I have been using ganache under my fondant, but I think Ive been spreading it a bit thin. I read today that Planet Cake recommend 2cm thick. Is this right? And leave it to set overnight? (once applied). Can anyone else help me here? Thanks

As long as it's thick enough to get a really smooth surface, then it doesn't really matter - just make it thick to taste.

Crikey! 2cm is a bit much, I think.

My Planet Cake book says to use a board the same size as the cake tin as a 'set up' board under the cake and to use that as a guide. So however much your 8inch cake has shrunk away from the tin, put it on an 8inch board, then ganache until level with the board. Mine end up being less than 1/2cm, usually.

They do say set overnight, but I never do. I just fridge mine for 10 minutes or so, then hot knife them. I can't say my cakes are planet cake quality though, so I guess you can decide whether it's an important step, but I'm just impatient.

Thank you! you both do lovely work. In may I will be doing Madhatter Course with Handi, who kindly said I didnt need to do any previous courses as long as I sharpened up my edges! So I am on the war path to practise practise practise and get sharp edges!

Pose the question on their website forum ..
http://www.planetcaketeaparty.com.au/forum.php

2cm is a bit too thick in my opinion, don't forget that with the cake, the ganache and the fondant you want each taste to be distinctive but not sickly. Also, I don't leave the ganache over night, it dries very quickly so a few hours should do it.

In my limited experience with ganache, you just need it thick enough to cover the cake bumps and to be able to melt the ganache a little with the hot knife to smooth it.

Planet Cake get great sharp corners because they slap it on nice and thick and then scrape it off with thier bench scraper/spatular/butter knife ensuring they get sharp edges.
If it is too thin then you have nothing to *work with*
Even if you start with 1cm - that will give you plenty to work with.

If you do put it in the fridge to set it up - make sure you bring it back to room temp before you cover it in fondant - otherwise you can get condensation build up under yor fondant a few hours later.
Then who ever eats the cake might find a sicky film between the two layers.
Many say they have never had this happen - but then many aren't the ones taking delivery of the cake.
I have never put a ganached cake in the fridge - no matter the weather.
And i wouldn't do that to my customers...

Bluehue.

Bluehue, how do you get round the problem of needing to refrigerate products containing cream?
I spoke to my EHO, suggesting that the sugar from the chocolate in ganache would inhibit any bacterial growth so it wouldn't need refrigeration. She said that while it would slightly inhibit it, it wasn't enough and still need to be in the fridge. Now I'm stumped as to what to do! Somebody suggested alcohol as a preservative, but i can't do that in children's cakes!

As long as the cream has been brought to a *rolling boil* (not bubbling away over the side of the saucepan) then the creams consistancey has been changed.
Honestly - once your ganache has been made - there is no problems with letting it sit out on the bench overnight.

As long as your entire cake is correctly covered in ganache- then there is no fear of your cake going stale

I tort and ganache one day -
Allow cake to settle overnight
Cover with fondant and decorate the next day (or two)
Delivery the next day.

Even with the extreme Summers we get over here - with the a/c on during summer i still leave my ganache out of the fridge.
What i don't use i place into a freezer bag and then a sealed container - date it and pop in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Winter is a dream as the ganache sets up so much faster.

Hope i have helped...

Bluehue

I really have to recommend this technique for sharp edges:

http://sugarsweetcakesandtreats.blogspot.com/2010/05/covering-cake-in-ganache.html

I just did it for the first time with ganache and it gave me great results.

More info in this thread:

http://cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopict-712027-upside.html

I've had a ganached chocolate mud cake out on my kitchen bench for two weeks at room temperature and it was still absolutely delicious after all that time. Like BlueHue, I don't refrigerate ganached cake. I always use long life cream for ganache - it's cheaper and works every bit as well as fresh cream, plus it has already been heat-treated for storing at room temperature. I also like that I can buy a heap of it to have on hand without worrying about it going out of date.

So glad I started this thread, wonderful bouts of information coming out! mcaulir - Great tutorial, i love the spirit level! (off to Bunnings tomorrow) and the use of greasproof paper.
Bluehue and Coral3 thanks to you both for great tips and information.
I have spent today baking some dummy cakes up to practise on this weekend! Wish me luck in sharpening up those edges