Sugar and Dairy-Free Chocolate Ganache Sauce

This rich, dark chocolate sauce is so easy to make and is delicious!  When chilled, it thickens into a spoonable and spreadable chocolate, similar to a soft truffle.  It can be used as frosting, glaze or a spread.  When heated, it becomes a pourable sauce, perfect for drizzling over fruit, yogurt or other dessert.  Also, you can use it as a base for chocolate milk or hot chocolate.  Sometimes when I want something sweet, I'll eat it by the spoonful straight from the refrigerator!  When you add stevia to the melted chocolate-coconut milk mixture and whisk, it becomes a bit lumpy, so the final blending in a food processor (or blender) is necessary to bring all the ingredients together into a smooth sauce.  Don't be put off by this additional step because this decadent sauce is definitely worth the effort!

Sugar and Dairy Free Chocolate Ganache Sauce

Makes about 14 servings of 1 TB each

1/3 cup full fat coconut milk

2 oz. unsweetened baker's chocolate, chopped (I use Dagoba brand)

2 tablespoons ghee (clarified butter)*

1 teaspoon 100% stevia powder (I used SweetLeaf brand)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

tiny pinch of salt

1/3 cup almond, flax, hazelnut or other non-dairy milk

5-10 drops 100% liquid stevia or to taste (optional: substitute 1 teas. raw honey)

1.  In a double boiler over simmering water, heat the coconut milk, chopped chocolate and ghee until chocolate is melted.  Remove from heat and whisk in the salt, stevia powder and vanilla extract.  The mixture will be lumpy and may separate, but don't worry.

2.  Using a rubber spatula, place chocolate mixture into a food processor or blender.  Add the 1/3 cup non-dairy milk and blend until mixture is combined and smooth.  Add 5 drops of liquid stevia, blend briefly and taste.  If additional sweetening is needed, add a few more drops, blend and taste.  (If substituting the optional honey, omit liquid stevia drops.)

3.  When satisfied, pour the chocolate sauce into a glass container and chill in the refrigerator until ready to use.  This chocolate sauce can be stored in the refrigerator for about 2 weeks but, honestly, mine has never lasted that long!

Nutritional Information per 1 TB serving: 49 calories, 1.2 g carbohydrate (0.7 g dietary fiber, 0.1 g sugars), 5.2 g total fat (3.3 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat), 3 mg cholesterol, 13 mg sodium, 6.5 mg calcium, 0 mg potassium, 0.6 g protein.  Net carbs per serving: 0.5 grams

* Ghee is clarified butter with the milk solids removed.  It is lactose and casein free.  Most people with an allergy to dairy can tolerate ghee.  Feel free to substitute coconut oil or your favorite non-dairy butter substitute in place of the ghee, if desired.

Recipe by Kathy Sheehan, copyright 2015