CCKC Chef Jill Garcia Schmidt has been making LOTS of Chocolate Ganache this holiday season for parties in our kitchens. We use it to make some pretty darn spectacular chocolate truffles, as well as cake filling and ice cream topping!
To make the chocolate ganache, heat water in a double boiler.
Add heavy cream and warm 6 to 7 minutes before adding your chocolate.
Chef Jill recommends using the best chocolate you can afford. It will melt and taste better. She likes Hershey’s, Bakers, Godiva or Giardelli’s Chocolate, in particular.
Add your chocolate carefully to the warm cream, then add butter.
Remove from heat, and start stirring, folding it in from the bottom and sides of the bowl as you go. Use your muscles… this can be a real workout. If you start to feel resistance and your mix starts tightening before you finish melting it all, put your bowl back on the hot water bath (not directly on the heat).
Once your bowl of chocolate is melted and shiny, your ganache is ready to use in pourable form. If you’re using it for trruffles, you’ll need to chill it first. It can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
There is a link to a printable recipe at the bottom of this post.
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Ready to make some Ganache Truffles in your own kitchen now? Here’s our recipe…
Ingredients
22 ounces semisweet chocolate
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
3 tablespoons butter, unsalted, room temperature
2 ounces flavored liqueur (optional)
Preparation
In a bowl add chocolate. Set aside.
In a saucepan add cream and bring just to a boil over medium-high heat. Pour cream over top of chocolate. Cover tightly with a sheet of plastic wrap and set aside for 5 minutes in a warm place.
Remove cover. Using a large wooden spoon, stir to combine cream and chocolate mixture. Add butter and liqueur, if using. Stir until just combined. Cover bowl again with the sheet of plastic wrap. Place in the refrigerator until ready to use.
(Ganache may be kept in refrigerator for up to 1 week.) Makes approximately 50 truffles.