Lactose-Free or Kosher Chocolate Ganache

Recipe by Sarah Phillips © 2008 Sarah Phillips CraftyBaking.com

Sarah's
Secrets

This ganache recipe hardens better with semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate or chocolate chips and soy or Lactaid milk because that particular type of chocolate has natural thickening abilities. But, because both types of chocolate contain milk, they cannot be used in this recipe if you are lactose intolerant or need a kosher recipe.

INGREDIENTS
5 to 6 ounces Green and Black's 72% baking chocolate - or any chocolate that does not contain milk, suitable for vegans or vegetarians
1/4 cup unsweetened whole soy milk or 2% or whole Lactaid
1 to 2 tablespoons corn syrup or to taste
SARAH SAYS: This type of chocolate is very bitter, some some sweetening is needed; corn syrup is the best type
pinch salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

SARAH SAYS: Do NOT add soy butter; the ganache is already soft enough.

INSTRUCTIONS
1. Chop chocolate bar into fine pieces suitable for melting - about 1/4-inch in size.

SARAH SAYS: Make sure each piece is even in size so each chocolate piece can melt at an even rate. This helps prevent some of the smaller pieces from seizing.

2. Melt chocolate on the top of a double boiler until ALMOST MELTED, and set aside.

3. Carefully heat soy milk in the microwave on low. Take care because soy milk will heat and then boil over.

4. Add heated milk to the melted chocolate and let sit for a minute.

Then start to stir slowly, using a small wire whisk, in a clockwise (or one) direction. The ganache will look lumpy at first.

Continue stirring, a bit faster, making a rotation with the whisk every second around the bowl. The chocolate and soy milk will thicken and become smooth when done.
 

5. Stir in corn syrup and salt, 1 tablespoon at a time, in a clockwise direction, using a small wire whisk, until smooth. Stir in vanilla extract until smooth.

6. Press a piece of plastic wrap on the surface of the ganache and place in refrigerator to cool and set.

STORAGE
A classic ganache can generally stay at room temperature for 2 days, as long as it's kept in a cool place. Then it must be refrigerated.  If in a bowl, always place a piece of plastic wrap firmly against its surface so a film does not form or it won't form a sugar crust on its surface. Ganache can be frozen for a month. Reheat in the top of a double boiler under gentle heat, whisking together in one direction, before using.

SARAH SAYS: Used with the Easy Breezy Strawberry Cream Tart - Lactose-Free and Kosher Variations.
I coated the bottom of my tart crust with a thin layer of chocolate ganache. I used a small icing spatula to do the job. This is my idea and invention! The ganache nicely waterproofs the bottom of the crust, instead of using melted chocolate which always breaks when cut into to!

On top, went the pastry cream.

And, then the fruit!



Side view of tart showing ganache in layering.