I finally tried ganache this weekend on a test cake. I made the kind SugarShack uses in her Topsy Turvy DVD. I used it as a filling and iced my cake with it.

It was easy to make and easy to use. I did get the nice sharp edge on the cake and then covered it with some left over fondant. It tasted good when I was using it!!! I torted my little cake and did two layers of ganache and one layer of raspberry filling.

This morning I had cake for breakfast! When I cut it it did not look very nice. The ganache between the layers sort of mushed. And then you have all all these different things going on. (Forget about the raspberry part I used that as I did not think I would have enough ganache.)

I had the fondant which can be white or a color (mine was left over light purple), then I had the chocolate ganache layer, then there is the BC dam which was white, then the ganache filling. Looked messy to me.

Maybe my BC dam was too thick, maybe I used too much ganache in between the layers. I don't know.....I just didn't like it. Too many flavors, too much going on.

What do you ganache users do? Do you only use it as the icing?

I was thinking about using the ganache as the icing on a cake for next weekend - but now I don't know. I was going to torte and use raspberry filling with the cake being white vanilla. I was looking for something other than BC as the layer under the fondant.

Maybe I should try attaching a photo of this - haven't tried doing that yet.

There's really no need for a BC dam when you ganache a cake. You could always use ganache for the filling dam. That would eliminate at least one part of the color overload.

I've also found that because the ganache sets up so firmly, straight box mixes tend to get a little squashed when you try to cut the cake. Nothing really huge, but scratch and WASC recipes seem to hold their form a little better when you use ganache.

Personally, my most-requested cake for family and friends is chocolate WASC filled and iced with dark chocolate ganache. That's it. No BC involved. My DH's chocolate-loving family has no interest in other flavors or fillings. <sigh>

I love ganache. I don't make a bc dam for the filling if I'm covering the cake with setting ganache. I've never had a problem with the ganache squashing the cake or being hard to cut.

I use two kinds of ganache though. For filling I make a classic ganache, which remains soft and creamy, about 1.25: 1 part cream by weight. For frosting, I use a setting ganache (2:1 or 3:1 milk/white choco) only if I'm going to cover the cake with fondant. If the ganache is the frosting then I use the proportions for classic ganache. I don't like bittersweet chocolate so I use a proportion of 75% milk choco + 25% semi-sweet chocolate (52-62% cocoa) for my ganache.

I agree with Kitchen Kat and sometimes I like to whip the ganache for the filling.

I use Collete Peter's recipe for ganache: 12 oz semi-sweet chocolate (chips or cut up blocks) 8 oz heavy cream, and 2 tsp of liqueur or vanilla( optional)

I use a thin layer of ganache to fill between layers (no need for a dam) and to crumb coat, then refrigerate to set, then ice the whole cake in ganache and refrigerate until ready to serve. Make for a wonderfully moist dense rich cake. One of my favorites.

BC and Ganache together ?

I am trying to think what the conflicting tastes would be like -
Do you get headspins from both of those together?

Never seen that being done before -
Over here we either Ganache or BC.

Interesting

Bluehue.

Don't mean to still the thread but I'm also confused with the whole ganache thing. So you whip it for the filling but use it un-wiped for the icing?

Not me - i just whip the boiled cream and chocolate together - allow to cool - then torte/fill and then when ready - cover the cake.

By whipping i mean - using the paddle on my KA.

Bluehue

I used whipped ganache as filling before, but had issues with it melting (this was the summertime, so it was a bit hot). The cake then slid because of the ganache and buckled to the side. Anyone have any thoughts? I feel like the whipped ganache was very soft and unstable--I thought maybe the setting ganache would be better for fillings.

I know the whipped ganache isn't as stable as the plain ganache, but never had any trouble with slipping. I wonder if anyone knows if you need to refrigerate whipped ganache?

I'm planning to make my first ganache too. The recipes say 'heavy cream', but is that the same as 'heavy whipping cream'? Also, I was planning to fill with a layer of chocolate ganache and a layer of fudge filling. Is that going to work since the filling uses buttercream? Here is the filling recipe:

1/2 c butter
3/4 c powdered sugar
1/2 c corn syrup
3 bags chocolate chips
1 cup buttercream or choc frosting
*Beat butter, sugar and corn syrup; set aside. Melt chocolate. Blend into butter mixture (it will begin to thicken). Beat in frosting.


Will this be good or have conflicting flavors?

THANK YOU! THANK YOU!!

So that's it --- no BC dam with ganache!!! That makes sense as the ganache certainly is thick enough and like SugarFiend stated...I could always use ganache for the dam if I felt that I needed one. And I do believe that this cake was a straight box mix that I had made and frozen for practice purposes on "something" and I think you are right - that was part of the problem also. I always "doctor" my box cakes. Sugarfiend - the choco WASC cake that you make - is that the one from this site? I have never tried the choc version.

Like I said in my OP the ganache I used was SugarShacks - that's the semi sweet chocolate chips (24 oz.)with the heavy whipping cream (12 oz.). I did whip it after combining the choco and the cream. Then according to her instructions you need to cover tightly and let is set overnight - which I did. Then the next day you whip it again before use. Consistency should be like peanut butter.

SandiOh - according to SugarShack you do not need to refrigerate the cake when using whipped ganache.

Bluehue....so you don't let your ganache sit overnight? You just whip it and use it right away???? What ratio and what kind of choco are you using?

Alene - I used the whipped for the icing and the filling. Is that what everyone else does? If you are doing poured ganache that's a whole different story. Have not been brave enough to do that....yet!

Snocilla -heavy cream is the same as heavy whipping cream - NOT REGULAR whipping cream - it has to be heavy whipping cream.

Thanks so much to all of you for responding. I guess I will try it again and this time forget the dam, use a heavier cake and perhaps spread it a little thinner. THANKS SO MUCH FOR ALL THE RESPONSES!!!!

thanks everyone... I'll just use the ganache.

I put my chocolate in a glass bowl, heat the cream until it just starts to bubble around the edge of the pan then pour it on top of the chocolate and cover with a plate for 5 minutes or so. Then using a spoon or wire whisk I slowly/gently stir the cream and choc together until all choc pieces disappear. Stirring fast or whipping puts bubbles in the ganache, which are not conducive to the smooth ganache finish I'm going for.

If I want whipped ganache for icing I refrigerate it until well cooled then whip on med/high speed with KA. I haven't used it whipped for filling but since I keep my ganached cakes refrigerated until transport/serving I don't see why it wouldn't work well. Not sure I'd use it with bc.

I like my ganached cakes torted and filled with a very thin layer of ganache, then iced over with the same only a little thicker. Kinda looks like a huge Ding Dong without the cream filling. It makes a rich, dense cake that's plenty of chocolate for me and mine. I can take an hour to eat a big slice in shaved little bites. Oh YUM!!

carolann,

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

i'm working on a practice cake that i have thus far used ganache as a filling. i need to work on buttercream smoothing so i'm going to cover it with buttercream. i also want to cover it with fondant for further practice. i think it will be a strange taste but bet it will be eaten by the sugar lovers in my life.

I have not read the whole thread, but just to clarify: I do not whip the ganache when using it as "icing" under the fondant. 2:1 ratio sits overnight till a paste; and then ice the cake with it. No whipping invloved.

HTH!

SugarShack,
What????? Now I am confused.....
I watched your DVD many times and you use that immersible blender thing right after you stirred the cream and the choco together. Then you stirred with with a spoon. So if I don't have one of those blender things then I should just stir it with a spoon and let it sit over night??? What is the difference between the blender thing and mixing it? Mine turned out fine.

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!

SugarShack..

Thanks - I guess I assumed that the immersion blender thing was the same as using a mixer. Mine still turned out ok.

So there are actually THREE kinds of ganache: WHIPPED - which I did (not knowing what I was doing even after watching your DVD), POURED and STIFFENED!

So what do I do if I want to use the ganache as a filling and also use it on the outside in place of buttercream like you did on the DVD? Just take some out of the bowl and whip it and leave the rest to use to ice the outside of the cake?

So maybe that's why the shell on my cake was not REALLY HARD - like I expected it to be. It was semi hard - if that makes sense.

Ok, if your shell was not hard enough then back off on the cream. I do find that chocolates act differently and for some I have to use even less cream to get it hard enough. ( last time i used 48 oz choc to 20 oz cream)

that ratio is going to be too hard to make a nice filling. for a good filling you need a closer ratio of choc to cream

here is whipped:

http://www.thekitchn.com/thekitchn/tips-techniques/how-to-make-whipped-chocolate-ganache-071514

you can also use the same thing i use in my dvd for filling ( no whipping) but you will need more cream so it does not set up so hard.

Quick question for sugarshack.....for ganache under fondant....do you let the ganache harden and then fondant over it? How does the fondant stick? When you use the fondant smoother do you have to worry about the "shell" cracking?
Thanks!

yes the ganache has to harden overnight

simple syrup or piping gel as glue

shell does not crack

I use stiffened BC for my dam in my cakes that are fondant over the ganache shell. sometimes BC is the filling as well; tastes fine to us down here!

I made a vanilla cake filled with a light layer of ganache and strawberry buttercream icing then covered in ganache....it was incredibly rich, but ooohhh soooo yummy.

I made ganache for the first time last night and I used semi-sweet chocolate with a little butter and I didn't really like it. Wasn't sweet enough so I put it in some buttercream. I think next time I'll use milk chocolate. I wish I had known, but the buttercream was good and it was extremely easy to make. I'll definitely try it again.

Well, I made my ganache last night, and I think I messed up the ratios. I had a big bag of chocolate chips from Sam's, and I wasn't sure how to get 12 oz besides equating it to 1 1/2 cups. But I think I either used too much, or didn't refridgerate it long enough (I did about 2 hours). Anyway, it was very thin and I just poured it. (Maybe it was a good accident?). I did decide to use the fudge filling too, thanks to the later posts. It's a peanut butter cake by the way... my own version of a peanut butter cup cake I'll be covering in fondant tonight, and it looks like it has already firmed up quite a bit. I'll let you all know how it turns out!