[quote="crazydoglady"]carolann,

do you mean that you use the ganache as filling and that whipping it (after cooling) will give it more volume?

Yes, I use it as a filling. I refrigerate it long enough to thicken enough to a consistency to a spoon onto the cake and then spread with spatula. I like it thin as a filling. I then cover the entire cake with a thin layer to crumb coat and refrigerate the cake to set/firm the crumb coat. Then I apply another coat of ganache to ice the cake and keep refrigerated until ready to set out to serve. It may sweat a little as it comes to room temp. I prefer to serve it while it's still cold.

To pipe I chill the ganache and then whip with my KA mixer. I've found that if I whip it too long the cream will start to to sort of break down, like when you whip cream too long and it's no longer fluffy. I don't believe cream whips once it's warm. I would think you'd have to whip the heck out of it until it's cooled. I could be wrong.

Sugarshack- by immersion blender are you meaning something similar to a Braun blender. The upright stick type hand blender?

yes!

You guys are great! My first post here, but I've been lurking around learning from all of you. I just finished a red velvet cake, filled it with dark chocolate ganache and cherry preserves. Then I spread a thin layer of ganache on top. Tomorrow, I will ice with buttercream, decorate and donate it for a Susan G. Komen charity golf tournament. I'll take pictures and post them when I'm done.

Just to be sure... it will be okay with no refrigeration... correct?

Thanks again!

d

are you asking if it is o.k. to have in unrefrigerated during the charity event?
ganache with cherry preserves? oh yum!!!!!
i hope you do post pictures and describe the taste. chocolate & cherries is my favorite combination.

I'd refrigerate it until the event then it ought to be fine. I've had ganached cakes sitting out after cutting and they were fine. I just think they cut and taste better when they're chilled. My opinion.

haha... I cheated and trimed the cake after it was filled... and guess where the trimmed portion ended up? I thought it was very tasty... I will be making this combination again!

And thanks for the comments.. I will chill until the event.

a few questions....has anyone made the apricot preserve syrup to use on the ganache to attach the fondant? also, does the ganache dam eliminate the"bulge" that can show up under the fondant? can the ganache frosted, under fondant, be left out...since i'm making a wedding cake and have to make in 1-2 days in advance and cannot refrigerate it? i'll be using white chocolate, regular ganache, not whipped. thx

sharon...i'm from n.o. and i love the 2 together also! thx for your help!

o.k. sugarshack said, " poured ganache is 1 to 1 ratio.

Rylan said, "just always use the 2 to 1 ratio and measure by weight.

Which one is it?

Are you both talking about poured ganache?

I use ganache as filling and then cover with BC all the time...we like it too!! all ganache is good also , but I like the variation...

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sugarshack said, "LOL

Ok, lost of confusion....

there are many types of ganace: poured, whipped; stiffened...

Whipped ganache is done after the ganache has cooled, usually In the fridge. You whip it up in the mixer and it gets more "fluffy" and is often used for filling or a rugh icing.

Poured ganache is a 1:1 ratio that is poured over the cake while it is still slightly warm and liquidy and creates a Glazed look on the cake.

The stiffened kind I use to make hard shell under the fondant is not whipped. I mix the ganache as you see in the video with a soon/wisk/emersion blender. I am simply bledning it, not whipping it.
It sits overnight and if it is too stiff to spread, I nuke it gently and stir a little and then ice the cake with it. Overnight again it forms a hard shell on which to apply your fondant.

Hope that clears it up some"!

Rylan isn't sugarshacks stiffened ganache just poured ganache that has set up in the bowl and then you use it to spread on?

I didn't see her talking about different ratios for stiffened ganache, the kind she uses to make a hard shell under the fondant.

So on her video she must say to use 2 to 1 for stiffened ganache, right?

Also is whipped ganache made from stiffened 2 to 1 ganache, that is then whipped or is it made from the 1 to 1 ganache (set up) and then whipped?

sorry:

poured: 1:1
stiffened: 2:1
whipped: chilled 1:1 ( i think)

I haven't seen Sharon Zambito's DVD so I'm not sure what exactly she is referring to. I did message her a long time ago and asked her a few questions about ganache.

She told me to use a 2:1 ratio when I use it under fondant.

Yes, you can use the 2:1 ratio for your poured ganache when it is still in runny consistency but you can also use a 1:1 ratio if you don't want it to form a hard shell, which is great when you are just finished a cake with ganache alone. Check out Sharon's blog because there is also a recipe for the poured one: http://sugaredblog.blogspot.com/2009/01/new-orleans-doberge-cake.html

For whipped ganache, yes, you would have to use a 2:1 ratio and then whip it up.

i did a little googling and it seems you can whip any ratio you like. the more choc there is, the stiffer it will be.

pouring:

1:1 will be a shinly glaze like on petit fours
2:1 while I have not poured this ratio, it is going to set up rather hard, not like a glaze.

ganache ganache gancahe!!!!!!!!!!!!

YUMMO!

Thanks for the clairification and the link to the Dobege cake. Got to try that one!!!

Now do you know the ratio for poured white chocolate and stiffened white chocoalte? I know it has to be different.

stiffened white cho is at least 3:1

i poured lemon choc once but so not recall ratio, prob 2:1

sugarshack, what is lemon chocolate? Just white chocolate that you flavor with lemon oil?

lemon candy melts or lemon white choc chips

Thanks sugar!

NP!

sharon...do you remember "russian cake" that used to be sold in the bakeries in new orleans?

No, choux I do not. what dat?

lol! the old bakeries in n.o. used to make cakes from their left over cakes, pastries, brownies, king cake, whatever they had, mix it with red wine and some kind of juice and something press it into loaf pans and frost with a thick white icing, chill it and they would sell it by the slice. when we were kids my mom would take us to Lawrence's bakery on elysian fields ave and get it. they also use to sell it at gambino's. i found a recipe in a new orleans cook book and tried it a while back, but it didn't come out the same. was wondering if you knew how to do it. i've been away from n.o. for awhile and when i visit we cannot find it anymore. the recipe is in the RIMA AND RICHARD COLLIN, NEW ORLEANS COOKBOOK, however it does come out like the bakeries. take care, phyllis p.s. the cookbook is great!

I have just finished a weekend filled with ganache disasters. After watching sugarshack's topsy turvy DVD, I made dark chocolate ganache and it set up like a charm (see my football helmet cake). Then when I ate a piece 2 days later it was very "waxy" tasting. So the next time I made it with Nestle milk chocolate and it was ok -- took a little extra chocolate to set up, but it tasted great!

Then, disaster struck this weekend. I made ganache with milk chocolate and heavy whipping cream. I actually used an immersion blender, too! I could not get it to set up for anything, made another batch same curse.

Was it the milk chocolate, should I have used semi-sweet chocolate? Was it the heavy whipping cream -- should I have used only heavy cream? Are there brands that work better than others.

2 of the 3 ganache cakes that I have made have made me a fan - but this weekend was a frustration -- any advice would be so greatly appreciated.

Cjoux you can mail order it and I still do not rememebr these!!!

http://www.haydelbakery.com/cakes/cakes_main.asp