Recipes
All-Purpose Chocolate Glaze with Semisweet 54%
A good chocolate glaze is the backbone of any home patisserie - it works on cakes, ice cream, pancakes, waffles, eclairs and fresh fruit. Rather than keeping several different products in the cupboard, it pays to master one all-purpose base that you can thin or thicken to suit the moment.
The secret to a smooth, glossy glaze is good chocolate and a touch of fat. ADIKAM Semisweet 54% chocolate, made on cocoa butter and free from palm oil, melts to a silky finish and sets with a beautiful sheen, without cracking on the surface of your cake.
Ingredients
- 200 g Semisweet 54% chocolate (callets)
- 150 ml double cream, 30%
- 20 g butter
- 1 tbsp honey or glucose syrup (optional, for shine)
- a pinch of salt
Method
- Tip the chocolate callets into a heatproof bowl.
- Warm the cream in a small saucepan until it is almost boiling - the moment bubbles appear around the edge, take it off the heat. Do not let it boil, or the glaze will turn grainy.
- Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and leave for a minute, until the callets soften.
- Whisk from the centre outwards in circular motions until the mixture is smooth and glossy.
- Add the butter, honey and a pinch of salt, and stir until combined. The butter and honey are what give that signature shine.
- Use according to the consistency table below.
Three textures from one base
| Use | Chocolate-to-cream ratio | Serving temperature |
|---|---|---|
| Pouring glaze for ice cream and pancakes | 1 : 1 (200 g : 200 ml) | warm, 35-40°C |
| Glaze for coating a cake (drip) | 1 : 0.75 (200 g : 150 ml) | lukewarm, approx. 30°C |
| Thick ganache for filling and decorating | 2 : 1 (200 g : 100 ml) | cooled, room temperature |
Storage
Keep the glaze in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Before using, warm it gently in a water bath or briefly in the microwave (in 15-second bursts), stirring until it is smooth and pourable again.
Frequently asked questions
Why is my glaze grainy? The usual culprit is overheating the cream or the chocolate. Heat the cream only until bubbles appear and never let the mixture boil. If the glaze has split, add a tablespoon of warm cream and stir vigorously.
Will the glaze set on a cake? Yes - at a 1:0.75 ratio the glaze sets at room temperature into a glossy, slightly soft layer. The more chocolate there is relative to cream, the firmer the result.
What can I use instead of cream? You can use milk, but the glaze will be less velvety and will set more quickly. For a dairy-free version, thick coconut cream works well and brings out the flavour of the semisweet chocolate even more.
