Chocolate glaze and ganache

I needed an update on my recipe database - so here we are! Because of time and energy restrictions, it's unlikely that I will post pictures, or at least any well-constructed ones. Nor will I be able to do research into origins or history of any of the recipes I share. I'm taking it easy on myself right now and sharing simply because I have a bunch of recipes that I want to keep in my own little database.

I wanted to start off with some 'mix-and-match' recipes. Often when a recipe calls for a chocolate glaze or a ganache, I turn to my own recipes that I know work well. The chocolate glaze below, for example, is extremely flexible: it behaves a bit like a ganache when pouring and at room temperature, but sets in the fridge like a sugar icing. If you have any leftover - it stores very well in the fridge. Just heat it up later in a pan, or in the microwave, and pour over your newest cake! 

 

Chocolate glaze
enough for 1 bundt cake - from Eleftheria

60 grams butter
120 grams dark chocolate
1 ts honey/agave syrup*
Orange rind [optional]

1. Melt the butter in a small pan.
2. Turn the heat to low. Add the honey or syrup and chocolate to the pan. Stir until melted.
2b. Add flavours such as orange rind, lemon, vanilla sugar or other if desired OR use them at the end to sprinkle on top of the glaze. **
3. Leave the glaze to cool until a syrupy thickness - this way it will poor nicely without dripping off the cake straight away. Pour over your cake and leave to set.

* Can be omitted, but adds a lot of flavour depth to the chocolate.
**  Do not use water-based flavourings - e.g. vanilla essence would split the chocolate.

 

Normally I'd  post something about the history of.. chocolate glaze, but how about just a list of some traditional bakes to inspire you?

 

Famous bakes that use a chocolate glaze or ganache:
- Sacher torte
- Boston cream donut
- Buche de Noel, or Yule log cake
- Profiteroles and Religieuse puff pastry
- Bossche bollen
- Opera cake
- Poire belle Hélène

Chocolate ganache

90 grams cream (35% fat)
90 grams chocolate*

1. Heat the cream in a small pan. Do not let it boil!
2. Pour the cream over the chocolate, leave to rest for a moment then stir until smooth.
3. Add liquors, extracts or other flavours last. Pour over your cake and leave to set.*Dark, milk and white chocolate all work here. I generally prefer a 50-60% dark chocolate, because of the added cream in the ganache a lower cacao percentage quickly becomes too sweet.

Thank you for reading!

Note: I am aware of my incredibly smart decision to change the theme to something darker (to reflect my incredibly dark soul... err, yes.), which has suddenly left all recipes illegible. I'll get to that, at some point, I promise.