How to i make ganache if i dont have a boat motor? i hear that you have to use one to prevent bubbles. anyone use something else??

thanks!!

You don't need a boat motor. To make ganache you just heat up heavy or whipping cream over a double boiler and add the chopped up chocolate, stirring til it melts. Add a little butter and Karo syrup if you want and some flavoring after it is melted. There are some recipes on here in Recipe section.

For whipped ganache, let it cool about an hour in fridge. To whip it, whip on low-medium with mixer. Let it mix a few seconds on low at the end to take out more air.

hope this helps!
~AngelWendy

I have also heard that if you have bubbles in it,or in your frosting...all you do is use a hand mixer on the lowest setting and barely move the mixer. this is supposed to bring all the bubbles to the top so they can pop... if you see bubbles once you have it poured take a toothpick so something and pop it, and then you can "smooth"out the imprint of where the bubble was and it wont be noticed once dry.... I wish I could speak of experience but I havent done one of these yet.. also as you are mixing it...keep the beaters burried under the top layer of batter, frosting whatever...

The recipe that I just tried had me pour the ganache through a seive (or wire strainer) before using it and this seemed to make it very smoothe, no lumps or bubbles.

Ute,

Ganache is so good!!! You will love it!! I don't have a motorboat. I use a whisk & it worked fine. No bubbles at all. I'm going to get a motorboat though just because it takes longer when you use a whisk & my hand hurts big time!!!!

Try it it is wonderful & very pretty!!!!

Momo0f3, I thought it turned out good. The cake was lumpy only because I didn't do the BC underneath right. Oh well, live and learn.

Ok...my husband asked me to make a cake with ganache.

What I would like to know is...when I mix the chocolate into the cream can I use my wisk attachment on my kitchenaid? I have read those posts about the "motorboat" I assume you mean the kitchenaid? Or do you literally mean a motorboat?

Do I need to frost the cake with buttercream first? Or can I just pour it over my cake?

Thanks for the help

Mrsfish

What people here are calling a 'motorboat' is a hand blender. Braun and Cuisinart make them (probably others also). If you do a Google search for hand blender you will see what it looks like. It is basically a blender on a stick and you submerge the blades into what you are working on.

we were taught in school not to use a whisk just a wooden or rubber spatula... mine always works out fine.. i never measure though!!

When I made ganache mousse I used my hand mixer with the regular beater attachments. It worked just fine and I did not have any air bubbles.

I also love to use ganache though i was curious as to the best way to store the cake after it is covered in ganache. Last time I put it in the fridge and when I took it out it had patches on it. What would cause that?

Ganache is one of the easier items to make and tastes like you slaved away at it!

One way is in a double boiler with a 1:1 ratio of chocolate to cream. Stir gently until melted. The 'boat motor' is a hand blender, as previously stated or it is also known as an immersion blender. It just helps to make it really smooth however you have to really keep it under the chocolate to prevent bubbles. Works great if you have one other wise the spatula and sieve idea are also excellent.

Another common method for making ganache is by having your chocolate finely chopped and in a bowl and pouring hot cream over it and stirring until it's melted. This is a great option if you do not have a double boiler.

Excuse me, I need to go and get a chocoalte fix now.......

I have used nestle chocolate chips and they seem to work just fine, and taste good too.

Yup!

Absolutely agree with mOuse, choc chips work really well. I do avoid any that are sort of grainy when you eat them though and some of the really inexpensive ones can do that. "Real" cooks will say that the better the chocolate the better the ganache however most of us don't have that option, so choc chips it is! I have used baking chocolate and it is smooth but most people would never know.

Ganache away baby!

And yes, I got my chocolate fix...leftover chocolate cake with homemade strawberry filling.....mmmmmmm......heym do you hear that? It's calling me again!

Let me see if I can remember it...
4 cups of fruit
Put 3 in a heavy saucepan and reserve 1 cup.
Add 1/2 to 1 cup of sugar. Decide on how sweet your fruit is.
Bring to a boil.
Dissolve about 4 tblsp of cornstarch in cold water so that it resembles cream. Add it in a steady stream to the hot fruit mixture being sure to stir all the while.
Return to boil until mixture is glossy and sort of clear. Remove from heat and add remaining cup of fruit. Stir together. It should look like jam. Voila!

Personally I don't reserve any berries, I just put it all in and go. I've made 2 batches and I must say they were pretty yummy!