I am seriously considering using ganache under my fondant cake this Friday since it's for an outdoor wedding. The recipe I got was 12 ounces of semi sweet chocolate and 6 ounces of cream. The cake has to travel for almost an hour to get to the wedding. I would like to chill the cake in the fridge to set things up to make it safer for delivery. How long should it take before the ganache softens up for serving? I really want to try ganache under fondant after reading all the great reviews but I am still skeptical about having it melt under the fondant and run out the sides. After last weekends cake disaster I don't want a repeat. I couldn't handle another mess. I guess I just need reassurance that it does work and people will love it. Do I have to worry about it melting in the car during transport or melting the fondant? I will be using Fondarific. Thanks

How do you apply ganache to the cake? Do you pour or frost with ganache as you would with butter cream? Do you let it set up completely at room temp before applying the fondant or chill in the fridge until set? How can you tell when it is setup and ready to cover? Sorry the only time I have worked with ganache was adding two cups to my chocolate butter cream. Can a ganache covered cake be unrefrigerated or will it melt?

unless it is blisteringly hot, the ganache shouldnt melt. we use it here in aus in summer and well, i cant speak for everyone, but ive never had it "melt".

as to applying it, i let it come to room temp. then ice it on as you do b/c. if its to firm, then just melt it a little to soften it.

I use ganache quite often and unless it's 140 degrees I don't think you'll have any problem with it melting and "running down the sides" of your cake.

I use 12 ounces of semi-sweet chocolate to 1 cup of heavy whipping cream, 2 T. sugar and 2 T butter. I let mine sit for 24 hours at room tempature before icing my cake. I don't think that everyone does that but I get better results doing it this way.

I never refrigerate my cakes. I don't know where you're located but I'm in Arkansas and our summers are very HOT and HUMID. Ganache under fondant works great for me with absolutely no problems with melting. If I refrigerated my cakes I would have problems because taking a cold cake out into this heat and humidity causes it to have so much condensation that it becomes a sticky mess. Humidity is never a problem with a cake left at room temp. I don't use perishable fillings so that there's never a need to refrigerate.

Thank you ladies for the info. I usually use butter in mine too but was afraid that it wouldn't hold up as well as plain chocolate and cream. I am always up for trying something new but when i did last weekend it ended in disaster. I was told to use royal icing on butter cream to stencil and it melted the side of my wedding cake. Had to re ice the cake and start over. Also it was the same temp last weekend and my butter cream started to bubble. Haven't had that problem before only with fondant. Could it be the heat or something else? It is supposed to be 88 degrees on Saturday I live in CA not much humidity here. My problem is the bride wants a whipped cream mousse so the cake has to be kept cold until the wedding. Has anyone chilled ganache frosted cakes before? I have chilled my fondant with no problems but not sure about Fondarific. This will be the first time using their product. So I should make my ganache Thursday night and let it sit out on the counter until Friday and just frost like I would with butter cream? The video I was watching on youtube shows the lady brushing a mixture of apricot jam and water over the ganache before applying the fondant. Is this necessary? If I use 24 ounces of semi sweet chocolate chips to 12 ounces of cream will you be able to cut the ganache easily? I don't want something hard like a brick. I have whipping cream not heavy whipping cream does it make a difference? Again thank you ladies.

i have refridgerated ganache without a problem. =) if you are using fondant, you just need to watch for condensation obviously. have you thought about a whipped ganache for the filling? ive recently just discovered that little beauty. =)

How do you make whipped ganache. I've used ganache before but never whipped.

pat

http://cakecentral.com/recipes/2358/whipped-chocolate-ganache-ii

Thank you for the link.

pat

I chill my ganache/fondant covered cakes regularly but live in a fairly dry climate. I get a little condensation for about an hour after taking out of the fridge but it just dries. I like to deliver my wedding cakes 5 hours or so before they are cut so that they should be close to room temp by cutting time.

This recipe will be fairly hard - you could add another ounce of cream to make it slighly softer, I do. It will still be harder than buttercream but I find that it melds with the firmness of the fondant to become one. People love the taste and it melts in your mouth. I've never used whipping cream before I don't think it would affect it much but perhaps those who have used it before will chime in...

You just ice the cake as if you were using buttercream, don't pour it. You can chill or leave overnight to set up. Then, brush the cake with a light syrup to allow the fondant to adhere.

What is the whipped cream mousse you are using?

It's one pint whipping cream and one small box instant pudding whip until peaks form. I made it for her bridal shower cake and she loved it. So you think I should add one ounce extra cream? Will it still firm up enough to make it stable? I don't want ganache melting under the fondant but I don't want to serve a hard rock either. I have left cakes out with the mousse filling for five hours before with no problems. I will be delivering the cake about one hour before the wedding and it will be kept indoors until the reception. What can I use for the light syrup? If I frost the cake and chill in the fridge to set up how do I know when it is ready to cover with fondant? Thank you for all the help. So let me see if I have this correct. 24 ounces of semi sweet chocolate and 14 ounces of heavy whipping cream?

Forgot to add this is a 14 inch by 3 inch high cake. Starting to get nervous. This is the cake that has to look like a slab of an oak tree with bark.

I think that your filling will be ok but use the ganache to dam the filling just to be sure, it seems like a really soft filling recipe. And yes, that proportion of 14 oz. cream to 24 oz. chocolate would be exactly what I would use for dark chocolate. Ganache does not take that long to set up when put in the fridge, should be hard in an hour or so in refrigeration. You must get it perfectly smooth before refrigerating it. If you have a bench scraper or plastic scraper this is the perfect tool to use. Then take it out, brush it with syrup, then roll your fondant out and apply.

Try not to use to thick of a layer of ganache, it is very rich and it is a very firm consistency when chilled. 1/8"- 3/16" thick is perfect. I think if you go too thick it does become this hard shell that is difficult to cut thru however in the heat as someone said it will be more creamy and does melt in your mouth. I think it's perfect with chocolate fondant, people will think it's part of the fondant, the best they've ever tasted.

Hope it works for you...see what you think.

Oh, and for simple syrup use equal parts sugar and water, boil. You can flavor with a bit of vanilla if you want. Let cool and brush on a thin layer.

Oh, and one more thing. Since your new to ganache you might want to make a bit extra, especially if your damming with it, nothing worse than running out in the middle.

Have you tried Chocolate Ganache Buttercream?? It is fabulous!!

Monirro4 That sounds yummy do you have a recipe?

Here is the recipe! I get SO many compliments about this frosting!

Ingredients
1 Cup Heavy Cream
1/2 cup light corn syrup
2 sticks (1c.) butter
2 bags (12 oz ea) Nestle semi-sweet chips
2 c. powdered sugar, sifted
2 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions
in a pot, heat cream, corn syrup and 1 stick (1/2 c.) of butter until it barely comes to a boil. You'll know when ti's ready because little bubbles will appear around the inside of pot.
Place chocolate chips in a mixing bowl and pour cream mixture over chips. Wait 1 minute and then stir until chocolate is smooth and has no lumps (it will smooth). Let mixture cook till almost set.
In mixing bowl, beat together 1 stick or 1/2 c of butter and sugar until light and smooth.
Add cool ganache and vanilla to the powdered sugar and butter mixture, beat until and light and smooth.

sounds yummmmy

I will be using some of the butter cream I will be making for the other two tiers to dam the filling before covering with ganache. Where can you find a bench scraper? I have checked our cake supply stores and they don't sell them. The mousse filling is actually really stable. I have never had any problems with filling oozing or layers shifting when using this recipe. I have had trouble with strawberry jell fillings. You whip it until peaks start to form and it continues to set up in the fridge. Thank you so much for all the info. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that everything will turn out.

Instead of a bench scraper you can go to the hardware store and find (I think it's called) a putty knife, basically a plastic scraper with a handle on it. You want one about 6" wide, works awesome on ganache which you have to scrape. They're really cheap too. Bench scrapers can be found at restaurant supply houses which may or not be convenient for you.

Good luck! Keeping my fingers crossed for you.

I was told that you have to be careful with the ones you purchase from the hardware stores is that true. I do remember seeing a putty knife that had a sticker that said it could contain chemicals that cause cancer. It was made in China.