Equipment
Ingredients
Ganache Base
- 250 g milk chocolate, finely chopped
- 100 ml heavy cream, cold
- 1 g fine sea salt
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 168 kcal
- Protein
- 2 g
- Carbohydrates
- 15 g
- Fat
- 11 g
- Fiber
- 1 g
- Sugar
- 13 g
- Sodium
- 61 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 7 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 3 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Cholesterol
- 17 mg
- Potassium
- 103 mg
- Calcium
- 54 mg
- Iron
- 0.6 mg
- Magnesium
- 16 mg
- Phosphorus
- 58 mg
- Zinc
- 0.6 mg
- Vitamin A
- 56 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 0 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.2 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 0.2 mg
- Vitamin K
- 2 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.0 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.2 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.03 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.09 mg
- Niacin
- 0.1 mg
- Folate
- 3 mcg
- Water
- 6 g
- Caffeine
- 5 mg
Sources: USDA FoodData Central
Method
Place the finely chopped milk chocolate and fine sea salt into a clean, completely dry heatproof mixing bowl.
Pour the heavy cream into a small saucepan. Heat over medium-low heat until it just begins to simmer, reaching approximately 85 C or 185 F. Do not allow the cream to come to a rolling boil.
Immediately pour the hot cream over the chopped milk chocolate. Ensure all the chocolate is submerged. Let the bowl sit entirely undisturbed for 3 minutes to allow the heat to gently melt the cocoa butter.
Using a silicone spatula, gently stir the mixture starting from the center in small, tight circles. As the emulsion forms, gradually widen your circles until the entire mixture is smooth, dark, and glossy. Avoid whisking vigorously to prevent incorporating air bubbles.
For a pourable glaze, use immediately while at roughly 32 C or 90 F. For whipping or rolling into truffles, press plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the ganache and chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours until fully set.
Chef's Notes
- Milk chocolate contains more sugar and milk solids than dark chocolate, making it softer. This is why the ratio of chocolate to cream is higher (2.5 parts chocolate to 1 part cream by weight) than a standard dark chocolate ganache.
- Always use high-quality couverture block chocolate or callets. Chocolate chips intended for baking contain stabilizers that prevent them from melting smoothly, resulting in a waxy ganache.
- Water is the enemy of melted chocolate. Ensure your bowls and spatulas are thoroughly dried before beginning, as even a single drop of water can cause the chocolate to seize and turn granular.
- For truffle variations, infuse the heavy cream with espresso beans, loose leaf tea, or fresh mint leaves before straining and pouring over the chocolate.
Storage
Refrigerator: 2 weeks — Store in an airtight container with plastic wrap pressed directly against the surface.
Freezer: 3 months — Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before using.
Reheating: Gently warm over a double boiler or in a microwave at 30 percent power in 15-second intervals, stirring gently until desired consistency is reached.
Troubleshooting
Ganache looks grainy, split, or oily
Cause: The cream was too hot, or the mixture was agitated too violently, causing the fat emulsion to separate.
Fix: Warm 15ml of milk or water and whisk it vigorously into the broken ganache one teaspoon at a time until the emulsion is restored.
Prevention: Ensure cream only reaches a gentle simmer, not a boil. Stir gently from the center rather than whipping vigorously.
Chocolate contains lumps after stirring
Cause: Chocolate pieces were too large, or the cream was not hot enough to melt the cocoa butter completely.
Fix: Place the bowl over a saucepan of barely simmering water (double boiler) and stir gently until the remaining lumps melt.
Prevention: Chop chocolate into very fine, even shards before starting.
Cultural Context
Ganache was allegedly invented in Paris during the 1850s, though its exact origin is fiercely debated between Swiss and French confectioners. Culinary lore suggests the term originally translated to 'fool' or 'imbecile' in French, a remark shouted by a master chef at an apprentice who mistakenly poured hot cream over premium chocolate. The result, however, was so magnificent that it became one of the foundational pillars of modern pastry arts.
