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Baking Expert
Catherine Christiansen
Ganache!
Ahhh, Ganache!
Ganache is a magic mixture; a simple combination of hot cream poured over chopped chocolate that creates sleek, smooth luxury. While warm, ganache can be used as sauce or fondue or poured as a beautiful glaze for cakes or cookies. If left to cool a bit, it can be whipped into a filling. Refrigerate it for a few hours and it can be scooped into truffles.
Classically, ganache is equal parts chocolate and cream. For optimum truffles, the ratio changes to two parts chocolate to one part cream. For a perfect glaze, it’s three parts chocolate to one part cream.
Below are three great uses for ganache (the fourth is standing at the fridge with a spoon).
Poires Belle Hélène is a luxurious combination of poached pears, ice cream, whipped cream and chocolate sauce. I love this dessert for its beautiful simplicity and because the name is so lovely to say. The classic French dessert became popular in the late 1800’s when “La Belle Hélène,” Offenbach’s operetta about Helen, the queen of Sparta, was all the rage.
The recipe for truffles is so simple I can tell you right here (but it’s listed in the recipes as well). Boost ganache with liquor or flavoring, chill, scoop, roll between palms, roll in cocoa, chill, eat.
Finally, any chocolate cake recipe can be transformed into fancy schmancy decadence by first filling it with whipped ganache, then glazing with still more of the velvety chocolate mixture. It’s especially delightful baked in heart-shaped pans this month—or any month for that matter. There’s so much to love about chocolate.
Chocolate Ganache
recipe
Chocolate Ganache Cake recipe
Poires Belle Hélène
recipe
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