Best Cream For Ganache

Decorating By grandmom Updated 28 Sep 2009 , 9:24pm by conchita

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grandmom Posted 6 Sep 2009 , 11:27am
post #1 of 12

I've made and covered one cake in ganache, then fondant. It looked and tasted great, but the ganache was a little dry, thick and hard. I used heavy whipping cream and Nestles Premium White Morsels, which do not contain real cocoa butter. We couldn't find real white chocolate in our neck of the woods, and I didn't have time to order online.

My DH, ever the dutiful vigilant shopper, came across a store-brand white chocolate chip with real cocoa butter and real vanilla! I will try again using these chips instead.

My question concerns confusion on the best cream to use. That enormous post about Never Using BC Under Fondant Again tells us to use heavy cream, with a high fat content. In the book Planet Cake, they tell us to use a "single or pouring cream" with a low fat content and no additives such as carrageenan. I can't find such a cream.

What do you use and how does it turn out?

11 replies
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Bel_Anne Posted 6 Sep 2009 , 11:36am
post #2 of 12

Honestly, I've used ganache with both pouring and whipping creams and I actually think they both work. Pouring cream works best though...

I think the problem you had sounds more like your ratio of chocolate and cream is out. If your ganache is too runny... then melt more chocolate and add that. If your ganache is too 'hard' or thick then boil up a SMALL amount of cream and add that... a teaspoon at a time until desired consistency is achieved.

I have noticed that different types of chocolate make a difference though... I've actually had MORE trouble with the more expensive chocolates. And found the cheaper ones work best.

Trial and error, I guess.... icon_smile.gif Good luck.

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Bunsen Posted 6 Sep 2009 , 12:05pm
post #3 of 12
Quote:
Originally Posted by grandmom

That enormous post about Never Using BC Under Fondant Again tells us to use heavy cream, with a high fat content. In the book Planet Cake, they tell us to use a "single or pouring cream" with a low fat content and no additives such as carrageenan. I can't find such a cream.




Here in Australia (where Planet Cake is from) pouring cream is 35-40% fat - same as heavy cream in the US, anything with less fat here is technically not allowed to be called cream and so has to be labelled reduced fat. It's just different terminology - I use 40% fat cream and it works a treat. As the PP said the chocolates vary, as a general rule the higher the percentage of cocoa solids the firmer your ganache will set.

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Mike1394 Posted 6 Sep 2009 , 12:09pm
post #4 of 12

What is pouring cream?

Mike

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Cake_Princess Posted 6 Sep 2009 , 12:23pm
post #5 of 12
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bunsen

Quote:
Originally Posted by grandmom

That enormous post about Never Using BC Under Fondant Again tells us to use heavy cream, with a high fat content. In the book Planet Cake, they tell us to use a "single or pouring cream" with a low fat content and no additives such as carrageenan. I can't find such a cream.



Here in Australia (where Planet Cake is from) pouring cream is 35-40% fat - same as heavy cream in the US, anything with less fat here is technically not allowed to be called cream and so has to be labelled reduced fat. It's just different terminology - I use 40% fat cream and it works a treat. As the PP said the chocolates vary, as a general rule the higher the percentage of cocoa solids the firmer your ganache will set.


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minicuppie Posted 6 Sep 2009 , 12:23pm
post #6 of 12

Try using less ganache for your CC. And as OP suggested maybe you could thin it down a bit. It is supposed to be like biting into a truffle not a Hershey bar.

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grandmom Posted 6 Sep 2009 , 2:26pm
post #7 of 12

Thanks, all! I'll stop sweatin' it and use the heavy cream available.

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conchita Posted 25 Sep 2009 , 5:19am
post #8 of 12

I would like to know what kind of chocolate (brands) are the best for the ganache for the U.S.A
thanks

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prterrell Posted 25 Sep 2009 , 7:06am
post #9 of 12
Quote:
Originally Posted by conchita

I would like to know what kind of chocolate (brands) are the best for the ganache for the U.S.A
thanks




I use Ghirardelli and Scharffen Berger chocolates exclusively in all my cakes/icings/ganache/etc. I love Lindt, but it tastes best eaten as candy, IMHO.

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Melnick Posted 25 Sep 2009 , 7:58am
post #10 of 12

My sister made a white choc ganache using Nestle choc melts. It tasted fabulous! I tried using one made from Cadbury Dream and it didn't work - never properly solidified which made the decorations slide all over the place. I'm in Aus so I'm not familiar with American cream (but it looks like Bunsen has looked into it extensively) but I do know I didn't use the right cream and it didn't work either - the cream makes more difference with white chocolate I have found.

Like Bel-Anne we have found the cheaper chocolates (like cooking chocolate) actually work better. Planet Cake tells you what choc to buy - I can't remember off the top of my head - and that if you can't get it, you are better with the cooking chocolate rather than the eating chocolate.

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minicuppie Posted 25 Sep 2009 , 10:55am
post #11 of 12

Ditto. I am not a lable baker. The best ganache for me is made with Hersheys and even Kroger brands. I mix 1/2 and1/2. Works great.

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conchita Posted 28 Sep 2009 , 9:24pm
post #12 of 12

icon_smile.gif thanks I will try the recipe with that chocolate

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