What is ganache, you may find yourself asking, and how is it different than any other form of melted chocolate?
Ganache differs itself from general chocolate in that it is typically made with cream and can be mixed into a variety of textures in order to be used with a number of desserts.
By jules (Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 licence)
When learning how to make chocolate ganache, you are in fact, learning how to make more than just a tasty dessert topping; you’re expanding your kitchen repertoire exponentially.
Contents
The Many Uses of Ganache
Ganache has a number of uses when it comes to desserts, which is why learning how to make ganache will really up your game in the kitchen.
The thickness of the ganache you make is key, as it will determine how your ganache can interact with any other dessert you bring to the table.
You can use ganache to make truffles, to glaze a doughnut, or to fill in the layers of a birthday cake. You can also eat it on its own if you’re feeling particularly naughty. Go for it, we don’t judge.
How to Make Ganache
Equipment
You most likely have all the equipment you’ll need to make ganache available to you in your kitchen. This ganache recipe does not require you to go out and buy any pots or pans that you don’t already have.
If you find that you’re missing one of the pieces of equipment necessary to make this recipe, some alternative pieces of equipment have been provided so that you can decide how you want to move forward while making your sweet, chocolatey treat.
The list of equipment needed to make some of the best ganache includes:
- Glass bowl x 2.
- Applicably sized sauce pan.
- Additional small saucepan.
- Kitchen scale.
- Spatula, plastic.
- Butcher’s knife or sharp knife of your choice.
- Cutting board.
- Liquid measuring cup.
Ingredients
- Chocolate – bittersweet, milk, or dark.
- Heavy cream.
Note that the measurements included in this list of ingredients vary. This is because the measurements of your ingredients will depend on what specific purpose you intend to use your ganache for, and how thick you want it to be.
If you’re looking to make ganache to place between the layers of a cake or to use as a thicker than average glaze, you’ll want to match the measure of your chocolate and cream 1:1.
If you’re looking to make truffles or to form your ganache into a particular shape, you’ll want the measure of your chocolate to cream to be 2:1, or two parts chocolate and one part cream.
If you’re interested in creating a softer ganache icing or a ganache that is easy to pour over a baked good before it hardens into a glaze, you’ll want your chocolate to cream ratio as 1:2, or one part chocolate and two parts cream.
Process for Making Ganache
Chopping Chocolate
In order for your chocolate to melt at an even rate, you will want to chop it evenly on an available cutting board.
Don’t get over-excited while chopping up your chocolate; if the pieces are too coarse or too fine, then the chocolate won’t melt as evenly.
When you’ve finished chopping up your chocolate, place it in one of your heat-safe bowls and set it to one side.
Cream
In a separate saucepan, bring your cream to a gentle boil.
If you’d like, you can alternatively heat this cream in the microwave using the second of your heat-safe bowls. Either way, you want the cream hot enough that it is barely boiling, but not so that it begins to burn.
Remove it from the heat after 30 seconds of boiling and set aside, though be prepared to move quickly.
Incorporation
Once the cream is appropriately warmed, pour it slowly into the same bowl as the chopped pieces of chocolate.
Do not stir the mixture for at least ten minutes; it is preferred, in fact, that you wait until the cream cools before stirring the contents together.
Once you’ve waited an appropriate amount of time, use your spatula to gently combine the cream and chocolate. Take care not to over-mix.
Completion
The appearance of the ganache will vary based on its intended use. If it’s intended to be a thin glaze, then it will be shiny and easy to move a spatula through.
Thicker glazes and fillings for layer cakes will be slightly more difficult to stir, even mold-able to some degree.
Chocolate ganache to be used to make truffles should resemble cookie dough, if not smoother.
Creamless Ganache Variation
If you’re unable to consume foods that have been made with cream’s high-fat content, or if you’re simply looking to change the way you make ganache, then you’re in luck.
Learning how to make chocolate ganache without cream may take a couple of tries, on your part, but recipes do exist!
This kind of cream-free ganache is perfect for sharing with anyone who happens to be a little bit lactose intolerant or for weaseling out some fat from your favorite dessert.
Ingredients
- Milk and unsalted butter.
- Water (alternative).
- Chocolate – bittersweet, milk, or dark.
Again, note the lack of measurements provided with these ingredients. Much like with ganache made with cream, the amount of each ingredient you’ll want to add to your ganache recipe will depend on your intentions for the ganache.
Most recipes will make a thinner glaze; it’s suggested that you halve the amount of liquid you mix into your ganache if you’re interested in thicker icing or truffle-making ganache.
Process
Step 1 – Chopping Chocolate
The same as before: In order for your chocolate to melt at an even rate, you will want to chop it evenly on an available cutting board.
Don’t get over-excited while chopping up your chocolate; if the pieces are too coarse or too fine, then the chocolate won’t melt as evenly.
When you’ve finished chopping up your chocolate, place it in one of your heat-safe bowls and set it to one side.
Step 2 – Liquids
If you’re interested in using a milk and butter mixture to make your ganache, combine the two in a 1:2 ratio, butter to milk, in a reasonably sized sauce pan.
Once the butter has melted, bring the mixture to a gentle boil. Remove it from the heat after 30 seconds of boiling and set aside, though be prepared to move quickly.
If you’re incorporating water into your chocolate, all you have to do is either heat that water in a microwave-safe bowl or bring it to a boil in a saucepan.
Step 3 – Incorporation
Again, you’ll want to slowly drizzle the warm liquid of your choice into the bowl containing your chopped chocolate.
Let the mixtures get to know one another for roughly ten minutes before stirring, taking care not to overwork the ganache.
Once the ganache has reached your preferred consistency, let it sit and cool before working with it further.
Creamless Ganache with Coffee Variation
If you want to get especially creative, this caffeine-infused ganache will not only eliminate the need for you to include cream, but it will give your ganache an extra, flavorful kick.
Coffee and chocolate pair exceptionally well together, not only as treats but as flavors. In just about any chocolate-heavy recipe, adding a pinch of espresso powder does wonders in bringing out the deeper elements of the chocolate’s flavor.
So too will be the case when you try your hand at making this coffee chocolate ganache!
Ingredients
- Chocolate – bittersweet, milk, or dark.
- Coffee, pre-brewed with either water or milk.
Once again, the measurements that would normally appear in this list of ingredients are conspicuously absent. This is because the measurements of your ingredients will depend on what specific purpose you intend to use your ganache for, and how thick you want it to be.
If you’re looking to make ganache to place between the layers of a cake or to use as a thicker than average glaze, you’ll want to match the measure of your chocolate and coffee 1:1.
If you’re looking to make truffles or to form your ganache into a particular shape, you’ll want the measure of your chocolate to cream to be 2:1, or two parts chocolate and one part coffee.
If you’re interested in creating a softer ganache icing or a ganache that is easy to pour over a baked good before it hardens into a glaze, you’ll want your chocolate to cream ratio to be 1:2, or one part chocolate and two parts coffee.
Process
Step 1 – Chopping Chocolate
Again, the method of chocolate preparation doesn’t change, no matter what kind of liquid you want to incorporate into your ganache.
In order for your chocolate to melt at an even rate, you will want to chop it evenly on an available cutting board. Don’t get over-excited while chopping up your chocolate; if the pieces are too coarse or too fine, then the chocolate won’t melt as evenly.
When you’ve finished chopping up your chocolate, place it in one of your heat-safe bowls and set it to one side.
Step 2 – Coffee
You can brew your coffee prior to chopping your chocolate, but the timing doesn’t quite matter.
Brew your coffee as strongly or as weakly as you like, but do not add any sugar to the portion you intend to add to your chopped chocolate.
You can, should you like, add a bit of milk, but be prepared to bring the mixture back up to heat once the extra ingredient has been added.
Step 3 – Incorporation
Drizzle the still-warm coffee of your choice into the bowl containing your chopped chocolate.
Let the mixtures get to know one another for roughly ten minutes before stirring, taking care not to overwork the ganache.
Once the ganache has reached your preferred consistency, let it sit and cool before working with it further.
Here’s a video showing a white-chocolate ganache variation.
Do you have any tips for making ganache?
