Has anyone used candy melts or Nestle white morsels as a sort of fake ganache? I have a hard time finding real white chocolate around my area and when I do it's usually not cost effective to use it under fondant like I do for dark chocolate. I know candy melts and most white chips you find at the grocery stores aren't real white chocolate but I was wondering if they actually held up the same, if I mixed them 3:1 with the cream? Are they horrible? Too soft for under fondant? I like to roll my fondant pretty thin and dark choc always shows through but I like how solid it firms up so I was just trying to work up another option. Any input would be appreciated!

Hmm, I've used a mixture of real chocolate and candy melts in ganache once. The reason was the cake was going outside in August and I reasoned the candy melts have a higher melting point so it might hold up better. I didn't have any trouble but the most I used was 1/3 candy melts to 2/3 real chocolate with cocoa butter. I would think it would work fine, just not taste quite so delish as the 100% chocolate version.

Yeah I figured it wouldn't be as melt in your mouth wonderful as real ganache but I figured it as long as it worked I'd give it a try, it probably just tastes super sweet, which real white choc does anyway, imho.

I have a feeling that it would be disgusting. Like eating that plastic imitation chocolate they make those cheap gold coins from. Urrrggh.

I'm more thinking of using the white chips from the store not so much actually candy melts, like Wilton. Looks like my poor DH will become a ginny pig in the near future. Again.

It depends on whether or not you get a good candy coating. We use Merckens and it works just fine.

Paul

they work fine. ive used them on a number of occasions and never had a problem....

I've used the 12oz. bag of Nestle white morsels + 1/2 cup of heavy cream several times. I find it tasty (not too sweet like I thought it would be), it firms up well, and spreads and smooths easily.

I bake for fun so I have no need to buy the more expensive stuff.

Like flourpots above, Nestle's white chocolate chips is all I use for white ganache. I use the same proportions, 1 12oz bag to 1/2 C. heavy cream. The consistency is perfect for spreading and it tastes delicious. It takes all my willpower to keep from eating it straight from the bowl.

Yep, I've used Nestle for all my ganache. It is sweeter, but it works. Rylan uses Nestle for all his ganache too...and his cakes are true art!

If it lists cocoa butter in the ingredients, I would use it

I am trying to understand why that would be "fake", I mean it is ganache, so how is it fake? I must be missing something

In terms of consistency it should work fine as the only difference is the fat used (you can't use melts for dark ganache as they don't have the required cocoa solids content to set it). Best thing is to taste the melts - if they taste ok to eat on their own the ganache will taste ok, if they taste cheap and nasty so will your ganache!

Out of interest what type of fondant are you using? I roll my fondant very thin but you can't see the dark ganache through it...

You will have to use more of the white "chocolate" to the same ratio of cream than you would with the dark or semi-sweet. I thinks it's twice as much. There was a thread about that awhile back. Ghiradelli White Chips are pretty awesome and not much more expensive than nestle. They sell them in most grocery stores. ~Rachel

Thanks so much for all the help/suggestions!!! I've been using Toba Garrett's fondant and it works great, no complaints, been thinking of giving Michele Foster's a whirl though, just because so many here rave about it. For real white chocolate ganache (I've been using "Baker's") I use a 3:1 chocolate to cream ratio, works out great just kind of pricey to have to buy that much of "Bake's" all the time. I'm only a hobby baker so just friends and family and most of them aren't very picky!

well I am shocked....lol..I thought those candy wafers were chocolate.......I have melted them and added cream and poured it on a cake lol........huh.....learn so much in here haahaha...I learn mostly I am a dork

I've only used candy melts when making ganache and truffles and have never had a problem with the dark, light or white/vanilla ones. It can be done.

Yes it can be done but it isn't truly ganache.

I'm thinking WHY would you want to use candy melts, when there's AT LEAST a bag of chocolate chips sitting on the grocery store shelf that you can use, even if you can't afford really good chocolate? Heat isn't a good enough excuse to use candy melts for this purpose. I'm so totally baffled by this I can't even express it.

I usually use the Ghirardelli's dark choc for my ganache( the bittersweet 60% cacao) and it is melt in your mouth wonderful, but the cheapest place here I found Baker's is almost $3 a box, yes even Walmart!!! 1.90?? I'm so jealous Mamarobin! I just can't spend that much for every cousin's free birthday cake and I'm pretty sure ordering white choc from somewhere wouldn't be too cost effective either so it looks like I'll be trying Nestle or Ghirardelli white chips for them

oh well maybe thats why I don't have a problem....I mix chocolate always....including chocolate chips, but I don't like bitter, and I use melys whenever I am making chocolate candy etc........I really don't see what the big deal is.......tastes good and looks good....not a problem ro me

Use white chocolate, yes, but candy melts, no.

To each their own....

I have used both and no one noticed the difference...

I'll be blogging about candy melts next.