Ganache – 4 ways of total awesomeness!

Ganache – that silky smooth, molten chocolate river of bliss.  To me, it’s just perfection. I mean look at it… doesn’t it make you just want to stick your face under it???

No?  Oh um… yeah, me neither *wink*

The cool thing about ganache is that 2 very simple ingredients can make something so amazing and so decadent.  But what’s even MORE cooler is that those 2 simple ingredients can be used 4 different ways – as a shiny coating, as a whipped frosting, as a piped fudgy frosting or as a truffle.

Ganache – 4 ways of total awesomeness!

• Author: The Kitchen Whisperer

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Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups really good chocolate cut into pieces
• 1 cup heavy cream

Instructions

1. Place 1 cup of the chocolate pieces in a glass bowl.
2. Heat the cream over medium heat just until it starts to get bubbles around the edges.
3. Immediately remove it from the heat and pour it over the chocolate pieces.
4. Let it sit for 2 minutes and then stir slowly. As you stir, gradually add the rest of the chocolate pieces until they are all melted and the mixture is emulsified. This takes about 2 minutes. You want it super smooth and shiny.

Notes

Pourable Ganache
Allow it to cool slightly to where it’s thicker (not as thick as say molasses), where it’s still pourable – that’s how you get those super decadent shiny coated cakes.

Next is Whipped Ganache – think like if you frost a cake or cup cake. There are a few key points to remember when whipping ganache:

Chill the ganache uncovered in the fridge for two hours, stirring every twenty minutes.
Once the ganache feels cold but is still liquid, think pudding-like, remove it from the fridge and attach the bowl to the mixer.
Whip using the whisk attachment, slowly at first, gradually increasing speed to high. This will thicken rather quickly so watch it. It will begin to hold soft peaks. Watch for it to get just slightly firmer, and don’t allow it to go any further. Over-whipped ganache will look grainy then. If you find that your ganache has gone grainy, you can try to salvage it by placing it over a double boiler or hot water bath for about 10 seconds at a time, whisking, and then returning it to the heat to attempt to re-melt the chocolate. You may need to rewhip the ganache briefly once it returns to room temperature.
Work fast to ice your cake or cupcakes as this will seize up if left to sit.
*** Do not pre-whip your ganache! You only whip it when you’re ready to frost!

Piped ganache
For a thick frosting or decorative piping, allow the ganache to cool for a truffle like texture. You don’t whip or do anything to it.

Truffles
Just cool til it’s fudgy-scoopable, roll in assorted toppings and eat!

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Now at this point, if you allow it to cool slightly to where it’s thicker (not as thick as say molasses), where it’s still pourable – that’s how you get those super decadent shiny coated cakes like this:

Next is Whipped Ganache – think like if you frost a cake or cup cake. There are a few key points to remember when whipping ganache:

1. Chill the ganache uncovered in the fridge for two hours, stirring every twenty minutes.
2. Once the ganache feels cold but is still liquid, think pudding-like, remove it from the fridge and attach the bowl to the mixer.
3. Whip using the whisk attachment, slowly at first, gradually increasing speed to high. This will thicken rather quickly so watch it.  It will begin to hold soft peaks. Watch for it to get just slightly firmer, and don’t allow it to go any further. Over-whipped ganache will look grainy then. If you find that your ganache has gone grainy, you can try to salvage it by placing it over a double boiler or hot water bath for about 10 seconds at a time, whisking, and then returning it to the heat to attempt to re-melt the chocolate. You may need to rewhip the ganache briefly once it returns to room temperature.
4. Work fast to ice your cake or cupcakes as this will seize up if left to sit.
5. *** Do not pre-whip your ganache!  You only whip it when you’re ready to frost!

Now we have Piped ganache. For a thick frosting or decorative piping, allow the ganache to cool for a truffle like texture.  You don’t whip or do anything to it.

And last we have truffles.  Just cool til it’s fudgy-scoopable, roll in assorted toppings and eat!

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