First, how does one practice enough restraint to not just grab a spoon and eat the whole bowl???? OMG - this stuff is good.

Second, I used a 2:1 dark chocolate to cream ratio. Most of the articles I've read say to let it sit up over night to get it to the right conisistency for icing a cake. I am going to assume if I just made this at 10 this morning, I could put it on the cake maybe after dinner tonight??? Can I chill it to speed things up or does that mess up the consistency?

This is the first time I've used ganache under fondant, but if it's half as easy to work with as everyone says, then I'm sold. The taste is fabulous. Way better that buttercream.

I've been wanting to experiment with this, just haven't had the time. But everyone that has done it loves it, sooo I'm going to hang in here to see your responses

I never leave my overnight because I don't have the patience to do so.

Once ganached is prepared, I let it cool and then put it in the fridge (uncovered). After an hour or so, it will be really firm. I just pop it in the microwave in 10 second intervals (mixing it everytime it comes out) until a thick peanut butter consistency.

I have made ganache - let it cool - then used straight away.

If i have a few hours leway - then i will let it stand - but truely - use it as soon as you wish.
There is no right or wrong time frame.

Other times i make up a large batch - divide amongst containers and freeze it.


First, how does one practice enough restraint to not just grab a spoon and eat the whole bowl???? OMG - this stuff is good.

LOL - easy - i prefer crackers and cheese any day -



off topic - Hi Rylan - long time no see.


Bluehue.

Thanks Rylan and Bluehue. It's been less than two hours and it looks pretty good to me. I'll let it sit another hour or so and give it a try.

Not to hijack your thread, but I have quick question. When you are pouring the ganache, do you have your cake on a cooling rack or something else? then how long do you let it set up? I too am inpatient and want the process to move faster. TIA

You are right Martha, the 2:1 ratio is not a pourable ganache. You want the ganache to be thick like peanut butter. I always use ganache under my fondant- it forms a nice shell over the cake that is so easy to work with. Some advice- always make sure you get the ganache as smooth as you can- how it looks before it's covered with fondant is how its going to look with the fondant on. If you are wanting to use white chocolate ganache under your fondant it needs to be a 3:1 ratio. I just love using it- you dont have to worry about bulges or blowouts or many other of the common problems some have using BC under their fondant.

Sugaredproductions has a Topsy Turvy cake DVD now and Sharon covers her cake with Ganache, she smooths hers with a bench scraper she dunks in hot water and wipes. That way the heat helps smooth the ganache. It's a wonderful video and very informative.

while we're on this topic i have a few questions to through out there. Ive made it before in a fairly large quantity, but if i wanted to make a small amound could i use a bar of chocolate like Lindt from the store and just break that up with the cream? Im not sure if this chocolate will work or not, and then have any of you cut or served a cake covered in ganache and fondant. just wondering if it softens enough. and how it looks, plated

I got lots of advice from Rylan (THANKS, RYLAN!) before I made mine. But I was so impatient that I put it in the freezer to cool it faster and it worked well. I love it and will use it again and again! It makes your fondant base sooo smooth and you can get corners really square and it tastes wonderful!

Yes I follow SugarShacks's method of dipping a bench scraper or tapered spatula in hot water. It takes time and practice to get it smooth as you like. I go over one section at a time until it smooths the way I want it, then go on to the next. I'm a little OCD about how smooth I get my cakes though, so it probably takes me a little longer than it should! LOL Sweetcakes- As long as it is semi-sweet or bitter-sweet chocolate you should be fine- just be sure you are using the 2:1 ratio. I have split my batches and doubled my batches with no problem. I have served and eaten my cakes with the ganache under fondant and it is perfectly easy to cut. It does not harden, don't worry about any crunching! It is quite smooth and goes well with the cake. If I use white or chocolate ganache depends on the flavor of the cake- you do want the flavors to compliment each other. Everyone that has had mine loves it! Another little tidbit: I however do not use a BC dam in my cakes that are ganached- I typically use fillings other than BC, so I do not know how well a cake that had chocolate ganache, a BC dam, and then a fruit filling (or something similar) would go together. It personally doesnt sound that appealing to me and I don't think it would look that great either. Plus there really is no need for the dam because of the shell that is formed by the ganache. Any more questions feel free to ask! HTH

I have put ganache under fondant and made a big mistake in letting the ganache cool in the fridge. with a 2:1 ratio, it sets firm therefore its impossible to spread onto the cake. I would put it on the cake while its still soft.

My sister and I often put it in the freezer for 10 - 20 mins if we want to use it straight away. On the few occasions we have left it in too long, we just mix it with a fork or spatula until we get it back to the right consistency. Once we had to put it over a saucepan of boiling water - you only leave it until the very outside edge gets all melty. If it's still a bit firm, using a spatula dipped in boiling water (then wiped dry) makes it really easy to spread on the cake. Leaving the ganache to set for a few hours seems to give the same consistency as leaving it overnight.

As for not eating it .... well I'm not too good at that. I don't like dark chocolate but I often make my ganache with milk chocolate so it's not so rich which doesn't help my willpower! I have heard some people suck a really strong mint while they work! I'd give it a go but .... well I rather like the taste testing part!

Hi Maxine!

No problem Martha and Terri.

MissCakeCrazy, when that happens again, just heat it in the microwave in 10 second intervals--stirring it everytime it comes out. I refrigerate mines all the time. I actually don't remember the last time I let mines set on the counter.

Has anyone tried using the chocolate (brown) ganache under white mmf or will it show through?

sandykay - you mentioned the bench scraper. Well, do you think I could find mine yesterday? That's exactly what I needed. I found it when I was done the cake. It was right in front of my eyes all along.

I am not happy with the outcome, but I do love the ganache and can see that potential for a nice, flawless base on which to put your fondant. I will just keep trying and I'll make sure my cake is room temp when I put the ganache on. I really think that was half the problem, as the chocolate just 'set' really fast once on the cake and it was hard to smooth with a regular spatula (even though I did heat it first). The bench scraper would be ideal.

Live and learn!

Rylan, thanks for the advice. I don't have a microwave, what else can I do? I panicked the first time I did it and stated to mix in milk in order to soften it. Can't I just smooth over the ganache while its freshly made?

MissCakeCrazy, just get a saucepan of boiling water (just use the stove to heat it) and sit your bowl on top - the saucepan should be a tiny bit smaller so that the bowl won't go all the way in and you only need to fill about 1/4 to 1/2 of the saucepan with water. It's just really, really important that you don't get any water splashing into the ganache.

With the ganache being hard to smooth - you put it on as smooth as you can but don't worry if it isn't entirely smooth and then let it set and get really hard. Once it is hard you can use a spatula or smoother thingy (don't know it's name) and you go around and sand/saw the cake with it until you get your smooth finish. Right at the end you might want to give it a once over with a hot spatula. Hope I am explaining it alright. Rylan might have a better explanation.

And I think that ganache in a cake looks fabulous when it is served! The ganache isn't hard - it's nice and soft when you serve it

MissCakeCrazy, Melnick is correct. As far as applying it while it is freshly made, I would guess it would be too runny.

Angela, almost all my white cakes has chocolate (brown) ganache under. I also roll my fondant 1/16 - 1/8 inch thick. I've never had any change on the fondant.

Hello,
When you are figuring your ratio, do you melt and measure the chocolate or do you weigh the chocolate and the cream?

Thanks!
Sandy

I just finished a cake with ganache under. It isn't my first time using my ganache, but it is my fisrt time following directions from Rylan... let me tell you... it worked out AWESOME! I need to do a better job at smoothing the ganache, but I can't believe what nice sharp edges I got.
I need a lot more practice and I really need to take my time smoothing instead of losing patience and settling. But as I said... I was ecstatic about how this turned out!

[/img]

Sandylee - I just did a pound of chocolate (like morsels) to what would be a half pound of cream.
1 pound = 16 oz.
So for a pound of chocolate morsels (or bar) you'd use half pint of heavy cream or 8 oz. (1 cup)

Remember that ratio is semi-sweet. If you are doing milk chocolate they say 3:1 ratio.

Hi to all...so, did I read this correct? for white chocolate ganache the ratio is 3 to 1?? so 3lbs of white chocolate to 1 cup of cream??

If you have 1 pound (16 oz) of chocolate it is 1 cup (8 oz.) of cream for 2:1

So 3:1 would be 24 oz or 1.5 pounds of chocolate for a cup of cream.

If you have a solid 3 pounds of chocolate you would be using 2 cups of heavy cream for a 3:1 ratio

Someone check me... that's right, right?

Thanks Darthburn!

Your cake is amazing! I'm very impressed. I'm sure that took a lot of time. I have so much to learn.