I really don't know where to post this. But I need help. I was trying to make a cake covered with ganache. I did a 1 1/2 c. cream to 1 lb. chocolate. The ganache looks and taste great but it did not really set. I was supposed to "glue" chocolate pieces/ tiles around the 12" cake. No way were those pieces of chocolate going to stay. I put a border around it and I am putting chocolate covered strawberries on top. I will still look delicatable but I am SO disappointed that I did not get to set up the cake the way I planned.

I went to baking911 and looked at the ganache helps there but if it separated I would not know what it looks like. It does not feel grainy when I taste it.

Dh put some in the fridge and I set up nice but once I pulled some with my finger it got real soft again.

Is the ganache covering not supposed to set? What did I do wrong. I let my cream boil for 1 minute. The only thing I read was that I should have let my cream boil longer. Maybe use less cream. Darn it. I am just so disappointed.

you use equal parts of chocolate to cream...boil the cream add to the chocolate, let cool and use.

This way you can use it as a filling and if you melt some over a double boiler you can use it to cover your cake as a poured ganache.

I did my sisters wedding cake last week, and had to stick chocolate hearts all over it, I was so scared because of my other attempts with ganache- they are great, but not thock enough. I ended up using a truck load of chocolate. half the amount of cream to chocolate. Depends on the chocolate though. I suggest maybe a ratio of 1cream:1.5choc. good luck
mel

I am still awake and the chocolate did set very nicely. I was surprised. I turned up the a/c in my house and it set up in about 45 minutes. That is what I get for trying something new to me for something I need the next day! I am still not putting on the tiles just in case it softens as the room gets warmer. It is going to be a big party in a smaller room and it may get too warm and I don't want to see tiles sliding off. No mudslides 'kay.

I will decrease the cream the next time. Dh also reminded me that I should weigh my cream. Liquid measures and weight measure are not the same.

The recipe I used was on the responses of past posts.

Also be mindflu that if you use milk versus semi sweet chocolate that it takes less liquid for the milk chocolate and very little for White Chocolate. It does take a little while for the chocolate to set so I usually put mine in the fridge after about an hour to finish setting.

You have to be extremely careful when you pick up your cake that you use enough support underneath. If your cake board isn't thick enough it will crack or wrinkle your ganache. But maybe not since it is a little on the soft side. Had that happen before - tastes just as good, but that is hardly the point!

A traditional ganache mix of cream & chocolate will not set up, or dry... it contains too much liquid to do otherwise.

If you want a yummy ganache that will dry, try this one. It's what I use on my Opera cakes and petit fours...

500 g. (approx. 3 C.) chocolate
200 g. (approx. 2 sticks less 1 Tbsp.) butter

Stir the softened butter into the still warm melted chocolate. Cool and glaze as usual.

HTH!

Di,
Thank you for the recipe. I think I would feel much more comfortable with that.

A ganache with no cream??? Ganache made with cream will set. You have to be patient. It doesn't instantly dry. As someone else said, milk chocolate requires much less cream.

Don't give up on ganache. Check out The Secrets of Baking or The Cake Bible for detailed instructions.

For those interested. My ganache finally set. I think the long time it took to set was because it was poured over buttercream. The ganache did not get hard but it was almost there. That is the texture I was looking for. I was so happy and I was able to get my chocolate tiles to stick. It just took about 1 hour to really set in a cool room. Patience was the key ingredient. I should have not tried a new thing for an important cake. But you know I just had too.

Glad it worked out for you! Whew! Now you can finally breath a big sigh of relief! Can't wait to see the picture!