I am wanting to use chocolate ganache for a filling in my cake, but I've never used it before so I dont know the first thing about using it as a filling. I have made ganache to ice cupcakes before but it seems to slightly harden and I want something creamy for in between my layers. Any tips or your favorite recipe would be greatly appreciated.
hi heather1 
try to read on this...
http://forum.cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopict-596293.html
alot of infos are found here about ganache...
happy reading
Chill it and whip it with a mixer. The ganache becomes light and fluffy.
I don't know what kind of chocolate you use but this statement isn't true for all chocolates and all ganaches. I see this all over this forum and it's deceptive.
In fact, a high percentage of cocoa solids in a 1:1 ganache will be disastrous. What do I mean? Ganache made of equal parts by weight of chocolate and cream (1:1) where the chocolate has a high percentage of cocoa solids like Valrhona couveture or even Ghiardelli will turn stiff and chalky with the slightest whipping. You need to use slightly more cream or a low cocoa solids chocolate. And never walk away from a ganache on a mixer, it can turn in an instant and is unsalvageable.
While whipped ganache done properly is wonderful, you can keep your unwhipped ganaches creamy and smooth by adding a drop of corn syrup (A DROP!) and a bit of butter.
While whipped ganache done properly is wonderful, you can keep your unwhipped ganaches creamy and smooth by adding a drop of corn syrup (A DROP!) and a bit of butter.
In my ganache recipe, I use 1/2 a tablespoon of corn syrup and always get great results. What's the issue with adding more than A DROP of corn syrup? I'm very curious about this....if it'll make my ganache even better, I'm all over it!
While whipped ganache done properly is wonderful, you can keep your unwhipped ganaches creamy and smooth by adding a drop of corn syrup (A DROP!) and a bit of butter.
In my ganache recipe, I use 1/2 a tablespoon of corn syrup and always get great results. What's the issue with adding more than A DROP of corn syrup? I'm very curious about this....if it'll make my ganache even better, I'm all over it!
Here's what can happen, corn syrup (invert sugar or even glucose) inhibits crystallization. Too much corn syrup will prevent the ganache from ever crystallizing. (Crystallizing is the term used to describe the change in texture from a fluid liquid, to that characteristic fudgy texture)
Technically a ganache should be creamy, but obviously there are all sorts of things one can do to it. So maybe your recipe, and more importantly, the type of chocolate you use, can tolerate that much corn syrup. I'm willing to bet it's very soft. Which is just an observation, not a judgement. And if you whip it, that texture works to your advantage.
I err on the side of caution, so I only ever add a touch of cornsyrup. The other thing that can happen with too much corn syrup is the ganache gets "plastic". I can't explain it, but too much corn syrup will effect the mouth feel. For a straight ganache, one that will remain unwhipped, I find it's better to add a touch of butter to keep it soft. And forego any corn syrup etc with a white or milk ganache, in general.
[\\quote] And never walk away from a ganache on a mixer, it can turn in an instant and is unsalvageable.
Boy isn't THAT the truth. One second you have thick, whipped ganache - the next you have a broken, grainy mess.[/quote]
I tanked a 40 lb batch of ganache used to make chocolate bon bons by walking away from it... my (French) chef yelled at me for a week. Some lessons are learned the hard way... LOL
another question... hoping could get some answers...
i have used a local dark semi-sweet chocolate block for a ganache... when i add the cream it looks like a milk chocolate... how can i retain the dark chocolate color of it?
The color of the ganache is solely a function of the quality of the chocolate, the percentage of cocoa solids and the ratio of cream to chocolate.
If it looks pale then so be it.
What type of chocolate do you use and what is the ratio of cream to chocolate?
After whipping the ganache does it retain it's texture at room temperaature until you get ready to put it on the cake or does it harden?
Also after I finish decorating my cake (with ganache filling in between the layers), do I have to refridgerate it? Or is okay at room temp, I dont want it to melt and start running out of the cake.
Dollycakes method of adding a tablespoon of corn syrup really worked for me! Corn syrup prevents crystallization - a technique I was familiar with from America's Test Kitchen homemade ice cream recipes. Since I was in a rush to make my ganache this was a huge help since I couldn't let it setup at room temp like some advise (claiming refrigeration and freezing with impair its texture) so into the freezer it went. This really did whip up beautifully and spread onto my cake layers with ease. I was glad I used this recipe for my first try as it did seem more stable than a standard ganache. I was transporting my cakes in extreme summer heat over an hour away. But the cakes and the ganache stood the test - everything arrived as it should and most importantly tasted great!
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