Gussied Up Ganache, an Intense Small-Bite Dessert

I have been making variations of this for years. It is deceptively simple and its flavor can be subtly changed with the addition of extracts, liqueurs, or even olive oil. I also like to mirror the flavor profile in the garnishes I choose.

I guess I have never shared this process. But I served it at a private dinner party last night and one of the guests asked me about it. So I decided to post a recipe. Here you go...

Ingredients

• 2 cups organic heavy whipping cream

• 2 cups semisweet chocolate chunks or chips

• 1 teaspoon Blood Orange Olive Oil (I used the co-milled olive oil from The Quail & Olive)

• For Garnish: Blood Orange Olive Oil, Satsuma Mandarin Dark Balsamic (at The Quail & Olive), flake sea salt, fennel pollen, zest from an organic orange

Procedure

Place heavy whipping cream in a medium saucepan and heat over low-medium heat until the edges begin to bubble and the pan is steaming. Remove pan from heat and pour in the chocolate. Make sure that all of the chocolate is completely submerged. Let stand for 3 minutes, then gently whisk until the chocolate is completely melted. Cover and let cool. Once cool to the touch, place in the refrigerator to firm up.

When ready to serve, use a small scoop - this is a very intense dessert and you don't need much to make a big impression! - and place a dollop in an individual serving dish. Garnish with zest, salt, and fennel pollen. Drizzle with olive oil and balsamic. Serve immediately.

Other Uses

If you leave this in liquid form, you can pour it over a cake as a glaze. And if you let it cool, then beat it, you can whip it into a frosting.