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Flexible Chocolate Ganache

Flexible Chocolate Ganache

Flexible ganache also called pliable ganache comes from Chef Grant Achatz at Alinea in Chicago. It's exactly what it sounds like a bendy, flexible chocolate pudding.
Course Dessert

Ingredients
  

  • 50 g glucose
  • 90 g honey
  • 3 g agar agar powder
  • 9 g gelatine, bloomed (please see note below regarding gelatine amounts)
  • 260 g dark chocolate
  • 600 g cream
  • 2 g salt

Instructions
 

  • Place the chocolate and bloomed gelatine in a separate bowl and set to the side.
  • In a medium sized pot, add cream, honey, glucose, salt and agar and stir.
  • Place pot on the stove and bring to a rolling bowl stirring constantly for two minutes in order to activate the agar. Pour the hot cream mixture over the chocolate and whisk until chocolate is melted and combined (you can also use a hand blender if you prefer).
  • Pour the warm mixture into a clean, unlined pan and place in the fridge for about 30 min-1 hour until firm and set. You’ll know it’s set when it looks like firmer jello.

Video

Notes

NOTES ON GELATINE:

Recipe Change! So I’ve had a few people message me about having their flexi ganache coming out too stiff, my best guess is that it has something to do with the gelatine and converting the measurements which can be tricky when changing from powdered gelatine to sheets, especially since there are different grades of sheet gelatine as well. Here’s my recommendation ( and what I do when testing a gelatine based recipe for the first time at the restaurant). For this recipe, let’s cut down the gelling agents to start so start with about 8 g gelatine and 3 g agar. Set a small ramekin in the fridge and before you transfer your ganache out of the pot put a spoon or two into the ramekin (so it’s a thin layer) and put it back into the fridge and wait a few minutes to see how it sets. If it sets up fairly firm, then you’re good to go, if it needs more gelatine, bloom and add a few more grams. Here is a good article I found on gelatine conversion if you are interested: https://www.nigella.com/ask/gelatine-leaves-to-powder-conversion
Keyword Alinea, Modernist