White Chocolate Lemon Ganache

White chocolate lemon ganache is the perfect mix of the sweetness of white chocolate and the refreshing brightness of lemon.

I like this kind of ganache in particular because its sweet-to-refreshing combo fits really any dessert you can think of!

What Is White Chocolate?

White chocolate, despite its name, isn’t actually chocolate at all! In order to be considered a true chocolate, a product has to contain cocoa solids, which white chocolate has none of!

White chocolate, however, is made with cocoa butter, lecithin, milk products, sugar, and vanilla.

Although white chocolate contains cocoa butter, the cocoa butter is derived from cocoa beans and does not contain any cocoa solids that make up traditional chocolate. 

So, it is kind of chocolate, but not really!

Which White Chocolate Is Best?

For our baking purposes today, you’re gonna want to find a white chocolate that has a cocoa butter percentage of 33% or higher.

This type of white chocolate is more suitable for baking, especially when used in coatings, such as ganache.

Why Pair White Chocolate With Lemon?

When making recipes with white chocolate, because of its high-fat content and rich flavor, it’s always good to add contrasting flavors to cut through the richness.

This can be any kind of citrus or even some tart berries, but lemon has become a staple pairing with this sweet treat.

What Is The Best White Chocolate?

I’ve done my fair share of searching (looking at over 20 different brands), and based on the quality, texture, and price of each individual white chocolate, I came up with this list: 

• The creamiest, but priciest: French Valrhona chocolate with 35% cocoa butter. It has a clean, rich flavor and melts amazingly. 
• The next best would be Cacao Barry chocolate. This is a very good white chocolate, with the company offering two varieties with different cocoa butter percentages, so try to opt for the higher of the two. The chocolate has a fresh, slightly honey-like flavor, with an incredible buttery texture.
• Finally, Green and Blacks white chocolate, which is actually flecked with vanilla beans! The flavor is very intense with a fudge-like texture. You may not be looking for that added vanilla flavor in your ganache or baked goods, but it is something you can try if you’re feeling particularly adventurous.

What’s The Best Method For Making Chocolate Ganache?

There are a couple of different methods for making ganache, but (as we’ll see later on in this recipe) I like one method the most—pouring the hot heavy cream over the white chocolate as a way to melt it and combine the two ingredients.

I’ve tried a few other methods and here’s what I’ve found:

• The microwave method. This method is a bit tricky because white chocolate can begin to burn very quickly in the microwave. It’s possible, but you will need to monitor the chocolate very closely.
• The double boiler method. This is a fantastic method for melting down dark chocolate, but white chocolate is much, much softer and so it can be a difficult method to master. I’d recommend it if you have a second person on hand to help you pour the heavy cream, as the white chocolate will melt very quickly.

How To Make White Chocolate Lemon Ganache

Step 1

Chop the white chocolate and place in a bowl.

Heat heavy cream and butter over medium heat on your stove, until tiny bubbles appear around the edges. 

Step 2

Pour the heavy cream over the chocolate and let it sit for 30 seconds. Start stirring until the chocolate is completely melted.

Add lemon juice and zest and stir again.

Step 3

Use as desired! Serve with pies, cakes, whatever you like!

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