I've enjoyed working with ganache under fondant, but does anyone else find it way too expensive (versus basic BC) to use!? I am very small-time, so everything I buy is retail, plus, using "cheap" white chocolate I've read is a bad idea (i.e. candy melts). I usually use large bags of white chocolate chips (usually just Nestle) because they're even cheaper than white chocolate bars per ounce.

Is there a BC recipe that firms up enough or at least close enough to ganache to use under fondant? Has anyone done a cost analysis/comparison of using ganache vs. a firm BC?

Thanks!

I've never put ganache under fondant, so I can't speak to that. But I do put a generous layer of american buttercream. I refrigerate before I cover, so I have a nice firm base. I have bout chocolate before, so I know that it's expensive. Butter ain't cheap but it's sure cheaper than chocolate and cream.

What recipe do you use for ABC? I'm going to go look at your cakes now

Why not charge say 50 cents more per serving if they want ganache versus buttercream? A white chocolate buttercream is also very delicious but you would also want to charge more for that.

Ohhh, I want the recipe for the white chocolate BC too! Please PM me it! I guess I could see ganache being a tad more than BC for big cakes. I like to use the extra special BC recipe here on CC, I think it's pretty firm and very yummy.

I'm afraid you won't find anything in my pics since I'm terrible at keeping up with anything. LOL But you can check out my website www.gimmesomesugarcakes.com I use 1C. Salted butter, 1C. Hi-Ratio, 2lbs. Powdered Sugar, 1 Tbs. Vanilla, and milk to desired consistency. It gets super hard in the fridge and the fondant goes on really easily. Just give it a spray of water so the fondant has something to stick to.

Thank you so much for sharing!!

@Madcobbler: is this basically a mix of BC and white chocolate, to get the hardening effect of the chocolate?? Thanks for the idea. Any suggestions for/links to recipes? That seems like a good compromise. Also, I'm really not at the point yet where I let my "customers" decide Most of the people I bake/decorate for are friends or acquaintances who don't really know what they are talking about LOL! It's really my choice, as to what I feel will turn out best.

My buttercream is on par with my choc ganache, most likely a little more expensive due the fact that I use Danish Lurpak that costs close to $5 per 250gms. I refuse to compromise with the quality of butter... Lurpak makes the most supberb tasting buttercream

Question, if you are selling cakes why are you paying retail for your ingredients? I can get a 11 # box of high-quality Guttiard chocolate for less then $15. It's less per pound then the butter I use. My advice to you is to find a restaurant distributor ASAP and work on getting your cost of ingredients under control!

Good luck,

Jen

Hmm. I only used ganache. I find it way easier and takes less time to prepare. I guess that should be noted as well when pricing.

Oh and yes, SMBC/IMCB chill rock hard like ganache and is the same to cover in fondant, you van manhandle the cake pretty good and get super sharp corners.