CHOCOLATE GANACHE

Hello Cake Peeps,

Are you intimidated by chocolate ganache? Let me tell you it is super easy. It can be used alone or as a base for fondant, and can be used as a drip also. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE using ganache as a cake cover, but you can also use it in place of buttercream under your fondant. I am not a fan of using fondant. I love how fondant looks for sure, but for me, just too hard to work with and is not my strength. I'm old school and was taught to get my icing smooth. I have made some fondant cakes, but I would rather instead use frosting, such as buttercream,or ganache. Here is an excellent example of a white ganache cake.

White Chocolate Ganache

So let's get started and talk about the three main different types of chocolate ganache. There is milk, dark & white. There are recipes all over the web for chocolate ganache. I've seen where dark chocolate and milk chocolate have different ratios, but honestly, I use the 2 to 1 for both of these, and they work out fine. White chocolate is a 3 to 1 ratio. What is meant by that is the first number is the chocolate, and the last digit is heavy whipping cream. It is best to make in a heatproof glass bowl. And make sure to weight your ingredients! It matters.

Here is a sample of chocolate ganache drip over a chocolate buttercream. When your ganache is freshly made and not completely set up, you can use it as a drip, as you see here. If it has already set up past the drip stage simply microwave just what you'll need, for 10 seconds at a time, stirring in-between until it reaches drip consistency.

Chocolate Ganache Drip over Buttercream

Here is another example of chocolate ganache covering a cake and decorated.

Chocolate Ganache covered cake decorated.

There are a couple of ways to make a ganache. Some people melt the chocolate and #cream together in the #microwave. Don't burn; this can happen fast, so be careful! Then take a whisk (I use a French #Whisk not shown) and combine the heated chocolate and cream until no lumps are visible, see pictures below.

Here is how I make my #chocolate ganache. Once I have weighed all ingredients, I put the chocolate in a heatproof glass bowl. Then in a small saucepan, I heat the cream just until I see bubbles forming. Again, DO NOT BURN! Pour into the bowl with chocolate. Make sure all the chocolate is soaking (covered) with the hot cream. Let sit for just a minute or two, then whisk until no chocolate lumps are visible. You may have air #bubbles, just make sure they aren't un-melted chocolate. Scroll down and see the making of ganache pictures.

Measure all. Whisk shown is not the French oneI usually use, but will work also.

Heat heavy whipping cream just until bubbles start to form. Don't burn!

Submerge chocolate in heavy whipping cream. Let sit for just a few minutes before whisking until smooth.

Let the ganache set out for a couple of hours, or overnight to set up to the texture I need. After that, I store in the #refrigerator for up to a week. When I'm ready to use, I take out of the fridge and let get to room temperature, then whip up before using it, but be careful not to over-whip as you may be adding too much air.

Cover with Cling Wrap. Make sure the #Cling #Wrap sits on top of the chocolate so that a film doesn't form on top. I always store this way, even if I only have a little bit leftover

Ganache can also be frozen up to a year. Place in a #zip-lock bag, getting out all the air. Then I place in a 2nd zip-lock bag, write the date you made it on the bag and put it in the freezer.

I am in no way a chocolate expert, but I do work with #ganache a lot. I LOVE IT and want you to love it too!!

I'd #love to see what you make, so email me a photo at bonnie.schoolofcakes.net!

Keep on, caking on!

Bonnie

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