How to Make Chocolate Ganache

Chocolate ganache is a classic part of the French dessert repertoire. The most basic form is equal parts heavy cream and chopped chocolate, but the proportions can vary according to intended use. Ganache can be a glaze for a cake, a classic confection, a whipped chocolate filling, or anything your mind can dream up.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Heavy Cream
• Good quality chocolate (white, milk, semisweet, bittersweet, etc.)
• Butter for smooth flow and consistency (optional)
• Corn syrup for shine (optional)
• Flavoring (vanilla, brandy, cognac, other extracts or liqueurs, optional)
• Pan for heating cream
• Bowl for chopped chocolate
• Wire whisk

1. For a coating or glaze, use three parts chocolate to one part cream. Chop chocolate into small pieces with a large serrated knife. Bring cream to a simmer, then pour cream over chopped chocolate. Let it rest for 5 or 10 minutes. Whisk gently but thoroughly until chocolate is completely melted. A good proportion for covering a cake is 8 oz. semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream, 2 tablespoons unsalted butter and 1 tablespoon cognac or brandy (optional). Add the butter and flavoring when the chocolate is about half melted.

2. For classic chocolate truffles, use one part cream to two parts chocolate, plus flavoring, if desired. Chill after combined, then scoop balls and roll them quickly between your hands. Roll in dry, sweetened or unsweetened cocoa, confectioner's sugar, coconut or chopped toasted nuts. For adult truffles, use the same flavor liqueur as the nuts you are using as a coating.

3. Use equal parts chocolate and cream, or even two parts cream to one part chocolate. Follow the previous steps, chill, then whip until you have a whipped chocolate filling or frosting. Frost or fill your cake, then refrigerate.

4. Leftover ganache can be formed into truffles and frozen for up to three months. Keep them airtight so they don't absorb freezer odors.

5. Another excellent frosting and filling is a whipped combination of half ganache and half cream cheese. You can also use this for truffles.

Tips & Warnings

• Go deluxe, like the high-end chocolatiers. Add flavorings like a bit of chile powder, lavender or earl grey tea. You can also add bits of whatever you're going to use for a coating, like chopped nuts or crushed brittle pieces.
• Flavor with a fruit liqueur and then top with the same fruit. Use Framboise (raspberry) liqueur, then top the truffle with a raspberry and a bit of gold leaf. Or do this for a cake glaze, then garnish the cake with raspberries.
• A higher cocoa butter content will make a firmer ganache.
• A smooth, velvety chocolate will produce a smooth, velvety ganache.
• If ganache gets too warm for your use, just put it in the fridge for ten minutes.
• If you need to keep ganache warm, hold it over warm water in a double boiler. You can also set it on a heating pad.
• Use good quality chocolate. The finished ganache will have the taste and texture of the original chocolate. Spend some extra pennies for the good stuff.
• Use a chocolate and other ingredients that taste good to you. Quality in equals quality out.
• Don't use chocolate chips and do chop your own bar chocolate.

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