Chocolate and Vanilla-Bean Ganache

Name: Chocolate and Vanilla-Bean Ganache
Yield: Makes about 1 cup
Ingredients: 1/3 cup honey; 1/3 cup heavy cream; 1/2 vanilla bean, split and scraped, pod reserved; 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped; 1 ounce (2 tablespoons) unsalted butter, cut into pieces and softened

13 Ratings
29 Reviews

This rich, velvety, puddinglike ganache gets its complex flavor from vanilla and its mellowed sweetness from honey. Use this to make our Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies for the holidays.

Martha Stewart Living, December 2008

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Recipe Summary

Yield:

Makes about 1 cup

Ingredients

1/3 cup honey
1/3 cup heavy cream
1/2 vanilla bean, split and scraped, pod reserved
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1 ounce (2 tablespoons) unsalted butter, cut into pieces and softened

Directions

Step 1
Combine honey, cream, and vanilla seeds and pod in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer, and cook, stirring until honey dissolves. Remove from heat, cover, and let stand for 20 minutes.

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Step 2
Place chocolate in a food processor. Return cream mixture to a simmer, then strain through a fine sieve. Discard solids. Pour cream mixture over chocolate, and let stand for 1 minute. Process until smooth. Add butter, and continue to process, scraping down sides occasionally, until butter is incorporated. Let cool slightly, and then use immediately.

Reviews (29)

13 Ratings

5 star values: 4
4 star values: 4
3 star values: 3
2 star values: 2
1 star values: 0

Martha Stewart Member

07/27/2017

This is my Go-to Ganache recipe. I love that it's made with honey and is so easy to whip up. Though I've used this in her chocolate thumbprint cookies as described (they are out of this world good! Rich and oh-so-chocolatey) I've also gone on to use this ganache to top cakes, to fold into densely dark chocolate cream pies, and whipped it up after it's set into the tastiest whipped chocolate ganache frosting you'll ever have atop my gluten free quinoa chocolate cupcakes. This recipe is foolproof and it will work even with substitutions. I've made it as described above and also subbed vanilla extract and soymilk instead of cream.

Martha Stewart Member

12/06/2011

Very easy and yummy, we loved it!

Martha Stewart Member

12/06/2010

Very delicious! Instead of a vanilla bean, I used 2 teaspoons vanilla extract. It worked wonderfully.

Martha Stewart Member

12/18/2008

I love my food processor and jump at the chance to use it anytime. as for the 'coarse salt" my eyes must be deceiving me because I cant find it listed anywhere. But I don't use salt in my recipes so I guess it doesnt matter. Happy Holidays to all

Martha Stewart Member

12/14/2008

I skipped the processor part (definite overkill) and mixed it in my mixer -- you could also do it by hand. I found that I needed to strain the cream mixture as I had large chunks of the vanilla pod come off after infusing.

Martha Stewart Member

12/14/2008

I don't understand the specification of 'coarse' salt as you are to sift it with the other dry ingredients. It doesn't sift, and it doesn't dissolve in the batter, leaving salt chunks (which aren't entirely horrible). I would recommend regular table salt and maybe just using 1/2 - 1 tsp.

Martha Stewart Member

12/13/2008

I did not see Martha strain the cream mixture at all. As for using the processor, just adding the hot cream to the chocolate and stirring the mixture, the chocolate will melt easily! No need for processor in my opinion. And you can chop the chocolate with a knife.

Martha Stewart Member

12/11/2008

Whole Foods is a supermarket that carries alot of products that are natural, organic, etc. They may have a larger section for those that are lactose intolerant than the regular grocery store.

Martha Stewart Member

12/11/2008

What is whole food? Thanks.

Martha Stewart Member

12/11/2008

Sorry about the repeated comment I posted yesterday. My computer would not stop copying the same thing for some reason or other. I had to reboot!

Martha Stewart Member

12/11/2008

check with whole food. they may offer something else that can be used

Martha Stewart Member

12/10/2008