Made by blending chocolate and cream, chocolate ganache is a silky smooth, decadent mixture that can be used to ice, fill, glaze, drizzle, layer or decorate your cakes and desserts, or to make hand-rolled chocolate truffles. Not only is it endlessly versatile, it's also so quick and easy to make using your stand mixer.
Here’s our foolproof guide to making chocolate ganache. This recipe is based on using the Titanium Chef Patissier XL, with its EasyWarm™ bowl.
Preparing ahead
This recipe will make enough chocolate ganache to ice a cake that will serve at least 6 people. It only takes about 10 minutes to make, plus cooling time.
Here’s what you’ll need:
Ingredients 200g dark chocolate, broken up into small pieces 1 1/2 tbsp unsalted butter, softened (optional) 220g whipping cream
Tools Titanium Chef Patissier XL
Traditionally ganache is only made with chocolate and cream, so adding butter is optional, but it helps to keep the ganache soft.
Because there are so few ingredients, try to use the best quality chocolate you can, with a high percentage of cocoa solids (at least 70%). This will make a big difference to the flavour. Ganache can also be made using milk or white chocolate, but because they have a higher fat and milk content, the mixture will have a softer set.
Melting the chocolate
Attach the 7L EasyWarm™ bowl to your mixer and fit the creaming beater.
Add the chocolate, butter and whipping cream to the bowl. Select the chocolate melting preset.
The mixture will thicken as it cools, so once it’s ready, transfer to a medium bowl. Cover and put in the fridge for 30 minutes. Don’t leave it any longer than that, otherwise it will solidify.
Mixing the ganache
Replace the creaming beater with the whisk. Transfer the chilled ganache mixture back into the EasyWarm™ bowl.
Mix on speed 5 for 30 seconds, or until the mixture thickens up and the whisk starts to leave indentations in the ganache. Now it’s ready to use.
Ganache can be used to top or fill cakes and desserts, like this impressive chocolate yule log, fill pastries, make hand-rolled truffles or dip and decorate biscuits. Depending on how you’re planning to use it, you can also look to adjust the ratio of cream to chocolate. For instance, if you’re using it for piping work or to make truffles, you’ll need to add more chocolate than cream to get a thicker, more moldable consistency.
Ganache can be made in advance and kept in the fridge for up to five days. Just bear in mind that it will stiffen up over time, and therefore be more solid to work with. Apply a gentle heat to thin it out again.
