Learn how to make chocolate ganache vegan, with this professional guide. Discover plant-based tips and tricks for perfect texture and flavor every time.
Today, the growing popularity of chocolate ganache vegan has, in some ways, mirrored the popularity of its traditional counterpart from the 1850s. As veganism becomes increasingly mainstream, demand for new vegan products has encouraged producers to market quality, authentic alternative vegan ingredients.
Vegan ganache recipes are often simple. They combine vegan chocolate with coconut milk, dairy-free cream, or dairy-free spread. Using high-quality ingredients, the resulting vegan ganaches are comparable to traditional recipes, with the same rich flavour and texture.
How to Make Chocolate Ganache Vegan without Cream
A chocolate ganache vegan is a complex emulsion combining a fat suspension, chocolate, an oil-in-water emulsion, and cream. Recipes are endlessly versatile, and varying the ingredients’ ratio will alter the ganache’s finished texture and mouthfeel to produce a smooth coating liquid or a light frosting.
Best High-Quality Vegan High Street Chocolate
US
Enjoy Life Baking Dark Chocolate Morsels
AUS
Pana Organic or Vegan Chocolate Company
UK
Co-op’s Gianduja chocolate
Most wholesale chocolate suppliers will also have a range of vegan chocolate products.
When researching the best dairy-free chocolate to use in your ganache, always check the ingredients and make sure it doesn’t contain milk products, such as milk solids, milk powder, milk fat, whey, lactose, or casein. Also, check for a dairy-free label or vegan certification. Depending on the cocoa solid percentage, dark chocolate contains little or no dairy, but traditional milk and white chocolate are typically made from dairy products. Fortunately, plenty of milk and white chocolate alternatives are now available from suppliers and supermarkets to make ganache dairy free.
Best dairy-free cream to use
Heavy or double cream (36% fat content) is ideal for making ganache. Achieving a similar fat content from dairy-free products was difficult, but innovation in milk-free creams such as Elmlea Plant Vegetarian Double Cream Alternative and Flora Double Cream Alternative means they can be substituted in the same proportion as conventional cream.
Coconut milk is still a popular choice to make chocolate ganache vegan. Always choose a full-fat version that hasn’t been sweetened. When a can of coconut milk stands or is kept chilled, the solid particles or coconut cream float to the surface to form a soft, thick layer. Depending on your recipe, you can use the whole coconut milk or, if you need a richer texture, spoon off the coconut cream and leave the remaining thinner milk behind.
Oat, soy, and almond milk can all be used as the cream element in a chocolate ganache vegan recipe, but their fat content is much lower (1.5-3.5%). Consequently, keep to recipes using these ingredients or adapt an existing recipe using a smaller quantity of milk.
Best dairy-free spread to use
Before buying, always check that your chosen dairy-free spread stays solid at warmer room temperatures. This will ensure your dairy-free ganache retains a silky texture comparable to a conventional recipe. More solid dairy-free spreads are usually made with oils, such as coconut or sunflower, and they may also contain plant butter, such as coconut or shea butter. Ingredients such as lecithin, an emulsifier, will also help to keep the products solid at higher room temperatures.
AUS
Nuttelex Buttery
USA
Earth Balance Original Buttery Spread
Country Crock Plant Butter with Avocado Oil
UK
Vitalite Dairy Free Spread
Flora
Adding Extra Flavour
Vanilla
Vanilla always works well with chocolate ganache vegan to round out the overall taste. Always use a vanilla extract-based product. It will be more expensive, but the flavor it produces is authentic.
Other flavours
A wide variety of fruit and nut extracts is available that can add new dimensions to the flavor of ganache. Orange and almond extracts are two of the most popular. Fruit powders are becoming more popular as they offer good flavour intensity and affect the recipe less than a liquid. Similarly, liqueurs and rums like Grand Marnier, Tia Maria, and Dark Rum will create individual combinations.
Step-by-Step Instructions on How to Make Ganache without Cream
Equipment
Scales
Small saucepan containing 1” water
Small steel or plastic mixing bowl
Whisk
Ingredients
170g (6oz) dark chocolate
240g (1cup) full-fat unsweetened coconut cream and milk
1tsp coconut oil
Method
Step 1: Prepare the Coconut Cream
Leave the can of coconut milk in the fridge overnight. The coconut cream will separate as a floating layer on the milk underneath. Open the can and spoon the coconut cream and milk – allow this to come to room temperature.
Step 2: Melt the Chocolate
Heat the water in the saucepan until it simmers gently. Add the broken-up chocolate to the bowl. Place the bowl over the saucepan and allow the chocolate to melt, stirring occasionally.
Step 3: Combine Chocolate and Coconut Cream
Remove the bowl from the heat and carefully add the coconut cream and milk. Let it sit for a few minutes for the temperature to even out.
Step 4: Mix to Form Ganache
Using a whisk, gently mix the chocolate and coconut cream. You need to use a mixing action rather than whipping. The mixture should come together to form a uniform, glossy mixture. If you want an extra glossy ganache, for example, for coating a cake, add the coconut oil and mix again. Add any additional flavours, such as vanilla or flavours and mix again.
Step 5: Use or Set the Ganache
The chocolate ganache vegan can be used immediately for pouring, for example, over ice cream. To create a spreadable ganache for coating a cake, leave it at room temperature for about 30 minutes until it thickens slightly to spread evenly on the chilled cake. For a frosting, chill the ganache in the fridge for 20 minutes and whisk again until it lightens in color and has a whipped appearance.
To adjust the thickness of the ganache for different applications, change the ratio of chocolate to cream. For a thinner, pouring ganache, aim for a ratio of 1:2 (2 parts cream), whereas for a spreadable ganache, use an equal ratio of 1:1.
Troubleshooting and Adjustments
Q. The ganache splits or becomes grainy or oily.
A. If the melted chocolate temperature is too high, the ganache can split, causing the cocoa butter to separate. Add tiny amounts of hot water to the mixture and stir steadily. It should come together and form its original consistency again.
Q. The ganache is too runny.
A. This is often caused by using too much cream. Try gently reheating the ganache over the double boiler and stirring – it should thicken. If it doesn’t thicken enough, mix in small amounts of chopped chocolate and stir again.
Q. The ganache has lumps in it.
A. Try reheating and stirring it over the double boiler until it is uniform and smooth. If there are still lumps, use a hand (stick) blender briefly to remove them.
