I rarely have heavy cream on hand, can I sustitute evaporated milk when making ganache?

Ganache is a very versatile use for chocolate. From truffle fillings to enrobing a cake with the glossy dark and decadent coating, ganache is a must-have in one's repertoire of cooking.

The element that gives ganache that richness is the heavy cream however, and the fat content of evaporated milk is much lower than heavy cream so you would end up with a much different texture when using evaporated milk.

Our suggestion is to try a small batch using the same ratio of two parts chocolate to one part cream (evap milk) and see how you like the results. In a pinch sometimes substitutions work out quite well. Regular milk will not work because of the high moisture content compared to the fat which would cause a graininess or at worst, a complete seizing of the ganache.

Also use a very high quality chocolate so that the flavor of the chocolate comes through as well. A little cognac, rum, or liqueur can be added after the chocolate is completely melted for added flavor. A reminder to heat the cream over direct heat and add to your chopped chocolate or chocolate coins off the heat to avoid overheating the chocolate. Let set for a minute and then stir gently to completely melt and mix the chocolate to form your ganache.

Good luck and good cookin'

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