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Chocolate ganache is a classic topping and filling I’m sure we’re all familiar with, but what about caramel ganache?
This recipe is a caramel-themed adjustment from the original French recipe, and I gotta say, I’ve always been more of a caramel person than chocolate, so this really satisfies my sweet tooth.
What Is Ganache?
Ganache is a term used to describe the icing, filing, or the glaze for fillings, pastries, and baked goods, made with chocolate and heavy cream.
Ganache really improves any dessert. Plus, if you’re cake came out a little uneven or has some cracks on the top of it, just spread a bit of ganache to mask those mistakes and you’re good to go!
I mean, who’s gonna complain about more ganache?
But ganache is more than just a way to make your baked goods look prettier. Ganache is a fantastic way to add some rich, delicious flavors to your treats while also giving them a gourmet makeover.
How to Make Caramel Ganache
Basically, there are two ways to make ganache. The first one is a bit easier and is similar to classic chocolate ganache. For this one you will need:
- 8 oz. of caramel candies
- ½ cup heavy cream
You’ll start by chopping the caramel candies into small pieces. Then, you will bring the heavy cream very nearly to a rolling boil, just like with classic ganache.
Pour the heavy cream over the caramel candies, and allow to sit for 3-4 minutes. Stir until the candies are melted.
Once the candies are melted, make an ice bath. Place the bowl with the caramel ganache into the ice bath and stir until cooled down.
With an electric whisk whip up the ganache until thick and creamy. It may take up to 5 minutes. After that, your ganache is ready!
We’ll look at the second method below (that’s the recipe after all), but first, let’s take a look at a few tips that’ll make your ganache-making life a lot easier!
First off, if you are making this for the first time, make sure to use a candy thermometer. This is your best friend for this recipe. Monitor the sugar temperature closely with one and get your ganache to 226.5°F.
Also, make sure to warm your heavy cream before you pour it into the caramel or at least make sure it is a room temperature.
Cold heavy cream in hot caramel will cause the caramel to splash out all over the place, and trust us, sugar can get incredibly hot. So be careful, and make sure to warm up your cream!
Finally, cool the ganache either in an ice-cold bath or fridge before whipping. If you try to whip a hot ganache, all the air and volume you’re trying to incorporate will just deflate from the radiant heat of the caramel.
Salted or Unsalted Butter?
It’s traditional to use salted butter in this recipe. Both salted and unsalted butter have no major differences, texturally speaking, but I personally prefer to use unsalted butter (I’m sorry, French cooks everywhere!!).
Using unsalted butter allows me to more easily adjust the levels of salt in the ganache, which I prefer greatly. Call me a control freak, but I just like to know what’s going on in my caramel and chocolate toppings!
How to Serve and Use Caramel Ganache
Just like the classic ganache, you can use this one for decorating cakes, as an ice cream drizzle, for French macarons, or you can just serve it with some apples and pretzels as a dip.
The possibilities are pretty much endless for this topping. Get creative and let us know what you come up with in the comments below!
How to Make Caramel Ganache
Step 1
Assemble your ingredients!
To make the sugar base, pour 1/3 of the sugar into a saucepot. Set it over medium heat.
Do not stir; just allow it to dissolve on its own. Once melted, add the second third. Set it over the stove again and allow it to melt.
Add the third part and melt it again.
Step 2
After enough cooking, your melted sugar should have a rich amber color.
In the meantime, prepare your heavy cream by either heating it up or letting it come up to room temperature. This will ensure the difference between the heat of the sugar and the cream isn’t too drastic.
Pour the cream carefully into the saucepot with the sugar. Melted sugar is extremely hot so make sure to be cautious.
Step 3
Stir the sugar with heavy cream and set it back over the stove.
Allow it to come to a gentle simmer. Stir until you have a hom*ogenous mass.
Insert a candy thermometer (I recommend this one, it’s great). Once it reaches 226.5°F you can remove it from the stove.
Pour the caramel into a clean bowl and add chopped butter. Stir until all the butter is incorporated.
Step 4
Place the bowl with the ganache in it into an ice bath (a bowl filled with ice water) to cool it down. Alternatively, you can place it in the fridge.
Once the ganache is cooled down, whip it with a hand mixer.
Serve and use as desired!
Caramel Ganache
Yield: 4
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes
This caramel ganache is an incredible topping to just about any dessert you can think of!
Ingredients
- 1 cup granulated sugar + 1 tbsp
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ¾ cup unsalted or salted butter, chopped
Instructions
- To make the sugar base, pour 1/3 of the sugar into a saucepot. Set it over medium heat.
- Do not stir; just allow it to dissolve on its own. Once melted, add the second third. Set it over the stove again and allow it to melt.
- Add the third part and melt it again.
- After enough cooking, your melted sugar should have a rich amber color.
- In the meantime, prepare your heavy cream by either heating it up or letting it come up to room temperature. This will ensure the difference between the heat of the sugar and the cream isn't too drastic.
- Pour the cream carefully into the saucepot with the sugar. Melted sugar is extremely hot so make sure to be cautious.
- Stir the sugar with heavy cream and set it back over the stove.
- Allow it to come to a gentle simmer. Stir until you have a hom*ogenous mass.
- Insert a candy thermometer. Once it reaches 226.5°F you can remove it from the stove.
- Pour the caramel into a clean bowl and add chopped butter. Stir until all the butter is incorporated.
- Place the bowl with the ganache in it into an ice bath (a bowl filled with ice water) to cool it down. Alternatively, you can place it in the fridge.
- Once the ganache is cooled down, whip it with a hand mixer.
- Serve and use as desired!
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 418Total Fat: 45gSaturated Fat: 29gTrans Fat: 2gUnsaturated Fat: 13gCholesterol: 125mgSodium: 282mgCarbohydrates: 4gFiber: 0gSugar: 4gProtein: 1g
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