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!
Servings: 12 Servings
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.
Notes
1. Dark Chocolate - Using a good quality bar of dark chocolate makes all the difference with ganache. For the richest flavour, I used a 72% dark chocolate but a slightly less dark chocolate will work. I wouldn't go for a chocolate with a cocoa content less than 54% as this will affect how the ganache sets.
2. Golden Syrup - Added to give the ganache sweetness & a glossy finish. Light corn syrup will work instead, if you can't get hold of golden syrup.
3. Mascarpone - Adding mascarpone gives the ganache a softer, more spreadable texture. Make sure to use full fat mascarpone!
4. Making Ahead Of Time - If you're planning on using this ganache straight away, it's best to let it set at room temperature, as it will have the most amount of shine. You can make this ganache a few days ahead of time but it will need to be stored in the fridge. Before using, make sure to let the ganache sit at room temperature for an hour or so, to make it easier to spread (it will firm up in the fridge). This style of ganache will keep for up to 5 days.