I am wanting to use the recipe titled chocolate ganache 1 which calls for cream, sugar, butter and chocolate... for those of you who have made this I have questions.... Do I use heavy whipping cream/ conf. or gran. sugar, and is it semi or unsweetend chocolate? I want to use this recipe but it doesn't clarify which of those to use... maybe I'm the only one who isn't sure

Thanks for any help!

When people talk about cream I always assume its heavy whipping cream, I would also think they are using granulated sugar. Honestly, I believe you can use semi sweet or unsweetened... it depens on your taste but I prefer semi-sweet.

I just use good quality chocolate, milk, white or bittersweet with 80% cocoa solids and heavy (double) cream, no butter or sugar and it is fine. I usually whip mine to pipe or spread rather than leave as a shiny coat.

Depends*

I made a cake last week which I used chocolate ganache. All I used was bittersweet chocolate and heavy cream. It tasted great.

I made a cake last week which I used chocolate ganache. All I used was bittersweet chocolate and heavy cream. It tasted great.

I use the Chocolate Ganache 1 recipe all the time, and it's definitely my favorite. I use either heavy cream or heavy whipping cream (because I can't tell the difference and I never remember at the store which one it's supposed to be) granulated sugar, and dark chocolate - either the Ghirardelli 60% chips (because it's easy) or a good bulk chocolate chopped up - and it's shiny and delicious. I have used milk chocolate before, too, but I prefer dark chocolate. I think that the unsweetened chocolate would be really bitter, because even though there's sugar in the recipe, there's not enough to sweeten it up.

To make a proper Ganache you only need to use a good couverture chocolate (70%) and pouring/whipping cream.

The bitter/sweet taste of the chocolate is what makes it different from using other *sweet* mediums on and in cakes.
Plus you really do not need to add any more *fat* by adding butter -
You want the Ganache to set once cold - but by heating the butter it won't set as it should to do what it is meant to do on the outside of the cake....then you can have problems if you are reheating your Ganache - (not good for the butter )
IYKWIM.

This is the standard Ganache recipe i use.
300 ml cream
600 gm Couverture chocolate.

Boil cream - take off heat.
Combine with chopped chocolate - and mix until Ganache is smooth.
Let cool completely - Best to use the next day.
Ganache can be bought back to right consistancey by heating in microwave.

This Ganache can be left out of the fridge as the boiling of the cream alters the structure of the cream.

Bluehue