Olive oil ganache, you guys. Believe it. Live it. Love it. Let me explain.
OK. Now that I have your attention, let me tell you how this ambrosial treat came to reside on top of my brownie.
First, I was working on a roundup of creative ganache varieties for Craftsy (it came out great, by the way).
Then, I received a big box in the mail from Bertolli olive oil. In it, they had gifted me a big ol' bottle of their 150th anniversary edition olive oil. Well gee whiz, thanks!
They also sent me a gift card for ingredients and an invitation to enter their #vivabertolli contest by entering a creative recipe made with their products plus any other ingredients which I was to purchase with the card.
Well, I knew right away what I had to explore with that olive oil, and its name was ganache.
So I bought some chocolate and then with the rest of the gift card bought myself new shoes. (TRUTHSIES)
But even though the ingredients don't cost $50, this recipe tastes like a million bucks. It has all the chocolatey goodness of ganache, but a smooth, silky, nutty flavor from the olive oil. It tastes very fancy, like a dessert you'd pay $15 for at a posh eatery. Of course, theirs would be delivered with a random swipe of coulis on the plate. I prefer the less delicate approach of using the ganache to drown my brownie.
Oh, I should tell you, this ganache will eventually set firm, just like regular cream ganache. While it's still warm you can use it as a delightful dessert sauce or filling, or you can wait til it cools a bit and use it to top a cake or to combine with buttercream for a unique treat.
Oh, and while I didn't give her any, Olive the pug approved.
Olive oil ganache
- 6 ounces chocolate, coarsely chopped
- 3 ounces extra virgin olive oil (I used the Bertolli 150th anniversary stuff)
Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl set atop a bowl if simmering water (DIY double boiler).
Once melted, remove from heat and let it chill out for maybe 5 minutes, so it's not piping hot.
Pour in the olive oil and mix. Use a whisk, or use a spatula (not sure why I did but I did)
Once mixed, let the mixture sit at room temperature until it has firmed to the amount needed for your project. Give it a stir every 5 minutes or so to discourage separation.
Enjoy!