so i've tried making a ganache twice. each time it just stays in liquid form. I melt it the way i'm supposed to and follow the directions. Then it just stays liquid. I know that people use it to fill cakes and use it under fondant... but mine is pure liquid. Any advice/fool proof recipes. The recipes that I've tried have been from here and been a big waste of chocolate!

Astokes2, I'm a novice at this, but I have tried ganache on numerous occasions, following instructions to the letter. I finally realized that I needed to reduce the amount of heavy cream, otherwise, it would never setup no matter how long I let it sit at room temperature. So, I'd say for every 2 cups of (dark) chocolate, I'd use about 3/4 cups or less of cream. Like I say, I'm a novice, so I could still be doing something incorrectly, but this worked for me time and again.

Also, I tried making ganache using the Callebaut milk chocolate, but it looked like brown cottage cheese - couldn't get that smooth, shiny look. The dark chocolate worked best for me.

You don't let it set up in the fridge? For whipping ganache? I do that. It still can take overnigt te make it firm enough to be whipped.

Read this

http://www.artandappetite.com/2009/11/ganache-instead-of-buttercream/

this

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

and watch these videos

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qFtm8q4m4Bk&blend=2&lr=1&ob=1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OgrXxYLm0Sk&blend=2&lr=1&ob=1

http://www.youtube.com/user/InspiredByMichelle?blend=2&ob=1&v=imfDvvSZn5I&lr=1

hth

Thank you lisapeps for all the links!!!

Here's the recipe I use...and I use it all the time for whipped filling and even to spread sometimes. It's VERY easy.

1 1/2 cups whipping cream (Land 'o Lakes is the best)
12 ounce package of real chocolate chips
3 TBL butter

Heat cream until scalding (just about ready to boil)
Take off heat and pour over chocolate chips in glass bowl
Let it sit a minute, then stir until melted.
Whisk in 3 TBL of butter.

That's it. You don't have to refrigerate it before whipping. Let it rest and cool for 20 minutes then put in your mixer with the whisk attachment and let it go. It will take at least 5 minutes or longer, but it will whip. Or you can use it at room temp to drizzle over your cakes. Works every time.

i use a 2:1 dark chocolate to heavy cream ratio. I do it a bit differently though with a food processor I have my food processor ready with chocolate in it next to the stove where I bring the cream to a boil (just when it comes up in bubbles). I pour the cream quickly over the chocolate in the bowl, cover it and let it set for a full two minutes. Then it gets turned on and it processes for a couple of minutes. The sound of the chocolate actually changes once it melts and emulsifies.

I can use it like this for pouring in about 30 minutes, but mostly I use it for crumb coating for under ganache. For spreading, i cover the top with stretch tight wrap and cover the bowl and let it set out overnight. It will be like peanut butter the next morning. If it is a bit too stiff, i'll reheat it slightly and add a few tablespoons warm cream and mix it through.

i make two different kind of ganache, it depends on if i need it to fill the cake or around it (we dont use buttercream in Italy).

TO FILL the cake the proportion has to be ALMOST 1:1 (by weight).
So I use 250ml of cream and 300-320 gr of chocolate.

AROUND the cake (sorry i miss some technical word) the proportion has to be 1:2
So, 250 ml of cream and 500-550 gr of chocolate.

I put the cream on the stove, it doesnt have to boil!!! When it's hot, i mix chocolate in small pieces and mix it till the cream is smooth.
It has to be cold to be used, if you put it in the fridge it's going to be too hard to use.

NEVER EVER throw away ganache.

Whether you are going to whip it or not, some brands of chocolate are more difficult to crystallise.

So just shove the whole batch into the fridge until it gets hard around the edges. Then dump it into a food processor and blend smooth (no this does not whip it).