I use ganache under my fondant, both white and dark chocolate. White choc is fine, but I have a problem with the dark chocolate. I have tried a 2:1 and 1:1 ratio of chocolate:cream. But it is still too thick after setting up, I am not getting a peanut butter type spreadable consistency at all.
I am using chocolate with 70% cocoa content, and whipping cream which is 35% fat (not sure what its US/AUS alternative would be!). Should I be using different chocolate or cream? I use the same cream in the white choc at a 3:1 ratio, which is leading me to believe it might be the high cocoa content of the dark chocolate which is giving me grief but I'm not sure.
Please help, I am at my wits end. Whenever I need to use the dark ganache I have to microwave it carefully to soften it up...

In Sharon Zambito's DVD about the purse cake... she says for ganache if you are using milk or white chocolate it is a 3:1 ratio. For the semi sweet in her DVD she recommends 60 oz chocolate to 24 oz cream... she goes onto explain... maybe someone else remembers more.

ganche will always really set up pretty firm, i have tried a few ratios and never had it soft like bc is. its supposed to do that though. the way i was taught is that you do microwave it so you can spread it.
maybe need to try mixing it 50/50 with bc for what you are looking for?
or try whipping it. way i was taught is make ganache, let set, then soften *slightly* (not spreadably soft) so you can use a mixer (i had hand held - dont know if stand mixer would work?) to beat, much more spreadable that way.
xx

I mean it's so hard its difficult to get a spoon in to get chunks out to microwave it! And I leave it out at room temp, imagine if I put it in the fridge... I use it because I love the way the fondant looks over it, so I don't want it to be too soft either, which is why I don't want to add BC or whip it, though I do appreciate your suggestions!
I kind of want someone to tell me the cocoa content and fat content of their chocolate and cream, so I can compare. I just wonder if I'm using the wrong ingredients.

I use 60% cocoa and it sets up significantly stiffer than white chocolate...as a matter of fact, I hate the white chocolate because it takes SO MUCH white chocolate per cream as it does the dark chocolate.

I actually do not measure my chocolate and cream, I just eyeball it because sometimes I want it thicker and sometimes I want it thinner (thinner for making whipped ganache filling) so if I were you....I'd just use alot less chocolate and pour your cream in and see how you like it...there's really no right or wrong way. If its too thick...reduce your chocolate until its how you want it. You can melt it back and add more boiling cream to thin it down.

OK, I am going to go lower than the 1:1 ratio then, and have more cream than chocolate, to see how that works. I think I'll start by melting the ganache I have and adding more cream to it and wait for it to set again.

What cream do you use Kitagrl? Do you know the % of fat in it? Because I think if you tell me heavy cream, for example, I am not going to know what the European equivalent is.