Ganache For V-Day: 15-Min Recipe

You will never know how easy it is to make ganache till you try this recipe!
Ganache is a soft, rich chocolate paste that can be turned into small squares or bars or used as stuffing or icing.
These lovely little cubes take less than 15 minutes to make but require 3 hours of chilling.

Ingredients

• 120-130 gm chocolate bar (about 50 per cent dark)
• 70 gm fresh cream
• 10 gm unsalted butter
• Cocoa powder for dusting

Method

• Cut the chocolate bar into 10-15 tiny pieces and place in a round-bottomed bowl (which makes mixing easier).
  Keep aside.
• Warm the cream in a saucepan to 80°C (use a candy thermometer) over low heat and add the butter.
  Pour over the chocolate pieces in the bowl.
• Let it cool for 5 minutes till 33°C.

Method, continued

• With a spatula, mix and fold the chocolate into the cream-butter mixture to melt the chocolate completely and then whip with a hand blender for 5 minutes.
  Pour on a parchment paper-lined tray in about a 15-mm thick slab.
• Refrigerate for 3 hours.

Method, continued

• Take out of the fridge and dust with cocoa powder.
• Cut into small cubes, sprinkle additional cocoa powder if preferred and serve or gift wrap.

Tips
The same ganache, if refrigerated briefly, can be used as frosting for cupcakes, cake or brownies, with the addition of 30 gm more cream.
Flavour the ganache to your taste during the mixing process.
Choices are innumerable -- cardamom powder, red chilly powder, cinnamon powder, strawberry flavouring, rum, almond extract, cherry flavouring etc.
Recipe: Kind courtesy Fabelle Chocolates