need the perfect chocolate ganache filling?
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Chocolate Ganache - sounds fancy but it's basically chocolate and cream. Simple ingredients that definitely add up to more than the sum of their parts. If you've never tried ganache before, you're really in for a surprise. This is one love affair that will never end!
You can use milk, dark or white chocolate but remember, the better the chocolate, the better finished product. So buy the best kind you can afford – it will be worth it!
Recommended chocolate brands:
Try the flavor variations listed after the main recipe. It'll give you even more reasons to run off and whip up a batch of chocolatey heaven...mmm
ingredients
cake filling - chocolate ganache
yields 3 1/2 cups ganache
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 16 ounces chocolate, finely chopped
here's how you do it:
1. put cream in a microwave safe glass bowl and heat on high for 2-3 minutes, until just about to boil.
2. put chocolate in a medium sized glass bowl and pour hot cream over.
3. let sit for a minute or two then stir with a wooden spoon until completely smooth.
4. chill the ganache to a thick spreading consistency. This takes several hours. I actually prefer to chill it overnight, then stir a little right before using.
That's it! Pretty simple right? So now that you've got the basic ganache let's explore a few possibilities.
simple flavors add an exotic twist
as fantastic as chocolate ganache is, it's always fun to have choices!
There are many different ways to flavor ganache. Here are just a few:
Flavoring With Liqueurs
Add ¼ cup of any liqueur or liquor to the basic recipe and reduce the cream to 1 ¾ cups. The possibilities are endless.
- Franjelico – hazelnut
- Cointreau – orange
- Baileys – Irish Cream
- Tia Maria – Coffee
- Crème de Menthe – mint
- Crème de Framboise – Raspberry
- Cherry brandy – cherry
- Honey schnapps – honey
- Midori – melon
- any of the berry liqueurs – blueberry, strawberry
- Champagne, dark rum, brandy, or whisky would all work well
Non-Alcoholic Gourmet Flavoring Oils
If you want to add flavor without the alcohol for any reason, there are tons of ways to do that. Here are just a few :
Add a few drops of any of these gourmet flavoring oils
- Amaretto
- Almond
- Apple
- Blueberry
- Blackberry
- Clove
- Champagne
- Cherry
- Cinnamon
- Honey
- Key lime
- Mint
- Pomegranate
- Strawberry
- Watermelon
- and many others, available here
Fresh or Canned Fruit Purees
Add ½ cup of any of these purees and reduce the cream to 1 ½ cups :
- mango
- strawberry
- raspberry
- passionfruit
Frozen Juice Concentrates
Add ¼ cup of any of these flavors and reduce the cream to 1 ¾ cups:
- orange
- orange mango
Flavoring With Nut Butters
Add 1/2 cup of any of the following nut butters for a really decadent take on the classic chocolate/peanut butter combination :
- Hazelnut butter
- Peanut butter
- Almond butter
Whipped Chocolate Ganache Filling
- just freeze the ganache for a few hours until very firm, then whip in your electric mixer, about 5 minutes, until fluffy. Be careful not to over-whip the ganache, however, or you'll end up with chocolate butter!
- spread between cake layers right away.
Now For Some Truly Adventurous Departures From The Ordinary
Not that there’s anything ordinary about Ganache, but for a truly extraordinary experience try these variations!
Chai Spice Chocolate Ganache
Add to the basic recipe :
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
- mix the spices into the hot cream before you pour it over the chopped chocolate
Spicy Chili Chocolate Ganache
Add to the basic recipe :
- 2 tablespoons ancho chili powder
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- mix the spices into the hot cream before you pour it over the chopped chocolate
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