Mascarpone Dark Chocolate Ganache
A rich dark chocolate ganache that’s made with mascarpone to give it a softer, more spreadable texture once set. This is perfect for coating cakes with!
This is the perfect dark chocolate ganache for coating & topping cakes with! It’s incredibly rich, super chocolatey & has a soft, spreadable consistency. The problem with some chocolate ganaches is that they set too firmly but this one contains just enough fat to give it the perfect texture & flavour. Use a good quality dark chocolate for this & you’re onto a real winner.
I used this dark chocolate ganache for my chocolate fudge layer cake but it also works really well on top of sheet cakes & brownies. You could also use it whilst it’s still warm as a dip for strawberries or churros, drizzled over ice cream or to replace the classic chocolate sauce for profiteroles.
For more baking recipes, check out every growing baking recipe collection! There’s plenty to choose from here, from chocolate chip cookies & brownies, to homemade breads, pastry & loads more.
What You’ll Need
- Dark Chocolate – Using a good quality dark chocolate makes all the difference when making ganache. For the richest flavour, I’d recommend using a 72% dark chocolate. Bars of chocolate melt better than chips so that’s what I’d recommend using.
- Mascarpone – Added to make the ganache richer & easier to spread. Make sure to use a full fat mascarpone. As of yet, I’ve not tried substituting the mascarpone for cream cheese but I’m sure that it would work!
- Cream – We’re using double cream for this chocolate ganache for it’s rich, creamy flavour.
- Golden Syrup – Added to give our ganache sweetness & a glossy finish. If you can’t get hold of golden syrup, you can use light corn syrup instead.
- Butter – Adding butter to ganache gives it a softer texture once set. I’d recommend using un salted butter then adding salt in yourself.
- Salt – Anything made with chocolate will benefit from a pinch of salt as it brings out the flavours!
How To Make Mascarpone Dark Chocolate Ganache
The problem with a chocolate ganache that’s made with a 1:1 ratio of chocolate & cream, is that it tends to set up quite firmly. To get around this & make our ganache easier to spread, we increase the fat content slightly by adding in mascarpone & butter. Just enough to soften the texture but not too much as the ganache won’t emulsify properly. It’s all about balance.
- Warm Cream, Butter & Golden Syrup
The first step is to warm double cream, butter & golden syrup in a pan, over a low heat until it’s steaming hot. It’s key not to let the cream boil though as this could make the ganache split! f you take the temperature of the cream, it will be around 80°c/176°f when ready. - Chop Chocolate
Whilst our cream is warming up, we need to chop dark chocolate into small pieces then place into a heatproof bowl with a good pinch of sea salt. - Pour Cream Over Chocolate
Once the cream is warm & the butter has melted, we pour it over the dark chocolate then let it stand for 2 minutes before stirring. This just helps the chocolate melt more evenly. - Stir To Combine
Next, we use a spatula to gently stir the cream & chocolate together until melted & smooth, starting from the middle, working outwards. - Blend In Mascarpone
Once our ganache is smooth & combined, we add in room temperature mascarpone then use a stick blender to blend it in. The mix may look split at first but just keep blending & it will all come together! - Leave To Set
Now our ganache is made, we need to transfer it to a shallow dish, cover the surface with a piece of clingfilm (to stop a skin forming) then let it cool at room temperature until thick enough to spread. If you’re not using the ganache straight away, you’ll need to store it in the fridge.
Using Chocolate Ganache For Cake
The great thing about this batch of chocolate ganache is that it stays soft & spreadable once set. This makes it perfect for layer cakes and it can be spread in between the layers of cake, over the outside or both!
However as this ganache contains mascarpone, it will need to be stored in the fridge if you’re not using it straight away. Like most chocolate ganaches, this one will firm up in the fridge but if you let it sit at room temperature for an hour then give it a stir, it’ll be good to go! Then if you’re after a super glossy finish on your ganache (on the outside of a cake), you’ll want to give it a quick heat with a blowtorch.
Tips, Tricks & Troubleshooting
- Use a good quality bar of dark chocolate, for the best flavour.
- Add butter & mascarpone to the ganache, to give it a softer, more spreadable consistency.
- Add golden syrup (or light corn syrup) to your ganache, to give it a glossy finish.
- Give your ganache a quick blend with a stick blender, to help emulsify it properly.
- Add a good pinch of salt to your ganache, to bring the flavours from the chocolate out.
Frequently Asked Questions
As mascarpone dark chocolate ganache contains fresh dairy (mascarpone), it won’t keep as long as regular ganache. This type of chocolate ganache needs to be stored in the fridge & should be eaten within 5 days of being made.
As this ganache contains mascarpone, it needs to be stored in the fridge. However, before being used it should be left to soften at room temperature for around an hour. If you’re using the ganache straight away, you can let it cool at room temperature until thick. If you’re making it ahead of time, the ganache will need refrigerating.
To make dark chocolate ganache with a more spreadable texture, some extra fat is added, in the form of butter & mascarpone. You need to be careful not to add too much fat though, as this can make the ganache split.
Dark chocolate ganache will split if the cream gets too hot, if too much fat was added or if the ganache was stirred too much. To avoid splitting, make sure that the cream doesn’t boil, get the ratios of chocolate:fat correct & avoid stirring the mix too rigorously. Giving the ganache a blend with a stick blender can help it emulsify properly.
More Baking Recipes To Try!
- Chocolate Fudge Layer Cake
- Mascarpone Chocolate Fudge Frosting
- Chocolate Cherry Swiss Roll
- Classic School Cake
- Brown Butter & Miso Pecan Pie Bars
- Brown Butter Oreo Chocolate Chip Cookies
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Mascarpone Dark Chocolate Ganache
Equipment
- Saucepan
- Mixing Bowl
- Digital Food Probe
- Stick Blender
Ingredients
- 350 g Double Cream
- 75 g Unsalted Butter (Roughly Chopped)
- 75 g Golden Syrup (Or Light Corn Syrup)
- 360 g Dark Chocolate (72% Is Best – See Notes)
- A Pinch Of Sea Salt
- 100 g Mascarpone (At Room Temperature)
Instructions
- Add the cream, butter & golden syrup into a medium sized saucepan then set over a low heat & warm, stirring frequently until the butter has melted & the cream is steaming hot. But not boiling! If you take the temperature of the cream, it will be around 80°c/176°f when ready.
- Whilst the cream is warming up, chop the chocolate into small pieces then place into a heatproof mixing bowl, along with a pinch of sea salt.
- Once the cream is hot, pour it over the chocolate then let the mix stand for 2 minutes, without stirring.Don't skip this step! Letting the mix stand melts the chocolate more evenly.
- Next, use a spatula to gently stir the cream & chocolate together until melted & smooth, starting from the middle, working outwards.
- Once the chocolate has melted, add in the mascarpone then use a stick blender to blend it into the ganache. The mix may look split at first but keep blending & it will come together, to make a smooth, shiny ganache.
- Transfer the ganache to a shallow dish then cover the surface with a piece of clingfilm & leave to set at room temperature until thick enough to spread. This will take an hour or two. You can speed this process up by putting the ganache in the fridge but it will lose some of its’ shine!
- Give the ganache a stir just before using, to make it more spreadable.As the ganache contains mascarpone, it will need to be stored in the fridge if you're making it ahead of time. To make it more spreadable after being chilled, you'll need to let the ganache sit out at room temperature for around an hour.
