How to make chocolate ganache

John Cullen

Dark chocolate ganache

Ganache is a thick French chocolate sauce that’s also used as a glaze, icing and pastry filling.

Ingredients:
225 g dark or semi-sweet chocolate
1 cup whipping cream

Directions:

1. Chop chocolate finely. Place in a medium-sized bowl.

2. Heat cream in a small saucepan over medium until it almost comes to a boil. Immediately pour over chocolate and stir until chocolate melts and mixture is smooth. Let cool to room temperature. Drizzle over ice cream. Keeps well, refrigerated, for up to 1 week.

Prep tip: Chocolate is very easy to chop using a serrated knife.

Makes 1 2/3 cups

Per tbsp: 77 calories, 1 g protein, 5 g carbs, 6 g fat, 1 g fibre, 3 mg sodium.

Switch it up

Spiked Mocha: Stir 1/3 cup coffee liqueur into finished sauce.

Peanut-Butter Swirl: Stir 1/3 cup smooth peanut butter at room temperature into finished sauce.

White Chocolate & Lemon: Use 336 g white chocolate in place of 225 g dark chocolate. Stir 1/2 tsp lemon zest into finished sauce

Toffee Crunch: Stir 1/4 cup toffee bits into finished sauce.


Four ways to use it

Dessert Fondue: Heat ganache or any variation (right) in microwave or double boiler. Serve with fresh berries, pineapple cubes and marshmallows, for dipping.

Mexican Hot Chocolate Stir 5 tbsp ganache and a pinch of cayenne pepper into 1 cup hot milk. Top with whipped cream.

Easy Icing Spread room-temperature sauce (any variation) over cheesecake, brownies or cake.

Chocolate Truffles Double the amount of chocolate in original recipe (450 g total). After adding cream, return to pot and stir over medium until chocolate is completely melted. Refrigerate until firm. Scoop and roll into 1-in. balls. Refrigerate until firm. Roll into toasted coconut or a mix of equal parts cocoa powder and sifted icing sugar.