Hi everyone. I am thinking about starting to use ganache to coat my cakes. I currently use buttercream but find it difficult to get those super crisp edges. I have a couple of quick and silly questions before I get to doing this. (for some reason, it makes me nervous!)

First question - does everyone use the 2:1 ratio for dark chocolate and 3:1 ratio for white?

Second question - I have seen many people use ganache as a filling for their cakes also. I use various buttercreams inc SMBC. My stupid question is - does the ganache not set almost hard inside the cake? I know some people whip it, but I have seen it used straight as just ganache and I imagine it a lot harder than my buttercream texture!

Thanks in advance.

Jo

Answer 1 - yes.

Answer 2 - yes.

Longer answer 2 - yes, it's firm, and on the outside of the cake it gets dry to touch, but it melts in your mouth and isn't 'hard' to eat.

You use a different ratio (much softer ganache) when you want to use ganache as a filing. I believe it's 1:1 for dark and milk and 2:1 for white chocolate.

It's softer and more "melt in your mouth" but still firm enough to support the cake layers. I got this from another post and it's been working for me.

Well, since we're talking ganache..I have what might be a silly question also. For those of you that use ganache, do you always fill with ganache or do you use other fillings also? And if so, would you use ganache to damn the filling?

Have a look at a YouTube video by : inspired by Michelle"
Is Oz, ganache is much more popular than BC,

Dark choc 2:1
Milk and white 3:1

No need for whipping although you can if you like!
It doesn't go hard as a filling! And no I don't have a different ratio for fillings.
If I'm covering in ganache, I always fill in ganache!
You can use it to dam!

Inspired by Michelle also has a website, she is fantastic and so are her videos!

Remember if you WHIP ganache you are adding air to the mix - which in turn will affect the 'shelf-life' of you ganache/cake

Bacteria NEED air to multiply - I would not advise to whip ganache unless it is a softer version that you plan on piping swirls on cupcakes (just an example)

Came across this thread - can anyone help me please with what will seem a silly question. I have a wedding cake that I am about to bake and decorate and want to use a white chocolate ganache covering and then decorate it with with chocolate fans and roses (ala Choccywoccydodah). Does anyone know, or have any idea, how long ganache will keep. Do I leave covering the cake until 1-2 days before event?? Making the roses and fans in advance? Any advise greatly appreciated.

I've never covered more than two days in advance, but I mostly use mud cake, which lasts forever, so I could. I just don't have enough space on benches to have them sitting around.

I've had ganache sitting around at room temp for weeks and it's been fine. It has more to do with the freshness of the cake than the ganache.

I'm less helpful with modelling chocolate, sorry.