Food Network: Campton Place Hot Chocolate

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Campton Place Hot Chocolate
Recipe courtesy Sherry Yard, The Secrets of Baking, Houghton Mifflin, 2003

Ingredients
2 cups whole milk
1/2 cup cream
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 recipe Master Ganache, recipe follows, using 2 cups cream instead of 1
1/2 teaspoon Tia Maria or vanilla extract
Whipped cream, for serving
Chocolate shavings, for serving

Instructions
Bring the milk, cream, and cocoa powder to a boil in a small saucepan
over medium heat. When it reaches a boil, remove from the heat, and add the ganache. Let sit for 1
minute, then stir well until combined, about 4 minutes. Stir in the Tia Maria or vanilla.

Serve the hot chocolate right away as is or store it covered in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
It can be reheated easily on the stovetop or in the microwave. If you wish, top with whipped cream

and chocolate shavings.

Master Ganache:
Can deep, dark, intense, rich, velvety smooth chocolate be a spiritual experience? It certainly is
heavenly when mixed with cream. Praise the pastry angels and pass the bonbons!

This is the basic ganache recipe. Use it for truffles, tarts, fillings, you name it. Follow the same
technique when adjusting the recipe for firm and soft ganache. An alternative food processor method
is given, which can be applied to any ganache recipe in this chapter.

My desire is not only to introduce you to ganache but also to make it a staple in your refrigerator.
As long as you don't eat it all as a midnight snack, it can be available to help you throw together
dessert at a moment's notice.

8 ounces bittersweet chocolate
1 cup heavy cream

Using a serrated knife, finely chop the chocolate into 1/4-inch pieces.
Don't be lazy here. Big chunks will not melt.

Traditional method: Place the chocolate in a medium heatproof bowl. Bring the cream to a boil in a
small saucepan over medium heat. Boiling means the cream will actually rise up in the pan and
threaten to boil over.

Immediately pour the boiling cream over the chopped chocolate. Tap the bowl on the counter to settle
the chocolate into the cream, then let it sit for 1 minute. Using a rubber spatula, slowly stir in a
circular motion, starting from the center of the bowl, and working out to the sides. Be careful not
to add too much air to the ganache. Stir until all the chocolate is melted, about 2 minutes. It may
look done after 1 minute of stirring, but keep going to be sure it's emulsified.

Food processor method: Place the chopped chocolate in a food processor fitted with the steel blade.
Bring the cream to a boil in a small saucepan over medium heat (or bring to a boil in the
microwave.)

Immediately pour the hot cream into the food processor, on top of the chocolate. Let sit for 1
minute, then pulse the machine 3 times. Scrape down the sides with a rubber spatula and pulse 3 more
times, until all the chocolate is melted. This smooth, silky chocolate is now ganache. Transfer the
ganache to a bowl.

Let the ganache sit at room temperature until it cools to 70 degrees F. In a 65 degree F room, this
will take approximately 4 hours or 2 hours in the refrigerator. You can speed up the process by
pouring the ganache out onto a clean baking sheet (thinner layers cool faster.) Once the ganache
reaches 70 degrees F, it is ready to be used. At this point it can be covered and stored in the
refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Yield: 2 cups
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Inactive Prep Time: 2 to 4 hours
Ease of preparation: Easy