Ganache

Ganache (French ganache) is one of the cornerstone creams of confectionery, made by combining chocolate and hot cream. Hot cream is poured over chopped chocolate, it is left to melt, and then stirred to a uniform, smooth, glossy emulsion. Simple in composition, ganache is exceptionally versatile.

The magic of ganache lies in the proportions. By changing the ratio of chocolate to cream, the confectioner obtains different consistencies for different needs. A thinner ganache (more cream) serves as a luxurious glossy glaze for cakes and pastries. A medium-thick one is a tender filling for tartlets, macarons, and éclairs, and a layer for cakes. Thick, chilled ganache is rolled into balls and coated in cocoa — thus the famous chocolate truffles are made. Whipped chilled ganache becomes an airy cream for decoration. Ganache is made with dark, milk, or white chocolate, and also flavoured: butter is added for shine, along with liqueurs, coffee, spices, fruit purées, and mint. The flavour of ganache is deep, richly chocolatey, velvety. The ability to make a smooth, un-split ganache is a basic but important skill of the confectioner. It is an elegant, versatile base for countless chocolate desserts.