half of the whipped cream and using a rubber spatula gently fold it into the egg mixture (I see you Schitt’s Creek fans!). Repeat once more, until everything is barely combined.
Let’s Stack!
Pick up one ladyfinger at a time, and quickly dip into the Earl Grey tea concentrate, flip once to coat both sides. Quickly place it in the pan to arrange a single layer of cookies at the bottom. *You may need to cut the ladyfingers to fit them into the pan.
Then, scoop about half the whipped cream over the ladyfingers and gently spread it evenly over the cookies. Repeat the process of soaking the remaining ladyfingers, and topping them with the remaining whipped cream to make the final 2 layers of the Earl Grey tiramisu.
Let’s Chill!
Loosely cover the tiramisu with plastic wrap or foil and refrigerate for at least 8 hours, it’s better left overnight. Serve chilled!
P.S. if it doesn’t set as firm as you’d like, throw it in the freezer, it makes a delicious almost-ice cream!
