Vegan Ganache with Coconut Milk
This vegan ganache is a recipe I’ve been making for years and years now, I think first inspired by Traci’s chocolate cake. It’s dreamy, with a deep chocolate flavour and smooth, creamy texture. It’s my go-to frosting and filling for anything chocolate – see below for a list of all the recipes it’s used in on Occasionally Eggs.
The method is a touch different from what you might have seen on Bake Off, where I always get secondhand stress when they heat the chocolate rather than the milk. You risk burning the chocolate if you forget about it, even for a moment, and this method of heating the milk before pouring it over the chocolate is also much faster.
All you need to make your very own vegan chocolate ganache is a can of coconut milk, some dark chocolate, and a little vanilla. Heat, mix, cool, and you’re ready to go. Use this for any recipe that calls for ganache.
I first shared this recipe in 2020. It’s been updated with improvements to the recipe instructions and an overhauled and retested recipe, new photos, including step-by-step photos, and more helpful information.
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Ingredients You’ll Need and Why
The ingredients are simple, but it’s important to get the right ones. The coconut milk should have a separate cream layer and the chocolate should be around 70%. (The vanilla extract is optional so it’s less important!) These are my notes from recipe testing and you can find the full recipe card below with complete measurements and instructions.
- Coconut milk: there are no substitutions for full-fat canned coconut milk. If you have coconut cream, that works very well in place of the milk (it’s just a higher amount of coconut solids to water).
- Dark chocolate: this must be at least 70% dark chocolate. There will be some very slight variation in the final texture of the ganache depending on the type of chocolate you use. Chocolate chips are fine, but they will make for a harder final product than bar chocolate will. Use a chocolate you like the taste of plain.
- Vanilla extract: I’ve never tested this with fake vanilla and would just leave it out if you don’t have pure vanilla extract. Other spices like cinnamon, cardamom, or a touch of black pepper are nice. Orange zest is excellent (zest, vanilla, and cinnamon is particularly nice in a winter dessert).
How to Make Vegan Ganache
It really is as easy as heating up some coconut milk and pouring it over chopped chocolate. There are a couple things that can go wrong – you’re only using two ingredients, so any variation can cause problems – but I’ve outlined common issues and their solutions below.
Step 1: chop the chocolate and place it in a heat-safe mixing bowl. Heat the milk until just simmering and pour over the chocolate. Don’t mix! Make sure you are using a heat-safe bowl to avoid any potential cracking or warping. It should be metal, borosilicate glass (like pyrex), or ceramic.
Step 2: let the mixture rest for a few minutes without mixing. This will help to melt the chocolate more evenly, making the ganache smooth and silky. If you mix right away it can shock the chocolate and potentially cause it to seize.
Step 3: stir to combine, whisking gently to avoid splashing. It will seem thick until fully mixed because the chocolate is denser than the milk. Keep whisking and it’ll come together.
Step 4: once mixed, you should have a thick, glossy ganache. It can be used right away or cooled to room temperature depending on the consistency you need. Vegan ganache is a little thicker than standard dairy ganache so keep that in mind!
Expert Tips for the Best Ganache
- Plan ahead: the ganache usually needs about four hours to cool fully, so plan to make it the day before using.
- Use full-fat milk: you do need to use full-fat coconut milk, no less than 60% solids. The ingredient list should include the percentage.
- Sweeten to taste: you might not need any sweetener at all, depending on how dark you want the ganache to be. Note that some sweeteners might cause the ganache to seize and you shouldn’t use a refrigerated sweetener like cold maple syrup. Make sure it’s at room temperature.
Troubleshooting Runny Ganache
If it seems as though your ganache isn’t setting, first give it the 12-hour chilling time to see if it solidifies during that period. If it still hasn’t set – this is usually due to too much water in the coconut milk, or using low fat coconut milk – you can fix it!
Scoop the runny ganache into a heat-safe bowl. Place it over a smaller pot of simmering water, not letting the base of the bowl touch the surface of the water. Add another 50 grams (2 oz.) chocolate and melt them together. Once they’re fully melted, whisk to combine, and chill again.
You shouldn’t have that problem if you use the right coconut milk and dark chocolate, but just in case. This does require some patience so give it time.
Recipe Using Vegan Ganache
If you make this Dairy-Free Chocolate Ganache recipe or any other chocolate recipes on Occasionally Eggs, please take a moment to rate the recipe and leave a comment below. It’s such a help to others who want to try the recipe. For more OE, follow along on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest, purchase the Occasionally Eggs cookbook, or subscribe for new posts via email.
Vegan Chocolate Ganache
Description
Ingredients
- 250 ml (1 cup) full-fat canned coconut milk
- 200 grams (7 oz.) dark chocolate 70% cocoa solids
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Pour the coconut milk into a bowl and whisk to mix the coconut cream and water* then measure the amount needed into a small saucepan and heat over medium until just simmering.250 ml (1 cup) full-fat canned coconut milk
- While the milk is heating, finely chop the chocolate and place it into a heat-proof bowl.200 grams (7 oz.) dark chocolate
- Once the milk is hot, pour it over the chopped chocolate into the bowl. Let this rest for two minutes, then whisk until fully combined. Whisk gently to start with and be sure to mix until fully combined – it might take longer than you think.
- Add the vanilla and whisk again to incorporate. You can place a piece of parchment paper directly onto the ganache now, but I never do this (there is a possibility of it forming a skin, but in my experience it only happens very rarely).1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Cool the ganache to room temperature. It should be solid enough at room temperature to spread onto a cake, but can be refrigerated if not. Use your judgement here for whether the ganache needs to be chilled or not depending on how you plan to use it.
- When the ganache is fully cooled, it should be solid but not hard. Use to ice cakes, top cookies, or however you'd like. To fill tarts, etc. it should be poured into the crust while still liquid and then set.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate. If this information is important to you, please have it verified independently.
Keep me posted.