I love using ganache to achieve perfect edges when covering my cakes in fondant, but what do i do when someone orders a vanilla or different flavored cake? Do I use white chocolate ganache? I've never used white chocolate because I'm scared of how it will taste. I want to start using ganache under all my cakes!
I still use dark choc ganache for 95% of my cakes, regardless of flavour as i find it is the easiest to use. Unless someone specifically asks for white choc ganache on a white mud cake. If you do make white choc ganache, just remember to up the ratio - minimum 1:3 but i prefer 1:4 (even higher if you are in a warm climate). I find that it is just a little trickier to use than dark choc, a bit softer. Most people do 1:2 for dark choc, but i use closer to 1:3.
hope that helps.
The only thing I'm worried about is surprising the client when they cut open the cake! I suppose they ordered a white cake because maybe they don't like chocolate? So if they cut open the cake and see chocolate I don't want them to think I got the order wrong! :/ but yes I'm trying to stay away from white chocolate
I made white and dark chocolate ganache and yes, it's nice to get clean sharp edges. But I always ask the customer what they want and ganache is not very popular I have to say. Personally I find it also very rich...sometimes too rich and if I want a vanilla cake I'm certainly not expecting someone to use chocolate. You can get very sharp edges using buttercream too. I use a lot of smbc which I flavour most of the time. So if someone wants dulce leche I fill with dc and then frost with dc smbc. Same with fruit curds and alcohol. If someone specifically asks for sharp edges (f.e. wedding cake) and it's covered in fondant I panel the cake. And I'm also one of those weired people who prefer white over dark chocolate LOL. It goes very well with champagne and some liqueurs IMO.
Julia, I've tried so many times covering butter creamed cakes with fondant and they just never turn out well, my mine issue is the sharp edges. Maybe my buttercream is too soft because it's hard to crumb coat and ice the cake in the first place let alone cover it in fondant. Would you mind sharing your recipe? Maybe it's time to try a new buttercream. I've also tried paneling but then I get the creases where the parts join so that has never worked out. I live in the US so maybe you're right maybe its not super popular here to ganache all cakes.
I use swiss meringue buttercream and the recipe is fairly simple. Bring 1 part egg white and 2 parts sugar over a water bath to 71C (160F). Let cool. Beat to more or less stiff peaks with wish attachment. Switch to paddle attachment and beat in 2-3 parts of medium soft butter cut in cubes bit by bit. Keep beating until it comes together. (I think this is the part where most people give up as it looks like soup for quite a while lol). 2 parts butter is the minimum but you can add up to 3 parts if you want a more buttery and less sweet taste.
I also like ermine buttercream. Don't know if you heard of that?
Now for the paneling you have to experiment a bit. I love it! My way is to roll out a round piece slightly bigger than the top then I use a smoother to attach it to the cake top (all my cakes are chilled well in the fridge). I return it to the fridge for the fondant to firm up. Then I cut off the excess with a sharp extractor knife (holding it vertical). Next I roll out a piece of fondant in the length of the cake's circumference and slightly taller. I roll it up over a small rolling pin and start attaching it to the side of the cake using a smoother as I wanna get any air bubbles out immediately. I overlap the piece at the end and cut through both pieces as this gives the cleanest joint I find. Then I try erasing the joint with a smoother to start. Why do I have the joint on top and not on the side? Because I take most pictures (especially if wedding or tiered cakes from the side - so it won't show). But to hide the joint on top and on the side completely I use gunge (think it's called like that). It's a paste made with the same fondant used to cover the cake to have a perfect match in colour. The recipe is simple: mix 100g of fondant (in small pieces), 7.5 ml whole fresh milk and 7.5 ml clear alcohol (vodka or something like that) with wish attachment until you have a paste similar to RI. Now you can pipe it onto the joint (you'll need small amouts) and even it out with a mini spacula or any straight stiff clean object. It will dry mat (because of the milk) like your fondant and the joints will be invisible.
I know you can also use 2 smoother to really work on the edges to get them sharp but since I live in a very hot climate my cakes need refrigeration and they normally start to sweat slightly before I get a sharp edge that way and my smoother would stick to the fondant. So for me paneling is the solution and to be honest way faster than the smoother method.
Ermine buttercream is also called cooked flour buttercream I think. Yes I know...sounds yucky doesn't it? But it actaully taste delicious and the amount of flour is very small.
Here's how you do a small amount (you can easily double or triple):
Combine 40g flour, 235ml milk and 200g caster sugar in a pot and cook on medium heat into a roux (a thick paste). Add 5 ml vanilla (or other essence) and a pinch of salt. Cover the surface of the roux with cling film while cooling it to avoid skin forming. Beat 230g of butter until pale und creamy and add the cold roux, a tbsp at a time. Done.
You can add flavours as you would with other bcs, melted chocolate, curds, cream cheese etc.
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