Chocolate Ganache - Keto Dessert

Photo Courtesy: Dr. Debarshi Chatterji

Year 2016 was special. We moved to a bigger house, made loads of friends and I learnt tons of new recipes. You can imagine what happened when I asked Debarshi to choose his birthday cake. He gave me quite the assignment! A Chocolate Raspberry Cake with Chocolate Ganache. The cake was supposed to have two layers of soft chocolate sponges, coated liberally with chocolate ganache and topped with fresh raspberries. Well I took the challenge and completed it. What do you think?

This rich, velvety, dark chocolate layer also known as Ganache is the most delectable thing you will ever taste. It gets quite thick as it cools down and it just melts in your mouth. You can use it as a filling for your cake or eat it as it is (like we do). Believe me ever since I baked this cake, Debarshi has requested me several times to prepare just the Ganache. He likes to enjoy a small portion of it after dinner like a dessert and so I try to present it like a proper dessert by portioning it into small bowls and decorating it with dried fruits and chopped nuts.

I know Chocolate Ganache may sound like something fancy and you may think that it will be difficult to prepare or may involve too much hassle. Believe me when I say, it isn’t! To prepare Ganache, all you need to do is mix equal quantities of chocolate and heavy cream. Melt them together and then you can use it for a variety of purposes, you can glaze a cake or fill it up, make a fluffy frosting, or eat it as it is. I usually heat one cup of Bittersweet Chocolate Chips (60% Cacao) with one cup of Heavy cream in the microwave for two minutes and whisk them together till it gets totally combined and looks shiny. At this time the Ganache is very hot and pourable but once it cools down it sets beautifully and is very soft when you cut or eat it. 

Now you are thinking, is Chocolate allowed on Keto diet? Well, to maintain the state of Ketosis you have to eat a low carb diet and I find it easier to continue a diet when I am not craving for my favorite foods all the time. Mind you, I have a sweet tooth and although I am fully aware that it is responsible for my weight gain, I just can’t live without my sweets. So, I prefer to cheat a little rather than going astray on my diet. This Chocolate Ganache is my savior. I have tweaked the recipe to suit my Keto diet needs. I prepare it by using Dark Chocolate with 100% cocoa which Keto friendly. Now because 100% cocoa is very low in sugar, it actually tastes bitter so I usually mix 1-2 teaspoons of Truvia (or Splenda) to sweeten the Chocolate and increase the amount of Heavy Cream (allowed on Keto diet) to add more natural sweetness. Then I portion it into small containers and decorate it with dried fruits and nuts. By keeping my dessert low carb, I can have it and eat it too!

Remember, you can always use the original recipe (1 cup of Bittersweet Chocolate Chips with 1 cup of Heavy cream) to prepare Ganache and use it as a quick ice cream or cheesecake topping for the Chocolate lovers. You can also use it to glaze or fill any cake and decorate it further by using fresh mint or fruits or even edible flowers which will look very elegant with the satin look of Chocolate Ganache. Just imagine! 

Prepare this Chocolate Ganache tonight and enjoy it with your loved ones.

Ingredients:

• 100% Cocoa Unsweetened Chocolate Baking Bar such as Ghirardelli – 4 Ounce or 1 bar
• Heavy Whipping Cream – 1 cup
• Truvia or Splenda – 1-2 teaspoons
• Chopped Nuts such as Almonds – 3-4 tablespoons
• Sweet Cream Unsalted Butter – 2-3 tablespoons

Directions:

• Take a microwave safe medium bowl.
• Break the Chocolate bar into small pieces and place in it.
• Add the Heavy Cream in it and place inside the microwave.
• Heat the Cream for a minute.
• Add the Truvia and the Butter in it and stir to mix.
• Heat it for another minute then take the bowl out from the microwave (careful its hot!)
• Let it stand for a minute
• Now let’s start the stirring and remember this is important. We need to stir it slowly so that the chocolate mixes well with the cream. Believe me this will bring the shine in the Ganache. Keep stirring until the Chocolate is all melted and the mixture looks smooth. 
• I usually divide the mixture into 5-6 small bowls or containers. I pour 2 tablespoons of Ganache into each (small portions mean even less carbs).
• Decorate with the chopped nuts.
• Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for about an hour until the Ganache is cold.
• Serve as a dessert.

Tip: 

The butter adds more fats in the dessert thus making it a Keto Fat Bomb (energy balls made of high fat low carb ingredients to be eaten when your fat intake throughout the day has been low or you are in dire need of a snack prepared with good fats). The addition of Butter also makes the Ganache shinier and pourable. You can of course skip it if you don’t want to have extra fat in the dessert.

Recommended Reading (Low Carb Recipes):

• Tandoori Chicken
• Butter Chicken (Indian Recipe: Chicken pieces in a creamy buttery gravy)
• Mughlai Kabab
• Grilled Salmon with Shrimp and Peppers
• Almond Flour Pancakes - Keto Brunch Recipes
• Avocado Smoothie
• Yummy Almond Flour Bread with Ghee and Spices
• Grilled Lamb Kababs
• Avocado Strawberry Smoothie
• Guacamole with Goat Cheese and Bacon
• Keto Pizza with grilled Chicken and Shrimp
• Dhaba Wala Saag Chicken (Chicken in Spinach Curry Rustic Indian Style)
• Egg Drop Soup
• Keto Pizza with Pepperoni, Parmesan and Basil
• Butter Paneer (Indian Recipe: Fresh Cheese in a creamy buttery gravy)
• Cream of Asparagus Soup
• Egg Salad (not to be afraid of when you are on Keto diet)
• Mushroom Salad with Fried Eggs
• Make Homemade Butter from Spoiled Cream
• Rabri (Clotted Cream in Condensed Milk)