Ganache Covered Cake- Does It Have To Be Refrigerated?
Decorating By darkchocolate Updated 30 Jun 2007 , 5:50pm by DelightsByE
I need to know if a cake covered in ganache has to be refrigerated? I know there is a debate on other issues with dairy and the fact that the sugar acts as a perservative, but I didn't know about ganache.
Does a thin layer of ganache produce an outer shell similar to cake balls? I know the cake balls have the outer shells that "crunches" when you bite into them, but of course I refrigerate mine. I don't mind cold cake balls, but I am not a fan of cold cake.
Thanks,
darkchocolate
Hi!
I use ganache routinely on cheesecakes and cakes alike. My answer depends on how long you intend to have the item go unrefrigerated and how much cream is in your mixture. For basic half-cream, half-chocolate ganache, I would say that your cake will be safe to stay out of refrigeration for about 48 hours at cool room temperature (75 degrees or less). You may experience some glistening in humid conditions.
The texture will be more like a thick fudge than like a crunchy shell.
HTH 
E
DelightsByE,
I planned on using slightly more chocolate than I do cream. This cake is for Sunday lunch, so maybe I will hold off until tomorrow morning. From what I remember reading, I should chill my cake before I pour the ganache on it?
Other than refrigerating my cake, is there a different ratio for cream to chocolate to achieve the crisp outer shell from the ganache?
Thanks,
darkchocolate
In my experience, the colder the cake, the harder it is to coat with ganache. The cold temperature begins to thicken the coating right away, and it will slow down in the pour and does not cover as nicely.
If you add any cream to chocolate you will not achieve a crunchy (like magic shell) candy coating on the outside. If you use just plain melted chocolate, you might get that result, however it will make the cake VERY challenging to cut. It works for cake balls because theoretically you're just popping those into your mouth. But on a cake I don't personally recommend it.
I think you would do well to use a "thirds" mixture...for every pound and a half (24 oz) of chocolate, use 16 oz of cream. Sometimes I will use a 15 oz cream and 1 oz sweet butter combination. Personal preference.
Take a look at my Candy Box cake in my photos, that is actually a 2-layer chocolate brownie with a tart cherry BC filling. You see the nice sheen? the butter did that.
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