I have tried both whipped ganche recipes on this site and either one has worked. Both became VERY thick and unspreadable. Any other ideas for a chocolate filling? Cake due tomorrow, Saturday! Please help!

Maybe chocolate buttercream?

I haven't looked at the recipes on this site but did you let the ganache come to room temperature before trying to spread? It does get pretty stiff in the frig. You could also give it a VERY quick zap in the microwave using the defrost setting and see if that helps.

Otherwise, the recipe on the back of the Hershey's cocoa can is very similar to the one I use all the time for icing and filling. I add a little hazelnut flavoring and it is TO DIE FOR! If you don't have the recipe or access to a Hershey's can, let me know.

Maybe you're whipping them too much? Try beating it with the paddle attachment until it just begins to thicken and lose it's gloss. If that doesn't work, you might have to go with a chocolate buttercream or mousse. Will this cake be refrigerated until delivery? That would expand your options a little bit.

Amber

the cake will be put into a cold room, but not refrigerated. I have to cover the cake in chocolate fondant, so i would like to keep it cool but not cold

If you're up to it, I would try the ganache again. You don't need it to be like whipped cream, beating it forever. When I do it I only beat it for a minute or two with the paddle and it works great! I also think the chocolate frosting on the hershey's can is good, like Diane suggested. It's like a fudge frosting and very similar in taste and texture to a whipped ganache.

Amber

If the cake is to be covered with chocolate ganache......I wouldn't whip it. I'd pour it. That is the most common way to use chocolate ganache. I whip the cooled leftover and use it for piping a border. There is a small one of these in my photos if you want to look. It's a birthday oval. The lighter colored chocolate is the whipped ganache OVER the poured ganache. Best to you. I've never had ganache fail.... did you let it cool to room temp before whipping??????

oops.....the cake mentioned is not on this site. If you'd like, I can email it to you???

no i did not bring it up to room temperature, don't remember reading that on the recipe, i could of missed that. The recipe on the Hershey's can that I have is called "Especially Dark Chocolate frosting", it is on the back of Hershey's Special Dark Dutch Processed Cocoa. Could that be the last recipe?

That's it! I prefer it made with the natural (regular non-dutch processed) cocoa, but it's good either way!

Amber

Well, I'll go give it a try, time is running out quickly. I think it's going to be a long night. Thanks all. I'll check back soon for new replies. Thanks again all CC members!

Here's an idea that I got from another CC'r ....use instant chocolate pudding, however substitute heavy cream for the milk - this turns up very thick, like chocolate whipped cream. I have not tried using light cream, but would think it would be a bit thinner and more spreadable but with the same good cream flavor. Very yummy!

deb

That sounds good, deb! I don't know if I'd be comfortable feeding it to people after it sat out all night though...

Amber

I have 1 batch of ganache left. It is made with light cream and chocolate. What if I whipped in some Dream Whip with it? would that work?

MomLittr, I was going to suggest the same thing. I use chocolate mousse quite often. All you need is a box of instant choc. pudding mix and 1 1/2 cups of heavy cream. Whip and that's it! Very simple but oh so good.

Here is a site that I visit often for fillings as well:

http://www.wrenscottage.com/kitchen/index.php

HTH!

i make my whipped ganache with equal parts heavy cream and chocolate (not by weight, but by measurements) like a recipe i have from collette peters cake book. ...and it spreads great as long as you spread it after whipping, not whipping then refrigerating then spreading. check out my photos, there is a square cake iced in it...it was incredibly silky to ice out then held up very stable. there are a few ganache cakes in my photos i think.

example- 2 cups (or one pint) cream to 2 cups (or a 12 oz bag) of chocolate chips. bring cream to a boil...remove from heat. pour cream over choc, stir till melted. cover and chill for at least a couple of hours (i usually do it overnight, but have done it in an hour or two when in a hurry). then whip it just until slightly thickened and holds it shape. frost or fill.


if you chill the ganache after it is whipped for a prolonged period, it will become thick and very difficult almost impossible to spread.
i have never iced a cake in ganache THEN covered it in fondant. something tells me that you'd have trouble with it melting or sagging (is that your plan?) i think it would be best to use this as a filling ONLY if covering with fondant and use a buttercream under the fondant.

edit: i sometimes find that the choc doesnt melt completely and there are little flecks...so i'd put it back on the heat and stir till it all melted..just found out recently on the food network channel that too much heat on the chocolate can cause the ganache to separate rather than have the smooth fully incorporated texture that you want. so its better to have a few small flecks of chocolate whipped up in there!

Thanks for that site link MrsAB......maybe it was you I saw the chocolate mouse recipe from.......half the time can't remember my own name !

As far as the cake being out all nite, if you have an unheated room (like a garage), set the cake in there overnite. With the temps being very cool this time of year, would hold it over for you.

deb

On the pudding box it says mix with 2 cups milk, should I use 2 cups heavy cream or use less like stated above (1 1/2 cups).? I will be using a 4 serving package.
Turns out I only have 1 1/2 cups left, hopefully that will work.

if you have more cream, you could also whip it up and fold it into the ganache i imagine

Blissful, 1 1/2 cups whipping cream will work as that is what the recipe I follow calls for. Good luck!

I just finished the pudding, I found that 1 1/2 cups made it a little to stiff, so I added 1/2 cup milk, turned out ok. I am still going to try the ganache with the dream whip. If that works then I 'll have to decide which is better. Thanks again all.

oops!

Doesn't the mousse made w/ heavy cream and instant pudding need to be refrigerated?