How to make chocolate ganache?

Chocolate ganache requires only two ingredients and its uses are endless. Let this be your guide to making chocolate ganache at home.

Chocolate ganache is basically a mixture of chocolate and sweet heated cream, usually used in a 1:1 ratio. Chocolate ganache is a silky and glossy staple in the kitchen of any pastry chef or confectioner. In addition to standing up to easy and quick preparation, its use is very versatile. Chocolate ganache can be used as a filling, a topping, a cake layer or as a sauce to dip fresh fruit in.

1. Just two ingredients to make chocolate ganache?

Yes, that''s right. Chocolate ganache stands for ease of preparation and involves just two ingredients. You need:

• Sweet whipping cream. But as we have said a few times, we stick closely to the ingredients of the recipe. In this case, do not use low-fat sweet cream, milk or any other liquid because the ganache will not set properly.
  
  
• Chocolate. You can use dark chocolate (recommended), milk chocolate or white chocolate.

When making homemade chocolate ganache, use the ingredients in a 1:1 ratio.

BAM trivia: did you know that chocolate ganache is the base for chocolate truffles?

2. How do you make chocolate ganache?

BAM Place thechocolate drops in a heat-proof glass or metal container.

Heat the cream on the stove until it is just about to boil. If it boils, the cream will be too hot and may burn the chocolate. When you see that it is bubbling slightly at the edges, remove it from the heat and immediately pour it over the chocolate.

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Leave to stand for a few minutes before stirring the ingredients.

Stir until smooth.

Once the chocolate and sweet cream are mixed, use the chocolate ganache immediately. It can be poured over cakes, cupcakes, ice cream or dipped into fresh fruit. Or, if you wait about 2 hours and let it cool completely, you can scoop the chocolate ganache with a spoon and spread it over the desserts.

3. Chocolate ganache in a piping bag

If you want to decorate your desserts with chocolate cream, you should definitely choose chocolate ganache. Once cooled and set, you can spread it on your favourite chocolate cupcakes.

If you''ve ever made improvised piping bags, the time has come when you''ll need to replace them with some higher-end piping bags that won''t burst during use. For tips on how to handle the decoration and the punching bag, click here.

4. Can you whip the chocolate ganache?

Yes, you can take chocolate ganache up another notch. Now let''s think about whipped buttercream. The chocolate ganache will not be as firm, but it will still be suitable for decoration. Once the chocolate ganache has cooled completely, whip it on medium to high speed until it is light in colour and fluffy in texture, it will take about 4 minutes. This produces a decadent chocolate mousse-like frosting, except that no sugar has been used. Great, no?

5. Are there any special features that really make my chocolate ganache a success?

Of course. The chocolate should be in really fine particles, the finer it is, the faster it melts with the cream. If the chocolate is in big chunky chunks, it won''t melt completely. And if the chocolate does not melt, the chocolate ganache will fail.

Pour the warm sweet cream over the chocolate drops and leave to stand for a while before stirring. During this time, the chocolate will soften and start to melt, which means you won''t have to stir it too much.

Be sure to use a glass or metal container for the preparation. A plastic bowl can melt. Use real chocolate; cheap chocolate will cause a grainy ganache.

Stir the chocolate and warm cream with a spoon or small rubber spatula. Do not use a whisk. Whisking with a whisk introduces too much air into the gently melted chocolate, which can cause the fat to separate and result in a greasy chocolate ganache.

The recipe for chocolate ganache is waiting for you here.