Low Carb Chocolate Ganache (for Truffles or Sauce)
Traditionally, ganache is made with half chocolate and half cream. However, the consistency depends a lot upon the chocolate and the sweetener, especially when using unsweetened chocolate. This sugar-free low-carb chocolate ganache can be used to make truffles or a chocolate sauce, depending upon how much cream is in them. You can easily alter the amount - I used 8 oz.
Traditionally, ganache is made with half chocolate and half cream. However, the consistency depends a lot upon the chocolate and the sweetener, especially when using unsweetened chocolate. This sugar-free low-carb chocolate ganache can be used to make truffles or a chocolate sauce, depending upon how much cream is in them. You can easily alter the amount - I used 8 oz.
- Carbohydrate 0 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 0 g
- Fiber 0 g
- Protein 0 g
- Saturated Fat 0 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Recipe (0g)
- Sodium 0 mg
- Sugar 0 g
- Trans Fat 0 g
- Calories 0 calories
Step-by-step
- Heat the cream, vanilla, sweetener and salt until bubbles form.
- Remove from heat.
- Add chocolate pieces and let melt, stirring occasionally.
- Add erythritol.
- At this point, you can let it cool to room temperature at which point it can be rolled into balls as the base of truffles (which you can then roll in nuts, coconut, or cocoa powder), or you can use it as the base for a sauce by adding cream until it is the consistency you want.
Why does the emulsion break when melting unsweetened chocolate directly?
Unsweetened baking chocolate contains zero sugar solids, leaving cocoa butter and cocoa solids to handle the emulsion alone. Heat heavy cream only until tiny bubbles form around the edge of the pan, roughly 180 degrees Fahrenheit, before pouring it over finely chopped chocolate. Whisking too vigorously introduces air bubbles that ruin the glossy sheen. Stainless steel bowls retain heat efficiently, whereas glass bowls require a gentle touch to prevent scorching the dairy.
How do sugar substitutes alter the final texture?
Granulated erythritol behaves differently than sucrose because it does not melt entirely into fats at lower temperatures. Powdering erythritol in a spice grinder beforehand prevents a gritty mouthfeel in the finished truffle center. Liquid sweeteners can be substituted measure for measure, though reducing the initial cream quantity by two tablespoons maintains the proper viscosity for rolling. Chill the mixture for exactly 20 minutes before attempting to shape it into spherical portions.
What causes sauce to separate during dilution?
Adding cold cream directly to warm ganache will shock the emulsion and cause the fats to split. Warm any extra cream to room temperature before streaming it slowly into the base. Store leftover ganache in an airtight container for up to five weeks, reheating gently in ten-second intervals to avoid seizing.
