The Overheating Mistake That Causes A Grainy Chocolate Ganache

Making chocolate ganache isn't as easy. One wrong move, and that shiny, smooth, chocolate glaze can turn into a grainy, separated mess. But what causes that disaster? To learn more about this and how we can prevent it in the future, we spoke to Yami Mercado, the pastry chef at Cindy's in Chicago, located on top of the Chicago Athletic Association.

Mercado explains, "Grainy ganache comes about through heat. This leads to the ingredients separating, the chocolate and cream become two. The flavor may be affected as the texture becomes gritty and you lose that beautiful gloss." Trust us, grainy ganache is not a flavor anyone but the most adventurous of palates enjoy.

In order to prevent this from happening, Mercado heats the cream separately before combining it with the chocolate. She tries her best to mix the cream with the ganache, but eventually the mixture will rest at room temperature covered in plastic wrap.

Rest assured, chocolate ganache is daunting, especially for beginners. It takes three key ingredients: chocolate, heavy cream, and salt. If you prefer sweetness, adding corn syrup could be an option. Of course, some prefer it simple and straightforward.

If you've tried your hand at making this recipe, you might find it's hardened a bit in the process; it's what gives you that grainy texture. You can take little balls of it, roll it in powdered cocoa (or whatever) and create some decadent truffles that'll stay in your mouth until you get the full flavor. (These two-ingredient truffles are even easier, if you can believe it.) Considering baking season is coming up, don't be surprised when friends and family try it out. As for us, we'll be sticking to plain old vanilla for the time being. Whatever your tastes may be, we hope you enjoy them.