GANACHE...a yummy treat!

Ganache is the coating on this brownie pictured above. But what exactly is Ganache?...

Ganache is a French term referring to a smooth mixture of chopped chocolate and heavy cream. The origins of ganache are debatable but it is believed to have been invented around 1850. Some say it originated in Switzerland where it was used as a base for truffles. Others say it was invented in Paris at the Patisserie Siravdin.

How do I make Ganache?

A general guideline for making ganache. To make a glaze or coating: 1 part cream to 3 parts chocolate. To make a truffle filling: 1 part cream to 2 parts chocolate. To make a light filling: 1 part cream to 1 part chocolate.

For those of you who like specific recipes...try this:

(This recipe has a little butter added to ensure the ganache has a shiny finish, even when refrigerated.)

8 ounces (227 grams) semisweet or bittersweet chocolate cut into small pieces (you can also use 2/3 bag of chocolate chips. Ghiradelli semisweet is a good choice...it has less butterfat than other chocolate)
3/4 cup (180 ml) heavy whipping cream

2 tablespoons (28 grams) unsalted butter

*you can add concentrated extracts to to this to flavor...for example, rasberry extract for a rasberry chocolate flavor. Orange works well also! It just depends what you're making with it :-) Orange truffles sound good...

Place the chopped chocolate in a medium sized stainless steel bowl. Set aside. Heat the cream and butter in a medium sized saucepan over medium heat. Bring just to a boil. Immediately pour the boiling cream over the chocolate and allow to stand for 5 minutes. Stir with a whisk until smooth.

Uses for Ganache:

Ganache is widely used in the pastry kitchen. When barely warm and still liquid, you can pour it over a cake or torte for a smooth shiny glaze. (do a very thin layer and refrigerate it for 10-20 minutes until almost set before pouring more in the center and "icing" the cake/torte. This is called the crumb coat and will eliminate crumbs in your finished coating) If cooled to room temperature it becomes a spreadable filling and frosting. You can also Refrigerated ganache and it can be whipped for fillings and frostings or formed into truffles. For truffles, just form in to small balls and roll in crushed nuts or cocoa powder...or anything you like! and place in candy cups (or mini-muffin liners) and refigerate.

That's all there is to it!

Yum.