Chocolate ganache can be utilised in several different ways! In fact, you may have encountered chocolate ganache many times and not even realised that’s what it was, especially if you didn’t know that it can be made in many different thicknesses. It is so versatile it can be used as a pouring sauce, a topping or a filling, and it can make all the difference to those sweet treats that you know and love. You’ll even be surprised to find out that for something so versatile, it is pretty quick and easy to make! Before you know it you could find yourself including it in many of your tasty creations!

What is Chocolate Ganache?

Simply put, chocolate ganache is a mixture of chocolate and cream. It is the silky chocolate cream that you can find on top of desserts or inside as a filling. Different amounts of chocolate and cream are needed depending on what you want to use your ganache for, and the type of chocolate you are using. Usually, the more cocoa butter in your chocolate, the less cream you will need. For example, if you want it thick enough to use as a truffle you would use more chocolate than cream. If you would like to use it as a pourable icing that will set for cakes, you can use equal amounts of chocolate and cream. If you would like it to be a bit runnier then you would use more cream than chocolate.

Being able to adjust the consistency of chocolate ganache easily means that it is very versatile and can be added to your dish in many different ways whether you want to pour it, pipe it, spread it, or shape it.  To make the best ganache possible, it is important to use quality chocolate. At Chocogram we only use quality Belgian couverture chocolate in all of our chocolate gifts. That means that any ganache we use in our chocolates is high quality, ensuring that the taste and texture are the best that they can be.

How is it made?

To make the perfect ganache for your particular creation you need to get the right balance when it comes to the chocolate and cream ratio. Getting it wrong could mean that you end up with a ganache that is either too thick or too thin for purpose. No matter how much chocolate and cream you decide to use, the method is the same, so once you have decided on your quantities you can start to make your chocolate ganache:

First, break up or chop up your chocolate into small piece and put it into a bowl.

Next heat your cream. You can do this by heating the cream in the microwave, or by putting it in a saucepan over a medium heat. The cream should be heated until it is simmering and almost boiling.

Once the cream is hot, pour it over the chopped up chocolate and let it sit for a couple of minutes.

Next, stir the mixture until the chocolate is melted and the cream and chocolate are fully combined.

If you want to add different flavours to your chocolate ganache you can! If you want to add flavours using things like vanilla beans and mint leaves this should be added to the cream while it is heating as they can then be taken out before you pour the cream over the chocolate. If you want to add liquid flavouring such as essences you can stir them in at the end!

For something so quick and easy to make chocolate ganache is a versatile and tasty addition to any sweet treat or bake!