Making Smooth Chocolate Ganache
You do not need a double boiler or fancy equipment to get a professional finish. If your emulsion breaks, a splash of room-temperature cream will pull it back together every time.
Temperature control is your primary job.
Use high-quality chocolate with at least 55% cocoa solids for the best snap and texture. If your cream is too hot, it will separate the cocoa butter; aim for a gentle simmer, not a rolling boil.
- heavy-bottomed saucepan
- heat-proof glass bowl
- silicone spatula
- digital scale
What goes in.
- 8 ozsemisweet chocolate, finely chopped
- 8 ozheavy cream
Stir from the center
Start stirring in small, tight circles in the center of the bowl. As the chocolate melts into the cream, slowly widen your circles until the mixture becomes a single, uniform mass.
The method.
Prep the chocolate
Place your chopped chocolate into a heat-proof glass bowl. Using a sharp knife, ensure the pieces are no larger than a pea so they melt evenly.
Heat the cream
Pour the cream into the saucepan over medium heat. Watch for small bubbles forming around the edges, then remove it from the heat immediately.
The pour
Pour the hot cream over the chocolate. Do not stir yet. Cover the bowl with a small plate and let it sit for five minutes to allow the residual heat to penetrate the chocolate.
Emulsify
Remove the plate and begin stirring from the center with a spatula. Continue until the mixture transforms from separate liquids into a thick, shiny, dark silk.
Other turns to take.
Whipped Ganache
Once the ganache has cooled to room temperature, use an electric mixer to beat it until it holds stiff peaks; use this for frosting cakes.
Infused Ganache
Steep aromatics like Earl Grey tea leaves, cinnamon sticks, or orange zest in the cream while heating, then strain the cream before pouring over the chocolate.
When it doesn't go to plan.
If you have lumps that won't melt, place the bowl over a pot of simmering water for thirty seconds to give it a little extra heat.
Do not use chocolate chips; they contain stabilizers that prevent them from melting into a smooth, silky emulsion.
A pinch of fine sea salt added with the cream heightens the character of the chocolate.
The ones that keep coming up.
Why does my ganache look oily?
The emulsion has broken, usually because the cream was too hot or the chocolate was stirred too aggressively. Vigorously whisking in a tablespoon of cold cream usually fixes it.
Can I use white chocolate?
Yes, but white chocolate is much softer and has more sugar. Increase the chocolate weight to three parts chocolate to one part cream.
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