White Chocolate Ganache

White chocolate ganache is a velvety and rich cream that can be used to fill sweets, as a topping for cakes, or in pralines. Here is how you can prepare it.

Ingredients

• 200 g of good quality white chocolate
• 100 ml of fresh cream

Preparation

1. First, finely chop the white chocolate. This step is important to ensure that it melts evenly when the hot cream is added.
2. Pour the fresh cream into a small pot and heat it almost to boiling over medium-low heat. Be careful not to let it come to a full boil.
3. As soon as you see the first bubbles at the sides of the pot, remove it from the heat.
4. Add the chopped white chocolate to the hot cream and let it sit for a minute so that the heat begins to melt the chocolate.
5. After the minute of waiting, gently stir with a spatula or a wooden spoon until the chocolate is completely melted and the mixture becomes smooth and uniform. If necessary, you can put the mixture back over very low heat to help dissolve any remaining lumps.
6. Once the ganache is smooth, let it cool to room temperature. Then, if you desire a thicker consistency for filling sweets or for glazing, cover it with cling film in direct contact and let it rest in the fridge until it reaches the desired consistency.

An idea for an Italian touch might be to flavor your white chocolate ganache with a pinch of vanilla or a few drops of amaretto or limoncello liqueur, which pairs very well with white chocolate.

Curiosities

Ganache is a French invention whose creation is attributed to the pastry chef Siraudin in the late 19th century. However, it has become a classic in pastry all over the world, and every culture has found a way to customize it and incorporate it into their local delights.