Vegan chocolate ganache for truffles

Name: VEGAN CHOCOLATE GANACHE
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 210 min
Ingredients: 0.150 kg coconut milk; 0.025 kg coconut oil; 0.125 kg dark chocolate (70% ); 0.001 kg salt

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A marvelous vegan Chocolate Ganache, great for making simple truffles, merely using a quality dark chocolate and coconut milk.

Are you a connoisseur for the sweeter things in life? Then you may marvel at making your own plant-based truffles. This recipe guide embraces the flavors, the process and some nifty uses!

What is ganache?

Classic ganache is a mixture of melted chocolate and whipping cream. The texture of ganache depends on the amount and quality of the chocolate. The greater the amount of chocolate, the firmer the result will be.
You can flavor ganache in various ways. Steep the cream with fruit, herbs or spice, and add extracts to the final mixture. Pour ganache into pastry cases as a tarte filling, or use it as a dessert sauce, gâteau glaze, piped frosting or for truffle making.

You can easily make a smooth ganache, so long some basic insights of a blend is followed. Ganache is a mixture of fat, which is the chocolate, suspended into a liquid. The desired quality is the silkiness.

There are various ways in which seamless ganache can be obtained. In this small batch recipe, I use a simple emulsion method, but first, what you will need to make perfect truffles that are healthy too!

What you will need to make great Vegan Chocolate Ganache//

Classic ganache is a mixture of chocolate and whipping cream. This mixing can be alternated with different liquids and liquors.

In this recipe, the ganache is made from dark chocolate and coconut milk, which means that this tasty treat is free from dairy and gluten, contains little sugar, is considered paleo and is fully plant-based!

The ingredients you will need are//

Dark chocolate

Many of my recipes call for bittersweet chocolate that is either used melted or in pellets. Pellets eliminated the tedious task of cutting chocolate into small pieces.

Dark, or real, chocolate should not contain any dairy. All that is needed to craft handmade dark chocolate is dried cocoa solids, cocoa butter and a form of sweetness. On the contrary, adding dairy to chocolate processes it to milk chocolate or blond variants like chocolat dulcey.

I opt for dark chocolate that is 70%, or more, in cocoa solids. Many brands such as Callebaut, Guittard and Valrhona make bittersweet chocolate that are free from dairy. You can also search for “vegan” labels from your natural food market.

Coconut milk

Coconut milk is creamy and a great dairy alternative in decadent desserts. It is quite light in taste, and when balanced with other ingredients, rather neutral, as in my Coffee Diplomat Cream. Coconuts are a healthy alkaline food source that is fantastic in baking and icings. You can purchase the milk canned or in cartons. Look for “full fat” labels where the natural healthy fat content is 23g/ 100g serving.

Coconut oil

A common addition to ganache, for a milkier texture, is butter. In this vegan version, I used soft coconut oil as a variant. You may also use dairy-free *butter, or shortening. Choose a healthy ingredients list that reads a seed oil first. Look for “baking” labels where the total fat content is 80g/ 100g serving.

The process behind a simple ganache method//

The full process of a simple emulsion method is often used in the craft of candies. The heated milk is added to the chocolate at intervals. The partial adding, and stirring, creates a smooth and lavish texture that is irresistibly beautiful!
This is practical when preparing ganache for batch works. The number of additions, to emulsify the ingredients properly, depends on the yield at hand. I prefer this method when making a filling for pralines.

The process step-by-step//

Chop the chocolate.
Chop the chocolate into small pieces, about 1.5cm, so that it will melt effortlessly in the warm milk.
Heat the milk.
In a saucepan and over medium heat, bring the milk to a simmer.
Pour the milk and combine.
Once the milk is simmering, remove it from the heat. Pour half the amount over the bowl of chocolate. Leave to melt for a few minutes, then stir, using a rubber spatula.
Pour the remaining milk, then mix again.
Resting allows the heat to melt the chocolate, while at the same time cooling the milk. Mixing while the milk is too hot could cause the ganache to break. This may result in a gritty texture.
Guideline: ± 175g chocolate will need 3 minutes waiting time, or until the liquid cools to 85°C. For larger amounts of chocolate increase this time.
Press the *butter in.
Some recipes are enriched with butter.
Cool the previous mixture to between 30 – 45°C. Add the *butter in small bits and press in with a rubber spatula.
The butter is not stirred in, since here, both textures are very similar. Stirring may cause a surplus of air bubbles and express the setting. Press the butter against the side of the bowl to mix.
Set the ganache.
Cover the ganache surface, then cool to room temperature. The ganache will thicken as it sets.

_{*butter – see coconut oil}

Tips for vegan Chocolate Ganache//

Best is to make ganache when needed. Though the method may stay the same, the ratio of ingredients may vary for different uses.

This recipe falls under the 1:1 ratio. That is 1-part chocolate to 1-part milk. This ratio has the consistency of a thick paste at room temperature, that hardens when refrigerated. Pipe to decorate, or roll and dust to make terrific truffles!

Flavor the milk with orange rinds, ginger or vanilla upon heating, then strain. Proceed as normal.

Choose sprinkles such as desiccated coconut, organic cocoa powder or vegan icing sugar. Chopped nuts, like almonds or cashews, also work well.

Bon appetite!