Switching things up on you today!!
We're not baking a cake, cookies, muffins, or putting together dinner this time. But honestly, if red wine chocolate ganache counts as your dinner course, please send me an invitation.
Just feast your eyes on this creation. It's every ounce as luxurious, dense, intense, and decadent as you'd hope. Built from the essentials of life—cream, chocolate, butter, sugar, and red wine—this ganache ranks right up there with salted caramel in terms of usefulness and pure deliciousness. The possibilities are endless.
Decadent Red Wine Chocolate Ganache
And I Do Mean Endless
Or skip the planning and grab a spoon. Honestly, any moment is the right moment for a batch of this.
The whole process won't eat up more than fifteen minutes, and that window includes dicing the chocolate. Just bring heavy cream, red wine, sugar, and cocoa powder to a gentle simmer on the stovetop, then fold in the chocolate, butter, and a small pinch of salt. The butter pulls double duty—it boosts the taste and (1) gives the ganache body and (2) keeps the texture velvety.
On the topic of dicing chocolate! A large serrated knife is your best friend here. The teeth on the blade make quick work of that stubborn, rock-hard chocolate. You'll want 8 ounces total, and I can't stress enough—go for a premium option. My go-to is two 4-ounce bars from Baker's. Baker's or Ghirardelli are my usual picks. You'll spot both in the baking section.
Just like a standard ganache, this one runs on the looser side when warm and turns incredibly thick once cooled. Let it rest for an hour or two and it'll spread beautifully for frosting or filling cakes and cupcakes. ?
Which Red Wine Works Best?
This ganache is flexible. Truly, grab whatever bottle you love most! I've tested it with merlot, cabernet, and pinot noir. Each one was a hit. If you like sipping it, you'll like it stirred into chocolate ganache.
Now here's the absolute highlight!! Drizzled over ice cream, it sets up into that signature crackly chocolate shell we all know and love. ?
Oh, and PS: The little chocolate bundt cakes pictured up top? That's my chocolate cupcake batter poured into a mini bundt pan. They baked for 20-22 minutes at 350°F (177°C). Fill each cavity about 2/3 of the way. The batch yields roughly 6-7 mini bundts.
What You'll Need
- 3/4 cup (180ml) heavy cream
- 3/4 cup (180ml) your preferred red wine (I reach for pinot noir)*
- 1 and 1/2 Tablespoons unsweetened natural or dutch-process cocoa powder
- 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 2 four ounce bars (226g) semi-sweet chocolate, roughly chopped*
- 1/4 cup (4 Tablespoons; 60g) unsalted butter, brought to room temperature
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
Step-by-Step Instructions
- In a small saucepan set over medium heat, whisk together the heavy cream, wine, cocoa powder, and sugar. Once the mixture comes to a simmer, let it bubble gently for 5-6 minutes, stirring now and then. Take the pan off the heat and stir in the chocolate, butter, and salt. Give it a taste. Toss in another pinch of salt if you'd like.
- Let it rest for several minutes before putting it to use. The ganache will firm up as it cools. Seal and refrigerate for up to 10 days.
A Few Helpful Tips
*Merlot makes a fantastic option. Cabernet is another winner. In this batch, I used a pinot noir. Basically, any red you personally enjoy drinking will do the trick.
*Reach for real, good-quality chocolate. The 4-ounce baking bars live in the baking aisle. Ghirardelli or Baker's are my favorites. You could substitute 8 ounces of premium chocolate chips, though the final ganache won't be quite as silky. If you want a more intense chocolate flavor, swap in bittersweet or even unsweetened chocolate.
Ready to Share Your Creation?
Tag @sallysbakeblog on Instagram and use the hashtag #sallysbakingaddiction.
