FLAVORED GANACHE
Ganache can be flavored by simply adding ingredients to the chocolate/cream mixture or by infusing the cream first. Adding liqueur requires a small adjustment to recipes; see Boozy Chocolate Truffles.
Before proceeding with a truffle recipe, heat the cream or coconut milk to just under a simmer and add one of the following (halve the amounts for Milk or White Chocolate Truffles):
- 1 cup fresh mint leaves or 2 sprigs rosemary
- ¼ cup crushed coffee beans
- 8 cardamom pods, crushed, 1 teaspoon fennel seeds, or 1 cinnamon stick
- Zest of 1 lemon, orange, or lime, removed in wide strips with a vegetable peeler
- 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
- 1 tablespoon dried lavender
- 1 tablespoon Earl Grey tea
Cover, remove from the heat, and allow to steep for 30 minutes. Strain and reheat before adding to the chocolate.
Or, after combining the cream and chocolate, stir one of the following into the ganache while it is still warm:
- ⅔ cup nuts, toasted and finely chopped
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons instant espresso powder
- ¼ cup raspberry jam
- ¼ cup tahini
- ¼ teaspoon chipotle chile powder