AHi everyone, I was just wondering if anyone has a receipe for strawberry ganache? I can't use real strawberries as they are not in season here. I was thinking maybe I could use strawberry essence?? Any advice would be much apreciated.!!

Thanks.

You didn't mention if you wanted a white or a dark chocolate ganache.  

Here are 2 recipes I have.  

dark chocolate:

1 cup heavy whipping cream

1/3 cup seedless strawberry jam

8 oz top quality bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate, chopped

Bring cream just to boiling in a pan on the stove or in the microwave.  Watch it carefully, it boils over easily.  Pour the hot cream over the finely chopped chocolate and let it sit for 2 minutes.  Stir until melted and smooth.  Another technique which I prefer (it makes the smoothest most gorgeous ganache) is to finely chop the chocolate in a food processor.  With the processor running, pour the hot cream through the feed tube and continue to blend until it is completely mixed and smooth.  (This technique is from RLB - The Cake Bible).  Stir in jam.  Let cool until appropriate consistency.  To speed the cooling, place the ganache in an ice bath or in the refrigerator, stirring frequently until the desired consistency.  If it gets too firm, melt it slightly and carefully in the microwave for a few seconds at a time on defrost, stirring after each time, until soft enough for the intended use.  

You could also use the method below and infuse the cream with chopped strawberries rather than mixing in jam.

white chocolate

1/4 cup frozen thawed unsweetened strawberries or ripe fresh strawberries, chopped

3/4 cup heavy whipping cream

7 oz top quality white chocolate chopped

Mix berries into cream.  Cover and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight.  Pour cream through a strainer, pressing gently on the berries, but not forcing the seeds through.  Strain again if any seeds.   Heat cream just until boiling on stove or in microwave.  Watch it carefully as  it boils over easily.  Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and let it sit for 2 minutes.  Stir until melted and smooth.  Cool until desired consistency.  I suppose you could also stir in seedless jam if you didn't mind bits of strawberry.  

HTH.  let us know what works!

AThank you.!! I want a white chocolate one. Is this suitable under fondant.??

Definitely.  Ganache is an excellent foundation for fondant. It is firmer and more stable at room temperature than buttercream.  When chilled it is a very nice hard surface to work on.  To make a sturdier base under fondant that is less likely to slump and slide, I would alter the recipe given above (it is for a softer frosting and or filling).  For white choclolate ganache I would recommend a ratio of 2:1 or 3:1 (chocolate:cream by weight). ie:  for 8 oz of cream use 16 to 24 ounces of white chocolate.  For dark chocolate, the recommended ratio is usually 1.5:1 or 2:1  (chocolate:cream by weight).  When using ganache, allow extra time for it to cool enough to be used.  

AI normally use milk chocolate ganache for my cakes but thought is try and mix it up a bit.

Thankyou so much for your help!

AI think ir you use writer ganche and add a strong strawberry jam,it'll be avery godo ganache.tomorrow i'll try to make it.

ASorry! I want to say,try to add a strong strawberry jam into your white ganache!

AThanks, I will try both of these.!

AI just thought I would share the recipe that I tried over the weekend, I went to buy strawberries and they all looked a bit gross so I tried this instead. (I tripled this recipe)

220g white chocolate. 1/2 cup thickened cream. 1-2 tsp strawberry esscence. (I just added little bits until it was at the flavor I wanted)

Bring cream to boil and remove from stove, add white chocolate and mix until most of buttons are melted, whisk with dork or hand held whisk until there are no more lumps.

Add strawberry esscence and whisk again.

It tastes awesome.!!