Most Ganache is a mixture of cream and melted chocolate, whipped to incorporate as much air as possible, and cooled to a firm buttery firmness.
In an attempt to make a ganache that was both dairy free and cane sugar free, I used palm oil "shortening" instead of cream and maple syrup with unsweetened chocolate instead of a very dark chocolate. The sublte maple flavor complements the chocolate to work perfectly in many contexts. The palm oil is more of a compromise, leaving a non-ideal but not-too-prominent after taste. However, the texture you can get with palm oil compared to liquid oils is worth the taste.
To minimize the palm oil after taste, make sure to use fresh shortning. Although it ostensibly keeps for years at room temperature, we noticed that a newly purchased tub tasted much better than the one on our shelves.
Whip together the shortening and syrup to incorporate some air.
Cut the chocolate into smallish chunks to help it melt. Melt in a double boiler just until melted, whisking to minimize excessive heating.
Take the double boiler insert off it's base, off the heat, and set on a cool counter. Continue wisking until the chocolate cools enough to thicken slightly. If the chocolate is too warm, it will melt the palm oil, which, in liquid form, will separate from the chocolate. If the chocolate is too cool, it won't mix sufficiently with the plam oil, resulting in a grainy texture.
Beat the chocolate into the shortening mixture one spoonful at a time. If the palm oil shows any sign of melting under the warm chocolate, mix it to dissipate the heat of the already added chocolate and cool the remaining chocolate more before continuing.
Once all the chocolate is incorporated, whip until the mixture lightens in color, about two minutes. The lighter brown color indicates more air is incorporated, resulting in a smoother, lighter texture.
When used as a frosting, spread with a knife or pipe it onto a cake before it sets. On a warm day, it won't set until refrigerated.