How To Make Chocolate Ganache

The secret to a purely delicious chocolate cake is the ganache that covers it. It’s basically made from 2 simple ingredients chocolate and cream that are combined gently and lovingly until the final result is a smooth silky chocolate ganache.

Ganache has many different uses in patisserie and it can be used to cover chocolate cakes, poured into tart bases, used as a filling for truffles or biscuits or stirred through hot milk for a lush hot chocolate. When chocolate and cream are  blended together they form the perfect union, resulting in a rich and silky chocolate cream that tastes purely delicious.

The basic ratio for ganache is 1 part dark chocolate to 1 part cream. The higher the fat content of the cream, the richer and more stable the finished ganache will be. You can also use coconut cream to make ganache.  The most important tip is to keep the heat gentle when warming the cream so you don’t burn it. I love to use a good quality dark eating chocolate courveture (70%).

250 g (8.5 oz) good quality dark eating chocolate, chopped (70 – 85 % cocoa solids) I used Lindt 70 %

250 ml (8.5 fl oz) cream or  alternatively you can use coconut cream or milk if dairy free

pinch of salt

Chop your chocolate finely. If I'm using a large block of chocolate I like to shave it with a large knife, making sure there are no big pieces.

Pour the cream in a pot over a medium heat and simmer until just before boiling - do not boil.

Remove the pot from the heat.

Add the chocolate to the cream and a pinch of salt

Stand for 3 minutes without stirring.

Stir gently until smooth after 2 minutes - you don't want to overwork the ganache and the mix should look glossy and smooth.

Pour over your cake to coat if covering the whole cake and you want a lovely glossy finish.

Cool your ganache at room temperature then spread it over the top of your favourite chocolate cake

Notes + Inspiration

To make chocolate truffles, refrigerate ganache for 4 hours and form into balls with a mini ice cream scoop.

Use coconut cream or milk in place of cream if you need your ganache dairy free.

Roll balls of ganache in quality Naked Chocolat and refrigerate until needed.

Add 1 tablespoon of Organic Superfood into the cream before adding the chocolate for a lush berry flavour.

Store ganache at room temperature in a cool place for up to 2 days and covered in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

To Make My Raw Chocolate Cake Click here