Hey all

Started using ganache recently, only used it a couple of times so far and having mixed results. 

The dark chocolate ganache I made first came out perfectly. Think, luxurious and just how I wanted it. perfect for filling a cake and using for dirty icing as well, but too strong a taste for some.

Next one I did was a milk chocolate ganace which came out.....ok. It tasted divine, much easier on the palette for taste, but was a lot softer and runny. I left it to set overnight and mixed it just before I put it on the cake. It came out ok, but with is being runnier than I wanted it, it was a lot harder to use.

So how do I make it thicker? Do I need more cream, more chocolate leave it to set longer? I did ponder adding some icing sugar, but I didn't want to make it too sweet to taste.

Any help is gratefully received! :D

Sounds like too much cream.  Ganache ratios are pretty easy, I just kind of eyeball it anymore. 

1 part cream to an equal 1 part chocolate for all my ganache fillings or a nice, smooth icing to ice a cake with.  I like this consistency for icing so this is my usual go to for icing a cake.  Also I use this ratio to ice cupcakes.

When I want to make truffles (which isn't often) or I need a thicker ganache for decorating I use 2 parts chocolate to 1 part cream.  This is THICK.  

If I want a really thin icing I use 2 parts cream to one part chocolate.  I normally use this ratio when I want to pour the ganache over a cake, cookies, fruit etc.  It's very thin.  I make this one for the kids too use to pour over ice cream.  

I have made some that was too thin once it had cooled to room temp so I put it back on the double boiler and added more chocolate and it worked fine. 

Hope some of this helps.  I normally only use ganache to fill cakes or frost them before I cover with fondant and I almost always use the 1:1 ratio. 

Hmm, that's the weird thing, I used a 1 to 1 ratio for them both!

Is it the fact that it's a milk chocolate that's making it more runny? I'm guessing I'll have to add more chocolate to thicken it up then?

CoinUK - For your Milk and Dark Ganache - try using 2 parts chocolate to one part cream.

Are you using the full strength cream?...........It makes a better Ganache...

For White Ganache - use 3 parts chocolate to one part cream :)

Using these measurements - your Ganache should set up beautifully.....

Hope this helps

Bluehue

Huh that IS weird!  I use the same 1:1 ratio for both dark and milk chocolate and never had any problems.  Try Blue's advice and see if that helps. 

I also suggest using a ratio of 2:1 for milk/dark (I use a combination of both chocolates to give me the taste and set up that I want) and 3:1 (or 4:1 in hot weather) for white chocolate if you want a firm set ganache.

Using a 1:1 ratio will give you a soft ganache that wont set firm at all.

Use a whipping cream with 35-36% fat for the best most reliable results. Any more/less fat will alter the results you get.

I also had a problem with my milk chocolate setting up, so I started using a 3:1 ratio and it solved the problem.  During the winter months I used 2.5:1.

Hope this helps, I know I sure was frustrated because not everyone is a fan of the very user friendly dark chocolate.