Water ganache sounds like an oxymoron. Surely, water and chocolate don’t mix, but in this very clever, very quick maneuver (developed by Chantal Coady from Rococo Chocolates in London) they emulsify into a sublime ganache.
I’m sure there are a few chocolate bars in your stash that have lost their luster. What better way to resuscitate them than with this versatile concoction? I use it on organic vanilla ice cream, but it would be great drizzled on fruit or cake.
Your imagination is the only limit to the ganaches you can create. I’ve used El Ray’s 70% Gran Saman (another Venezuelan bean) with great results; but, I have also gone in funkier directions… like when I mixed a Green and Black’s organic caramel-filled bar with a Dagoba organic Xocolatyl bar that’s flavored with chile, maca and spices… or, the time I melted a Green and Black’s 70% organic mint bar with and Endangered Species mint bar. The better the chocolate the more you might like it’s purity and uniqueness to come through, and the less you might want to blend it with other flavors.
WATER GANACHE
1 cup chopped chocolate, about 6 ounces
7 ounces of hot, not boiling, water or hot liquor, like Kahlua, or 1/2 water and 1/2 liquor; or coffee; or stout
You can make this in a four cup Pyrex measuring cup in the microwave or on top of the stove.
The method is essentially the same.
If using the microwave, nuke the cut up chocolate on half power for one minute. Stir and nuke again for 30 seconds at half power. If necessary, repeat, until the chocolate is melted. Stir in the boiling water one tablespoon at a time, making sure to incorporate it before adding the next tablespoon. Don’t worry if the chocolate seizes up. Sometimes this happens, and sometimes it doesn’t. Just keep on adding water one tablespoon at a time, stirring constantly. The chocolate will eventually become smooth and glossy. Put it in an eight ounce glass jar and let it set up in the fridge. It will thicken to a wonderful consistency, and keep for a very long time.
If using the stove top, melt the chopped chocolate in a deep 1 1/2 -2 quart pot on the lowest possible heat. Proceed as above.
CHOCOLATE RATINGS 