This dairy-free strawberry ganache recipe is thick, creamy, and perfect for piping. Almost too pretty to eat, it comes together with five simple ingredients with minimal prep time and failproof steps!
Why you’ll love this recipe
If you’re unfamiliar, ganache is a common dessert topping or filling. Most versions, like my chocolate ganache, are made by heating cream, pouring it over chocolate, and stirring the mixture until smooth. As a result, traditional ganache recipes are far from dairy-free, but I had lots of requests for one.
So, I put my culinary skills to the test, and I couldn’t be more pleased with the results!
- Flavor – With white chocolate chips and strawberry powder, the ganache is rich, sweet, and deliciously fruity without tasting artificial.
- Texture – This ganache turns out smooth and silky, perfect for decorating and piping.
- Minimal ingredients – Despite this recipe being completely dairy-free, there aren’t any complicated ingredients. Five, easy-to-find items are all you need!
Use this strawberry ganache to add a pop of color to white macarons, fill chocolate cupcakes, or decorate a sponge cake. It’s an easy way to elevate any sweet treat!
Key Ingredient Notes
- Gelatin powder – This helps thicken and stabilize the ganache. I use Knox unflavored gelatin powder, but any brand will work.
- White chocolate chips – Make sure to use dairy-free white chocolate chips!
- Coconut milk – For a taste and texture most similar to regular ganache, use full-fat canned coconut milk, sometimes referred to as coconut cream. Do not use liquid refrigerated varieties, or your strawberry ganache will be runny!
- Freeze-dried strawberry powder – To make freeze-dried strawberry powder, crush freeze-dried strawberries in a food processor or by using a rolling pin. Then, sift the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve to remove seeds and large pieces.
- Kosher salt – Trust me on this! It enhances the rest of the ingredients, ensuring your ganache turns out perfectly fruity and sweet.
How to make strawberry ganache
- Bloom the gelatin by mixing it in a bowl with 1 tablespoon of water and letting it sit for 5 minutes.
- In the meantime, melt the chocolate. I like to use a double boiler, but the microwave is a convenient option, too. Just make sure to stop every 30 seconds or so to stir, or your chocolate will seize and burn!
- Heat the coconut milk in the microwave until it reaches around 110°F (45°C). This takes about 30-45 seconds!
- Stir about ⅓ of the coconut milk into the melted chocolate at a time until it is silky smooth.
Texture
The chocolate will look grainy and seized when you first add the coconut milk, but don’t worry. As long as you keep stirring and adding the rest of the milk, it will loosen up beautifully!
- Add the bloomed gelatin, strawberry powder, and salt to the bowl.
- Blend the ganache with an immersion blender for about 30 seconds.
- Transfer the mixture to a flat container, and cover it with a sheet of plastic wrap. This prevents a skin from forming!
- Cool and set at room temperature for 3-6 hours or overnight.
Expedite the process
You may refrigerate the ganache for about 1 hour to speed up the setting process.
Tips for Success
- Don’t skip blooming the gelatin! Otherwise, your ganache won’t have a thick consistency and is likely to be grainy.
- Use a baking thermometer (I love my Thermapen!) to measure the temperature of the coconut milk. If it’s not hot enough, the chocolate won’t melt. If it’s too hot, the chocolate will burn.
- Use the thick part of the coconut cream. Don’t shake the can before opening. Scoop out the solids, and leave the liquid for the best texture.
- Allow plenty of time for your strawberry ganache to set. If possible, I recommend letting it rest overnight. This will ensure it solidifies, making it sturdy and solid enough for easy piping.
Storage
- Store leftover ganache in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Dairy-free ganache also freezes well! Freeze leftovers in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months.
- Thaw in the fridge overnight. Then, blend as needed to reincorporate the ingredients.
FAQs
The three most common types of ganache are dark chocolate, milk chocolate, and white chocolate. However, you can add different mix-ins, like I do in this strawberry ganache recipe, to make even more flavor variations!
Yes, you can use a plant-based cream substitute, but it results in a weaker flavor and a thinner consistency. Canned coconut milk is the only dairy-free substitute I’ve found that replicates ganache made with heavy cream.
The options are truly endless! Use this recipe to fill macarons, stuff vanilla cupcakes, or frost a simple chocolate cake or soufflé cheesecake. You can even enjoy it as a dip with fresh fruits.
More Strawberry Toppings
Dairy-Free Strawberry Ganache Recipe
Ingredients
- ½ teaspoon (2 g) gelatin powder Note 1
- ½ cup (100 g) white chocolate chips
- ¼ cup (60 g) canned coconut milk Note 2
- 2 tablespoons (30 g) freeze-dried strawberry powder Note 3
- 1/8 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
Instructions
- In a small bowl, mix gelatin powder with 1 tablespoon water. Let it sit for 5 minutes to bloom.
- Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or microwave.
- Heat coconut milk in the microwave for 30-45 seconds. It should be around 110°F (45°C).
- Add a third of the warm cream to the melted chocolate and stir gently with a spatula. It will look grainy and seized, but don’t worry. Stir in another third of the cream and mix until almost smooth. Then stir in all the remaining cream–it should turn silky smooth.
- Add bloomed gelatin, strawberry powder, and salt.
- Using an immersion blender, blend the ganache for about 30 seconds.
- Transfer the ganache into a flat container and cover the entire surface with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming.
- Let the ganache set at room temperature for 3-6 hours, or overnight, before using it to fill macarons. (You may refrigerate it for about 1 hour to expedite the process.) Transfer the ganache into a piping bag fitted with a round tip.
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Tips & Notes
– Store leftover ganache in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
– Dairy-free ganache also freezes well! Freeze leftovers in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months.
– Thaw in the fridge overnight. Then, blend as needed to reincorporate the ingredients.
Nutrition
