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Decadent Chocolate Ganache: A Creamy Guide to Dark, Milk, and White Chocolate Variations Recipe

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4 from 3 reviews

This versatile Chocolate Ganache recipe offers rich, creamy ganache options using dark, milk, or white chocolate, perfect for glazing, frosting, whipping, truffles, or dips. Easy to make with just chocolate and heavy cream, this recipe guides you through chopping, heating cream carefully to avoid graininess, melting, and cooling methods to achieve the ideal consistency for multiple uses.

Ingredients

Dark Chocolate Ganache:

  • 250g / 8oz dark chocolate or semi-sweet chocolate block (up to 50% cocoa)
  • 1 cup thickened / heavy cream / pure cream / whipping cream (minimum 30% fat)

Milk Chocolate Ganache:

  • 375g / 12 oz milk chocolate block
  • 1/2 cup thickened / heavy cream / pure cream / whipping cream (minimum 30% fat)

White Chocolate Ganache:

  • 400g / 14 oz white chocolate block
  • 1/3 cup + 1 tbsp thickened / heavy cream / pure cream / whipping cream (minimum 30% fat)

Chocolate Truffles:

  • Refer to Chocolate Truffles recipe (uses less cream for a firmer ganache)

Instructions

  1. Chop Chocolate: Finely chop the chocolate using a sharp or serrated knife and transfer all pieces, including tiny shards, into a heatproof bowl.
  2. Heat Cream: Warm the cream in a small saucepan or microwave until hot and steaming but not boiling to prevent chocolate from splitting or becoming grainy.
  3. Pour Cream Over Chocolate: Pour the hot cream evenly over the chopped chocolate and spread the chocolate out so the cream covers it as much as possible; it is normal if white or milk chocolate is not fully covered.
  4. Wait: Let the mixture stand uncovered for 10 minutes to allow the chocolate to soften and begin melting.
  5. Stir Until Smooth: Using a rubber spatula or spoon, stir gently until the cream and chocolate fully combine into a silky smooth ganache. For milk and white chocolate, which use less cream, microwave in 20-second intervals with gentle stirring until fully melted.
  6. Troubleshoot: If ganache is grainy, split, or has lumps, refer to troubleshooting tips such as reheating in short bursts or stirring more thoroughly to fix texture issues.
  7. Cooling for Use: To spread, pipe, or whip ganache, cool uncovered for 30 minutes, then cover and press cling wrap directly on the surface to avoid a skin forming while continuing to cool.
  8. Usage Options: Use ganache warm as a pourable glaze, cooled for spreadable frosting consistency, whipped for frosting topping, or cooled overnight for firm truffles.

Notes

  • The amount of cream varies by chocolate type because lighter chocolates (white, milk) contain more sugar and fat, requiring less cream to reach smoothness.
  • Use only chocolate intended for baking, not regular eating chocolate, to ensure proper melting and texture.
  • Cream must be at least 30% fat for the ganache to thicken correctly; low-fat creams do not work well.
  • If cream boils, remove from heat and let cool before reheating gently to avoid splitting the chocolate.
  • Water or condensation can cause ganache to split; keep the ganache uncovered while resting to prevent moisture accumulation.
  • Bubbles or lumps often vanish as ganache cools; if lumps persist, microwave in short bursts with stirring.
  • Storage: Room temp on cooler days for 2 days; refrigerate up to 1 week; freeze for up to 3 months. Always cool before storing and cover ganache surface with cling wrap.
  • When reheating frozen ganache, thaw overnight in fridge and dab off condensation before use.
  • Energy and nutritional values are based on dark chocolate ganache per 1/8 batch serving.

Find it online: https://marthatasty.com/decadent-chocolate-ganache-a-creamy-guide-to-dark-milk-and-white-chocolate-variations-recipe/