Dairy-Free Chocolate Ganache Is Actually Very Simple.

Traditional chocolate ganache is a marvel made from dark chocolate and cream: the two ingredients are heated to create a juicy, silky, bittersweet sauce. Unfortunately, it won’t do you much good if you don’t consume dairy products. Until recently, I thought cream was absolutely essential for ganache, but it turns out that vegan, dairy-free ganache is super easy to make. You simply replace the cream with the non-dairy milk of your choice.

It is so simple. There is no need to invert sugar or add vegan fats to keep the chocolate from setting. Just a milk substitute. As a pastry chef who once worked as a chocolatier, you can imagine how irritated I was when I realized that I could have avoided my lactose-intolerant boyfriend’s stomach pains all along. (Sorry, dude.) But now he—and you—can enjoy dairy-free chocolate ganache.

How Dairy-Free Chocolate Ganache Works

Classic ganache can be of different thickness, from creamy to liquid. Chocolate and cream in a 2:1 ratio form a thick mixture ideal for chocolate confections such as truffles . An equal parts ratio, slightly chilled, is great for stuffing and topping cakes, or you can use it hot as a thin, liquid topping. Dairy-free ganache does the same. To make a medium-hard ganache (thick enough to roll into truffles but soft enough to fill a layer cake), pour four ounces of chocolate into a bowl. Heat three ounces of non-dairy milk in the microwave until steamy or almost boiling. Pour the milk into the bowl with the chocolate and let it sit for two minutes to soften the chips. Whisk until smooth. If lumps remain, microwave the entire bowl for another 10 seconds and whisk again (you want a silky smooth texture). Use this ganache as a topping or topping for cakes, or refrigerate it for about an hour, or until it’s pliable if you’re making truffles. Increase the amount of liquid to four or five ounces to make a thin liquid ganache. Non-dairy ganache is less plastic and dries faster than traditional ganache, but it’s still decadent, with the same concentrated chocolate flavor. For a completely dairy-free option with no fancy ingredients or thickeners, this is fantastic.

Ganache without milk

Ingredients:

• 4 ounces (about ½ cup + 2 tablespoons) dark chocolate chips
• 3 ounces (about ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons) non-dairy milk

Pour the chocolate into a small bowl. Heat non-dairy milk in the microwave until it boils, about 20 seconds. Pour the milk over the chocolate and let it stand for 2 minutes to make it softer. Whisk the mixture until smooth.