E. Guittard Couverture Choc. Wafers As Ganache?

Decorating By mmmcake0072 Updated 15 Apr 2014 , 12:28am by mrsgreshcakes

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mmmcake0072 Posted 14 Jun 2012 , 1:29pm
post #1 of 40

Hi All,
Just wondering if anyone knows if the E. Guittard couverture white chocolate wafers are any good for making ganache under fondant?

39 replies
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Bluehue Posted 14 Jun 2012 , 2:23pm
post #2 of 40

As long as you do the 3:1 ratio - indeed you will be right...

I always use the 3:1 ratio when using white chocolate for my ganache...
Never failed yet thumbs_up.gif

Bluehue

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lorieleann Posted 14 Jun 2012 , 3:25pm
post #3 of 40

I like the E. Guittard couverture very much. I find it is a higher quality (worlds away from the chips sold at the grocery. i thought a friend who makes chocolates was crazy when she said that she liked it. then i got samples and saw the difference in the grocery vs the couverture line), and I use closer to a 2:1 ratio with this and Callebaut white.

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scp1127 Posted 15 Jun 2012 , 8:05am
post #4 of 40

Question... why would you use couverture chocolate for ganache? I didn't check my receipts before I posted, but isn't couverture more expensive? I use it for candy and truffles. I use regular Giuttard and Callibaut for ganache.

I'm new, maybe two years, to ganache. If it is better, maybe I wouldn't have to have both kinds on hand. I have to order the couverture online, so I try not to use it when the other is available.

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Bluehue Posted 15 Jun 2012 , 8:48am
post #5 of 40

I like to use the Belcolade...which is Italian...
Yes, rather xxxxxy over here - but scp the taste is gorgeous... and the threee (dark, milk and White) has real depth.

Yes, i could buy cheaper - but whem customers expect the best i can give..... i don't want to finish them off with some 2nd had filling.


Bluehue

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scp1127 Posted 15 Jun 2012 , 10:47am
post #6 of 40

Bluehue, is all Belcolade couverture? That's what it looks like on the World Wide Chocolate site. I can get it. It's about the same as Guittard, but I didn't check the shipping cost on the Belcolade.

So you are saying that the couverture tastes better than the same brand in regular chocolate?

I'm not trying to be dense, I don't like chocolate and this is very hard for me because I don't like it. My daughter dislikes it too and we fight over who has to taste our experiments. My husband loves chocolate but he would eat Dollar Store chocolate. No help there.

When I started the bakery, I realized that I had never baked a chocolate cake.

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Bluehue Posted 15 Jun 2012 , 12:07pm
post #7 of 40

scp - here is a link for you - http://www.belcolade.com/

Sorry - yes, its Couverture


LOLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL - i was talking about Italy whilst typing my previous post and typed that Belcolade was Italian.
Was until just now thati realised what i typed... icon_redface.gif
That wll teach me to keep my mind on one topic. icon_lol.gif

I would rather pate, cheese and crackers any day over Chocolate...

Scp - one thing i love about using this chocolate is the gloss it has after melting it. When using it for Ganach its like moulten chocolate.... thick, glossy and smooth.

I pay $95.00 for a 5 kilo bag... which equals $19.00 per kilo.

On todays exchange rate my $95.00 = $95.35 American Dollars.



Blue

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dandymom Posted 15 Jun 2012 , 1:24pm
post #8 of 40

My concern about using it for ganache is that couverture has a higher cocoa butter content. Would this not affect the outcome?
Also, it's so expensive! I would only use it as a coating for truffles etc...

-d

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Bluehue Posted 15 Jun 2012 , 1:54pm
post #9 of 40
Quote:
Originally Posted by dandymom

My concern about using it for ganache is that couverture has a higher cocoa butter content. Would this not affect the outcome?
Sorry - perhaps i am over tired... think you have to spell this out to me - lolllllllllllllll ........Blue rubs her eyes and yawns
Also, it's so expensive! I would only use it as a coating for truffles etc...

-d


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dandymom Posted 15 Jun 2012 , 2:20pm
post #10 of 40
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bluehue

Quote:
Originally Posted by dandymom

My concern about using it for ganache is that couverture has a higher cocoa butter content. Would this not affect the outcome?
Sorry - perhaps i am over tired... think you have to spell this out to me - lolllllllllllllll ........Blue rubs her eyes and yawns
Also, it's so expensive! I would only use it as a coating for truffles etc...

-d




Haha I feel you on over tired. I was up nursing a teething baby all night.

I'm no expert on chocolate ( though I love to eat in large quantities!) I was just wondering how the ganache would set up. Couverture is a more fluid, thinner chocolate. So in my mind, I'm thinking the ganache will be a softer set than one used with regular chocolate. I bet it would taste amazing though!

D.

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Bluehue Posted 15 Jun 2012 , 2:30pm
post #11 of 40

*click* the light bulb goes on inside blues brain - lolllllllllll

Where the white chocolate is concerned - i wrote in an earlier post that i use a 3;1 ratio - for that very reason...
But then i do prefer using 3;1 even before i started using the Belcolade.... it makes the white ganache set up better - (in my opinion)

With the milk and dark - i use the 2:1 ratio...
altho in our summer time - i knock the cream down a little - because of the extreme heat (especially during feb and march)

Bluehue icon_smile.gif

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BabyGerald Posted 15 Jun 2012 , 3:19pm
post #12 of 40

I exclusively use the Guittard couveture as a white chocolate ganache coat and totally dig it! icon_smile.gif It won all my taste tests. I think America's Test Kitchen favored the Guittard white chocolate chips in their trials, but didn't use the couverture discs in their taste tests.

Of course, it's very easy to find in the SF bay area b/c Guittard is made locally - another bonus.

hth

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BakingIrene Posted 15 Jun 2012 , 3:26pm
post #13 of 40

I use Callebaut exclusively. In Canada when bought in bulk the price is reasonable. We also have some "store" brands that taste exactly like Callebaut and cost a lot less ($4.00 for 400 grams).

In the US it appears that TJoes and WMart house brands of the "pound plus" bars are made by Callebaut and are deeply discounted.

The couverture chocolate sets firm when made into ganache--just the same as Peter/Nestle and Merckens real chocolate chips. Why would I clutter my house with fake chocolate when the real thing is so much better?

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dandymom Posted 15 Jun 2012 , 4:37pm
post #14 of 40

I hear that! I have tried many other brands, I want to try Callbaut soon. I've never seen it in stores here in Minnesnowta. I'm going to have to order some. Maybe in July. I've met my quota for the month for pricey baking ingredients. It's a fun hobby, but an expensive one![/b]

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BakingIrene Posted 15 Jun 2012 , 7:06pm
post #15 of 40

Well it's too bad that Sweet Celebrations that used to be Maid of Scandinavia shut down in 2008. They were your "local" cake supply and they had more different kinds of stuff than I have ever seen anywhere else. They used to be in that big warehouse right next door to the NordicWare factory on Rt 7.

They had Callebaut in the 11 pound blocks for a very reasonable price. They also sold the industrial size of boxes of cake mix to retail customers. But they're gone...

So check out the "pound plus" pack at WalMart because that is real chocolate at a good price. Next month...

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dandymom Posted 15 Jun 2012 , 7:36pm
post #16 of 40

I was really bummed when Maid of Scandinavia shut down. They had a great close out sale but it would have been so much nicer to see them stay in business. I now go to Lynn's Cake and Candy in Fridley. I haven't seen Callebaut there. I should ask if they will carry it.

BakingIrene, I have to say, you are an amazing source of information!

d.

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tbkimber Posted 15 Jun 2012 , 8:06pm
post #17 of 40

If a chocolate is listed as couverture it means that the ONLY fat in the chocolate is coco butter (36-39%) and it is a high quality chocolate. If you have chocolate that is not couverture it has had the cocoa butter removed (all or part of it) and replaced with some other form of fat, usually an oil of some kind.

As far as flavor, in my opinion there is no comparison between couverture and other chocolate. My favorite chocolate is Valrhona and I can't eat a Hershey bar anymore. Callebaut is also a beautiful chocolate. I think the best test is to try different chocolates with a bite of one then a bite of the other. I found that I could really taste the chocolate by letting it melt on my tongue and not chewing it.

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BakingIrene Posted 15 Jun 2012 , 9:24pm
post #18 of 40

I don't go looking for the word "couverture" on labels especially not at the bulk food store. I just go by the detailed list of ingredients. You can sometimes also see the crystal "snap" marks when they break up real chocolate blocks for the bulk bin.

Callebaut has the tempering diagram on the labels on their 5 kilo (11lb) blocks. I have always been amused by this insiders way of labelling the quality.

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mmmcake0072 Posted 15 Jun 2012 , 9:46pm
post #19 of 40

Hi All,
Well, I made the ganache and it turned out perfect!! It tasted fantastic and formed the nice shell. Perfect for my first wedding .YEAH!!!!!

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FromScratchSF Posted 15 Jun 2012 , 9:50pm
post #20 of 40

I use only couverture, and Guittard is my chocolate of choice. It's not as "good" as Valhrona, but the workability and flavor difference is tiny - and its 1/2 the price. It's a very respectable mid level chocolate.

I use both the white and the 72% buittons. Nom nom. And nothing but the 72% cocoa rouge in my cakes.

Call me crazy, but I find Callebaut too... mild? Mellow? I don't know how to describe it. I prefer more bitter chocolates I guess, or maybe a more roasted tasting cocoa? And I'm not referring to the coco alcohol level. I mean the actual notes of the chocolate. But that's a personal preference. I just prefer French over Swiss or Belgium style.

Most people don't realize it, but fine chocolate is like wine. Different brands. beans, regions, styles etc. all yield a different product that tickles everyone taste buds differently icon_biggrin.gif

And Hershey's sucks. icon_biggrin.gificon_biggrin.gificon_biggrin.gificon_biggrin.gificon_biggrin.gificon_biggrin.gificon_biggrin.gif

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dandymom Posted 15 Jun 2012 , 11:04pm
post #21 of 40

Let's talk cocoa powder! Any favorites? I'm looking for a good unsweetened one. I already have 2 favorite Dutch-processed ones. Cluizel is amazing, and I like Pernigotti as well.

What do you like?

D.

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tbkimber Posted 16 Jun 2012 , 4:59am
post #22 of 40

I absolutely agree with you FromScratchSF about chocolate being like wine, that is why I suggested tasting different ones. It is absolutely personal preference. Since high quality chocolates have a range of cocoa percentages, you can somewhat customize your dark chocolate products. I like a little more of a fruity note and I don't like the super dark, bitter chocolate so I get a lower percentage for myself. Guittard is a lovely chocolate and I think it is a little easier to find. I have used it on many occasions. The first time I tried Valrhona it was in a ganache and once I tried it I was hooked but I am always up for trying different chocolates. I call it research. icon_biggrin.gif

I can't help you on the cocoa powder since I use Pernigotti.

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lorieleann Posted 16 Jun 2012 , 7:07am
post #23 of 40

On Cocoa, I love the Guittard Cocoa Rouge. Though I do sometimes replace a smidge with their black cocoa for a little depth. I like to develop my own cocoa blend when experimenting. I am going to get an order of Valrhona this order next week to do some comparison tasting.

When doing a crumb coat ganache under fondant, I use the ghirardelli double dark chips that come in the big bag (seasonally from costco/year round stocked at sam's) with good success. If the ganache is going to be a major focus in the cake though, I like to use a couverture. But with the white, I really only like the couverture as any sort of 'white chip' just doesn't perform.

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scp1127 Posted 16 Jun 2012 , 9:24am
post #24 of 40

Thanks, Blue. I bookmarked that for a next order. Right now, I have plenty of Guittard. But I do think I will look into just stocking couverture. So much easier.

This is another reason I haven't gotten into the cake ball thing. I only use high quality chocolate. But the truffle experiments are going well. I won't sell them until I go retail.

For cocoa powders, I use Guittard Rouge also for DP. I bought the book (yes, me, the cookbook addict) by ScharffenBerger Chocolate and it prompted me to try it. I was very happy with the results in my high end cakes. I still use Hershey's for my basic because of pricing and the customers seem to want plain chocolate in my basic cupcakes.

It's funny, but I found that the finer the chocolate, the more I can eat it. I think part of my earlier dislike came from real chocolate, but mainstream brands. I can appreciate finer chocolates, bu I still don't prefer it.

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AnnieCahill Posted 16 Jun 2012 , 10:26am
post #25 of 40

Now I am not a chocolate person at all, but I can appreciate a good chocolate occasionally. I would love to try Amedei (especially their Chuao and Porcelana from Venezuela), El Rey, and Chocolate Santander. It is noteworthy that the best beans come from Columbia and Venezuela. I think most couvertures are blended as opposed to single origin, which makes sense because it is taking the best chocolates to create a rounded, balanced product. But if you want to get into the whole chocolate tasting experience then it's worthwhile to start off with some single origins from different countries to recognize the different notes which comprise a specific chocolate.

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FromScratchSF Posted 16 Jun 2012 , 4:01pm
post #26 of 40

Call me a snob, but ScharffenBerger used to be a great chocolate when it was made here in the Bay Area (Berkeley, I think?) - as soon as it was bought by Hershey's and they closed the plant, the flavor completely changed. It was sad too - people were running around trying to buy the very last batches made here icon_sad.gif

Lately I have been very impressed with Tcho - it's another chocolate that is made here in San Francisco, it was a super small operation but now they are getting huge - they now sell wholesale. The price is back up there with Valhrona wholesale but they have some really exotic blends (couvature) that are super yum. There is a gourmet ice cream truck that does organic homemade soft serve and they use it to make their chocolate - then they dip their cones in Tcho and sprinkle with a little fleur de sel - OMGNOMNOMGRAWLGETINMAMOUTH. Best freakin ice cream cone I have ever had in my life. They prep at my kitchen and every time I see them my mouth starts watering.

Anyway, because of them I am considering switching. (Truck is called Twirl and Dip, in case anyone is interested).

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Bluehue Posted 16 Jun 2012 , 4:07pm
post #27 of 40

Well hello there FromScratch....

I'll place an order for a kilo icon_smile.gifthumbs_up.gif
I'll pay and pick it up around the 27 September - thumbs_up.gifthumbs_up.gifthumbs_up.gif

What time does the ice cream van go by............. might have one of them before our *sip of something suitable* icon_wink.gificon_lol.gificon_lol.gificon_lol.gif

See you soon

Bluehue

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dandymom Posted 16 Jun 2012 , 4:30pm
post #28 of 40
Quote:
Originally Posted by FromScratchSF

Call me a snob, but ScharffenBerger used to be a great chocolate when it was made here in the Bay Area (Berkeley, I think?) - as soon as it was bought by Hershey's and they closed the plant, the flavor completely changed. It was sad too - people were running around trying to buy the very last batches made here icon_sad.gif

Lately I have been very impressed with Tcho - it's another chocolate that is made here in San Francisco, it was a super small operation but now they are getting huge - they now sell wholesale. The price is back up there with Valhrona wholesale but they have some really exotic blends (couvature) that are super yum. There is a gourmet ice cream truck that does organic homemade soft serve and they use it to make their chocolate - then they dip their cones in Tcho and sprinkle with a little fleur de sel - OMGNOMNOMGRAWLGETINMAMOUTH. Best freakin ice cream cone I have ever had in my life. They prep at my kitchen and every time I see them my mouth starts watering.

I noticed a difference in the Scharfenberger as well. It used to be my go to but not anymore. Also, love fleur de sel sprinkled on my peanut butter frosted brownie cupcakes...killmedeadsofreakingood!

Anyway, because of them I am considering switching. (Truck is called Twirl and Dip, in case anyone is interested).


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FromScratchSF Posted 16 Jun 2012 , 4:48pm
post #29 of 40
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bluehue

Well hello there FromScratch....

I'll place an order for a kilo icon_smile.gifthumbs_up.gif
I'll pay and pick it up around the 27 September - thumbs_up.gifthumbs_up.gifthumbs_up.gif

What time does the ice cream van go by............. might have one of them before our *sip of something suitable* icon_wink.gificon_lol.gificon_lol.gificon_lol.gif

See you soon

Bluehue




You'll be walking distance from where they make it icon_biggrin.gif (Tcho, that is).

Twirl and Dip is always at Golden Gate park - don't know if you are planning on trying to visit there in your short trip. Might cut into our date icon_biggrin.gif

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Bluehue Posted 16 Jun 2012 , 4:59pm
post #30 of 40

Twirl and Dip is always at Golden Gate park - don't know if you are planning on trying to visit there in your short trip.
Good god yes - i plan on standing on that bridge - albeit 2 feet off the ground and dh can take a picture of me - otherwise everyone back here will think its just a postcard someone sent me - lolllllllllllllllll-

Might cut into our date icon_biggrin.gif
Blue = rofl

Now back to the chocolate - seriously - any chance i can grab a kilo -
Pay you aussie dollars if you like - lolllllllllllllll

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