Versatile chocolate ganache cream

Despite its simple preparation, the chocolate ganache cream, with its chocolate flavour and rich, creamy and intoxicating texture, is a wonderful addition to any recipe. All you have to do is pour the coarsely chopped or grated chocolate over the hot sweet cream, wait a few minutes for the chocolate to start melting, then gently stir the two ingredients to create a rich and shiny cream. It may seem extremely simple to make, but success is always in the small details!

3 steps to the perfect chocolate ganache cream

The following 3 steps should be followed when making a chocolate ganache cream:

1. Coarsely chop or grate the chocolate

Coarsely chop the chocolate with a knife or simply grate it and shake it in a fireproof bowl. You could also use chocolate drops instead of a regular bar of chocolate, but these often contain additional ingredients to help them keep their shape. As a true ganache cream is made with only two ingredients, make sure you use only the best quality ones, as this will give the cream a real rich flavour.

You can use milk chocolate or white chocolate, but be aware that these two chocolates contain much more milk than dark chocolate and are therefore more sensitive to higher temperatures - so be careful not to overheat the mixture when preparing it. The extra milk in these two types of chocolate makes the ganache cream softer, so if you use milk or white chocolate, add a smaller amount of cream than you would with dark chocolate.

2. Heat the sweet cream

Heat the sweet cream slowly over a medium heat until it comes to the boil. Just be careful not to let it boil, as lumps may form in the ganache cream. Pour the hot sweet cream over the chopped or grated chocolate and leave to stand for about 2 minutes.

Helpful hint: the higher the fat content of the sweet cream, the more stable the ganache cream will be and the richer it will taste.

If you avoid dairy products, you can also use soya or almond milk as an alternative to sweet cream, but note that the texture will not be as rich and creamy.

3. Mix chocolate and sweet cream

Slowly and gently stir the mixture in one direction until smooth and creamy. It will take some time as the two ingredients will not blend well at first, but keep at it for a while, as this will give you that thick texture that we all love so much about this cream.

The ratio of the ingredients is key

Depending on which confectionery you are going to top with the ganache cream, you can adjust the ratio of the ingredients. Just remember that the cream becomes very thick and firm as it cools.

1:1 ratio

If you want to decorate a cake or other confectionery with ganache cream and use it as a topping, use the same ratio of chocolate and sweet cream. Let the cream come to room temperature for about 15 minutes before you start decorating.

Ratio 2:1

If you are making truffles, macaroons or cupcakes, you can also use the ganache cream as a filling. To get the right effect, use 2 times as much chocolate as sweet cream. Once the ganache cream has set completely (you can also put it in the fridge), it will become completely firm.

1:2 ratio

The ratio with 2 times more cream than chocolate can be used as a topping for ice cream or for dipping fruit - the latter can also be used as an alternative if you don''t have chocolate fondue at home.

Experiment with different flavours

Chocolate ganache cream is really versatile, not only because it goes with any confectionery, but because it can be complemented with different flavours. For example, if you add a little salt to the still warm mixture, it will bring out the sweet flavour of the ganache cream. You can also enhance its flavour with different liqueurs, coffee, fruit extracts, kikiriki butter, tea or even herbs. Some of these ingredients can change the thickness of the ganache cream, so add a little more chocolate or sweet cream if necessary. As mentioned, the chocolate ganache cream will come out best if you use sweet cream with as high a fat content as possible. It is also recommended that the chocolate also has as high a percentage of cocoa solids as possible - at least 70%.

Have fun creating!