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Vegan chocolate ganache piped onto a cupcake
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5 from 13 votes

Vegan Chocolate Ganache

Step by step guide to making the best vegan chocolate ganache. Just 2 easy ingredients and so many delicious ways to use it!
Prep Time10 minutes
Total Time10 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Diet: Vegan
Servings: 2 cups
Calories: 160kcal

Ingredients

  • 12 ounces Chopped Vegan Chocolate (340g)
  • 1 ¼ cups Canned Coconut Cream (300ml) chilled, separated cream part only*

Instructions

  • Chop up vegan chocolate and add it to a bowl. 
  • Scoop the hardened cream from a can of chilled coconut cream into a microwave safe measuring jug. Microwave in intervals until it reaches a gentle simmer. Don't let it come to a boil, just a gentle simmer. If you don't have a microwave then bring it to a simmer on the stovetop. 
  • Pour it over the top of the chopped chocolate in the bowl, making sure that all the chocolate is covered with the hot coconut cream. Put a tea towel over the bowl to trap the heat and let it sit for 1 minute.  Then remove the tea towel and use a hand whisk to whisk it into a smooth chocolate sauce. 
  • Let it cool on the counter until room temperature and then use right away as a chocolate sauce or dip or drizzle. 
  • If you want to use it as a frosting or something else that requires a firm ganache then place it into the fridge for two hours until thickened and cool. It will become the consistency of nutella. 
  • Stir it up and then use immediately to pipe onto cupcakes or spread onto cakes. 

Notes

  1. Use a high quality vegan chocolate. Chopping up a high quality bar of vegan chocolate generally works better than using chocolate chips. If you do use chocolate chips then make sure it's a high quality brand that does melt down very well.
  2. Chopping up the chocolate helps it to melt easier. If the blocks of chocolate are too big then they won't melt easily, so it's better to chop it up. 
  3. The chocolate should be good tasting. Since there is no added sugar in this recipe, it's a good idea to use a chocolate that is good tasting. If you choose a very dark chocolate that is fairly bitter then your ganache will taste the same. So just make sure you love the taste of the chocolate you are using. 
  4. The coconut cream should be canned and unsweetened. It's ideal to use a chilled can of coconut cream where the cream part has separated from the water. This way you scoop off only the cream part and use that in this ganache. We found this resulted in a slightly sturdier ganache once whipped. If you're not planning to whip it then you don't have to worry about using separated cream. In that case you can just shake up the can of coconut cream and use 1 and ¼ cups (300ml) of it as per the recipe. Even if you are planning to whip it, if you don't have enough separated cream part in one 14 ounce (400ml) can of coconut cream then you can use a little of the watery part as well. There is no need to open two cans. 
  5. Sauce, dip or drizzle: To use this as a sauce, dip or drizzle, just let it cool to room temperature and then use immediately. It makes a great dip for fresh fruits like strawberries and a great drizzle for ice cream or pancakes. 
  6. Frosting: To use it as a frosting, let it chill in the fridge until it's the consistency of nutella. Then stir it well. Then you can go ahead and pipe it onto cupcakes or spread it onto cake. It is a little difficult to pipe in the sense that it doesn't come out of the piping bag really easily. In this way it won't work well to use a delicate or small piping tip. We used the Wilton 1M piping tip for piping the frosting and that worked really well. 
  7. Whipped Ganache: Once the frosting has reached nutella consistency in the fridge you can use it right away OR you can whip it. Whipping it lightens the color and makes it look more like a classic buttercream. It also makes it a little easier to spread onto cakes and it can also be piped once whipped. Just bring out your electric mixer and whip the ganache for a few minutes until the color has lightened and the texture is fluffy. At this point it also works great to put it into dessert glasses, let it set and enjoy as chocolate mousse.
  8. This recipe makes enough to frost a 2-layer 8-inch or 9-inch cake or to frost 12 cupcakes. Whipping it increases the volume and will make it go further allowing for a more generous volume of frosting for your cakes or cupcakes.
  9. Storing: Leftover ganache will keep in the fridge (covered) for around 5 days. If you want to return it to the consistency of a sauce/drizzle then you can reheat it in the microwave for 30-seconds to a minute until it reaches the right consistency. 
  10. Freezing: You can also freeze it for up to 3 months. Allow to cool completely before covering tightly and freezing. Thaw overnight in the fridge and then you can whip it right away or if you want it the consistency of a dip or sauce again then reheat it in the microwave for 30-seconds to 1 minute. Alternatively heat it gently on the stove by placing it in a heatproof bowl over a pot of boiling water. The bottom of the heatproof bowl should not touch the water. 

Nutrition

Serving: 2Tbsp | Calories: 160kcal | Carbohydrates: 6.5g | Protein: 1.9g | Fat: 13.9g | Saturated Fat: 9.9g | Sodium: 8mg | Fiber: 1.5g | Sugar: 3.9g