Silky, delicious chocolate peanut butter ganache is so easy to make, and PB lovers can use it to create everything from truffles to cake icing. With just a few ingredients and in just a few minutes, you'll have something so delicious you'll probably want to eat it all instead of using it for its intended purpose. But even if you use it all up, don't despair... you can always lick the bowl. That's what we do!
How to Make Peanut Butter Ganache
Ganache is one of the simplest desserts to make, and there's so much you can do with it. Fill a cake, roll it into balls and dip it into melted chocolate (after freezing the balls for a bit), or add it to some puff pastry. Just off the tops of our heads, of course. We're sure you've got all sorts of ideas, too.
Ingredients
- 5 ounces white chocolate, coarsely chopped
- ¼ cup creamy (not chunky/crunchy) peanut butter
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Place the chopped white chocolate and peanut butter in a bowl and set aside.
- Heat the cream and vanilla on the stove and bring to a simmer for 3 minutes.
- Pour the hot cream on top of the white chocolate and peanut butter.
- The heat from the cream mixture will help melt the white chocolate in a few minutes.
- Stir well to combine until smooth.
While natural peanut butters are more flavorful, their gritty texture will interfere with the formation of the ganache. To avoid this, use the smoothest textured peanut butter you can find.
Chocolate Peanut Butter Ganache
There used to be a commercial that called chocolate and peanut butter "two great tastes that taste great together," and we can't help but agree. This is a tasty simple variation on the recipe above, and we think you'll agree it's about as good as the whole PB/chocolate thing can be.
Ingredients
- 5 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
- ¼ cup creamy (not chunky/crunchy) peanut butter
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Place the chopped chocolate and peanut butter in a bowl and set aside.
- Heat the cream and vanilla on the stove and bring to a simmer for 3 minutes.
- Pour the hot cream on top of the chocolate and peanut butter.
- The heat from the cream mixture will help melt the white chocolate in a few minutes.
- Stir well to combine until smooth.
The quality of your chocolate will have a big impact on the flavor of your ganache. Use the best quality gourmet or artisan chocolate you can find for the best flavor.
Using Ganache With Peanut Butter
Now that you've got two simple recipes, we have suggestions for what to do with them.
- Make a tart from the hot ganache by pouring it immediately into a baked pastry shell and allowing it to set up inside.
- Use it as a glaze for a chocolate cake. Allow it to cool just slightly on the counter and pour or ladle it over the finished cake. The ganache will continue to harden as it cools on the cake, leaving a thin, shiny coat of frosting.
- Make the ganache into spreadable frosting. Place it in the fridge for about hour until it becomes firm enough to spread. Do not leave it too long, or it will harden too much to be easily worked.
- Make PB-flavored truffles; allow the ganache to harden overnight, covered, in the refrigerator. Scoop the hardened ganache into balls using a melon baller to form the center of the truffles. Dip the peanut butter truffles in tempered chocolate or roll them in cocoa powder or gourmet sprinkles for a chocolate peanut butter candy.
- Spread between two peanut butter cookies or chocolate chip cookies to make decadent sandwich cookies.
Add More Flavor
Ganache is such a simple base that it can easily handle any number of additional flavors. Try adding hazelnut spread, flavor-infused cream, or a mixture of chocolates to make this recipe your own. No matter how you prepare it, peanut butter ganache is sure to become a favorite at first bite.
