5-Minute Vegan Chocolate Ganache with Coconut Milk
Luscious & glossy vegan chocolate ganache can be yours in 5 minutes with this foolproof formula. Just heat coconut milk with bittersweet chocolate and whisk for a deep, dark, gooey chocolate topping for cakes and cupcakes – or for licking off of spoons, you do you! Pair this with my super moist coconut flour chocolate cake or fudgy coconut flour cupcakes for dairy-free chocolate dessert bliss. Includes a paleo-friendly option.
Prep Time: 2 minutesminutes
Cook Time: 3 minutesminutes
Total: 5 minutesminutes
Servings: 1.5cups (enough for a single layer 8 or 9-inch cake)
¾cup(170 g) full-fat unsweetened canned coconut milk (well-combined, such as Thai Kitchen Organic)*
1teaspoonvanilla extract
pinchfine sea salt
Instructions
Make the Ganache
Place the chopped chocolate in a medium heatproof bowl.
Combine the coconut milk, vanilla, and salt in a small saucepan and set over a medium flame. Heat, swirling occasionally, until the coconut milk is hot and steamy, just below a simmer, 2-3 minutes.
Pour the hot coconut milk mixture over the chopped chocolate. Let sit 1 minute, then whisk gently until the ganache is silky-smooth. Whisk gently so as not to incorporate too many air bubbles into the ganache; they don’t look as pretty as smooth ganache!
Rest the Ganache
Cover the bowl tightly (or pour the ganache into a jar with a lid) and let cool to room temperature, at least 30 minutes and up to 24 hours. If you’re in a hurry, pop the ganache in the fridge for 5 minutes, stir, then repeat once or twice until the ganache is firm enough to hold a soft shape when dropped from a spoon.
To Pour or Swirl
Depending on how firm the ganache is, you can either pour it over your cake if it’s more loose. Or if the ganache is more thick and firm, you can swirl it over your cake.
For Piping
For piping ganache, let it set for several hours and up to 24 hours. Scrape it into a piping bag fitted with a large star tip and squeeze out any air pockets. Pipe it onto your baked goods. If the ganache is cold and hard to squeeze, gently massage the bag in your hands to warm and soften it up.
To add shine
If the ganache looks dull or matte, hold a creme brulee torch 8 or so inches away and wave it over the ganache to make it shiny. Take care not to burn the delicate chocolate.
Storage
Ganache will keep at cool room temperature for an additional day; after that, store it in the fridge to be on the safe side.
Video
Notes
*To combine coconut milk easily, open the can and pour the whole thing into a small saucepan. Place the saucepan over low heat and stir until the coconut milk is smooth and well-combined, 1-2 minutes. Measure out what you need and proceed with the recipe.*I tested this recipe with Raaka Maple baking chocolate discs (75%) and Hu gems (70%). Both are free of refined sugar and delicious! If using a chocolate with a lower cacao mass, you’ll need to increase the amount of chocolate to help the ganache firm up when cool. One reader found that 1 1/2 cups of chocolate chips with 55% cacao mass worked well (Pascha brand). Alternatively, if using chocolate with a cacao mass higher than 75%, you’ll need to add more coconut milk so that the ganache will be soft.Boozy ganache: Decrease the coconut milk by 1-2 tablespoons and add 1-2 tablespoons spirit of your choice, such as dark or spiced rum, brandy, or whiskey, to your taste.