I've made chocolate ganache (2 different recipes) from this site and they've both ended up drying hard when using it as a filling. The last thing I want is a hard filling! How do I get that nice rich, fudgy, gooey filling that ganache is without it drying hard as a candybar by the time I go to serve the cake? -Frustrated... Kahlilacakes
Maybe it would help if you described your process of making ganache.
I would say that you must be using too much chocolate. Possibly the chocolate you are using? Maybe cooking your cream too much? I just bring mine to a boil, but I've never had my ganache get hard. Even when I make truffles and the chocolate-->cream ratio is higher, they are still "bite-able" and melt in your mouth. 
Maybe post the actual recipes you used and we can figure out what is happening.
Interestgly, I had the exact opposite happen this weekend. My ganache wouldn't firm up!! It was essentially chocolate soup and now it's just sitting in my fridge and I don't know what to do w/ it.
What type of chocolate is recommended? I used nestle' chocolate chips. Perhaps I should have used baker's chocolate.
I've had a hard time getting it thick enough for a filling. I don't want it pourable. I want thick as buttercream. I actually got it the way I wanted it one time by adding more and more and more chocolate, but then I forgot how much I added! Doreenre, maybe you could reheat yours and add more chocolate to thicken it up. I sure wish I had a recipe that would make a nice thick (not hard like OP's) ganache.
The recipe I have has worked wonderful everytime and I know for your chocolate it says one of the most important things is to use semisweet chocolate that contains 70% cocoa solids. So maybe you just need a different kind of chocolate. Here is my recipe and you can compare. It is a very simple and easy recipe.
Dark Chocolate Ganache
*18 oz. semisweet chocolate (70% cocoa solids), broken into pieces
*9 oz. unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
*9 Tbsp. heavy cream
Place the chocolate and butter in a bowl. In a pan bring cream to a boil and pour over chocolate and butter. Stir with a wooden spoon until chocolate and butter have melted and icing is smooth.
Good Luck! Sorry I couldn't be more help I hope you get it figured out.
Everything that I have read says to use GOOD chocolate, but ... I don't sell my cakes and I don't have a local source, so I use what I can get that doesn't cost an arm and a leg.
I made some yesterday for truffles - 1/2 lb Hershey's Special Dark and 1/2 lb Ghiradelli Bittersweet Chips to 1 c heavy cream. Bring the cream just to a boil - mine is more to a simmer - pour over the chocolate and stir until it is smooth. If you let it sit out at room temperature, it will firm up or in the fridge if you're in a hurry.
I covered a cake with ganache last weekend to use underneath fondant in place of buttercream. I wanted white chocolate, so I used 1 1/2 lbs of white chips and 1 lb of cream. Let it sit out for 5-6 hours and it was completely set and ready for me to frost the cake with.
I normally use 1 lb chocolate to 1 cup cream for dark and 1 1/2 lbs to 1 cup for white.
Mbt4955, this 1 lb of chocolate to 1 cup of cream thing, how thick does it come out? Is is spreadable or pourable? Sounds like spreadable because you said you used it for truffles. Would the the consistency of this be good for a cake filling, or would it be too thick? Thanks. I appreciate it!
The longer ganache sits, and especially if refrigerated, it gets solid like a chocolate truffle, but should still be smooth, not dry. Just put some in a custard cup and stick in the fridge for an hour -see if you like the feel and texture of it. I like to put a little butter in mine. If it's too solid when refrigerated, then add a little more cream or butter. If really soft and runny, it needs more chocolate. It's simple to make, and just a ratio thing.
I've used the dark Ghirardelli chips from Sam's, but now making it from large slab chocolate since I use so much. I've also used a very good quality dark chocolate coating. I have a great local brand, or Merckens or similar -NEVER CRAFT STORE JUNK!
I add more cream if I'm drizzling it over a buttercream frosted cake. I don't want it to get solid and dry looking so it cracks. I also add a tiny bit of corn syrup for shine, but wouldn't do that for a filling.
I've also added a small amount of Swiss meringue buttercream to my ganache for a super rich filling -YUM!
Mbt4955, this 1 lb of chocolate to 1 cup of cream thing, how thick does it come out? Is is spreadable or pourable? Sounds like spreadable because you said you used it for truffles. Would the the consistency of this be good for a cake filling, or would it be too thick? Thanks. I appreciate it!
I use the same recipe for everything. If I want to pour it over a cake, I do it as soon as the chocolate has all melted. If I want to drizzle it down the sides, I let it sit for 10 minutes or so. I haven't ever used it as a filling, so I can't give you specifics with that one, but I would just let it sit for several hours and it will get pretty solid. Mine sat for about 6 hours before I used it to ice the cake.
If it gets too hard, you can always stick it in the microwave for a few seconds. You can also whip it with the mixer ...
i love ganache....to make the filling take your leftover ganach set your bowl in a bowl of ice and whip it...it will change color and become a light chocolate color...you can use this straight or you can add some of your vanilla buttercream to it.
we just did this last week with out ohio state buckeye cake, check out my pictures, the whipped ganache was used for the bottom border. good luck
mbt4955 states.....
I covered a cake with ganache last weekend to use underneath fondant in place of buttercream. I wanted white chocolate, so I used 1 1/2 lbs of white chips and 1 lb of cream. Let it sit out for 5-6 hours and it was completely set and ready for me to frost the cake with.
You say that you use 1 1/2 lbs of white chips and 1 lb of cream? What is 1 lb. of cream?
Thanks.
Sorry - cream is heavy cream/whipping cream. I know that they aren't the same thing, but I just use what my store carries and I think it said heavy whipping cream this time. I've never had ganache not turn out great, so I don't guess the heavy or whipping cream part matters quite so much. 
I made ganache this morning to ice a cake with (pour over), and I used a 2:1 ratio of chocolate to cream. To cover an 8" round, I used 3 c semi-sweet choc chips to 1 1/2 c hwc. Heated the cream just to boiling, poured over choc. I added 1/2 tsp vanilla and 1 Tbs butter. Stirred and let it sit for a few minutes to cool a little...maybe 10 min. Poured it over my cake, stuck it in the fridge...beautiful! Smooth silky finish, firm consistency but not brittle. I find a 2:1 ratio works great with reg choc. Never made white choc...I'll have to try that!
I made ganache this morning to ice a cake with (pour over), and I used a 2:1 ratio of chocolate to cream. To cover an 8" round, I used 3 c semi-sweet choc chips to 1 1/2 c hwc. Heated the cream just to boiling, poured over choc. I added 1/2 tsp vanilla and 1 Tbs butter. Stirred and let it sit for a few minutes to cool a little...maybe 10 min. Poured it over my cake, stuck it in the fridge...beautiful! Smooth silky finish, firm consistency but not brittle. I find a 2:1 ratio works great with reg choc. Never made white choc...I'll have to try that!
I do it the same way except for the butter. What does the butter do? For white chocolate, the ratio is closer to 3 to 1.
The ganache recipe that comes with Epicurious.com's Double Chocolate Layer Cake - my personal favorite chocolate cake - has sugar and corn syrup in with the cream. After the chocolate melts, you add butter. I think that the butter gives it a shine. I'm not sure what the corn syrup does. It is good, but I don't like it any better than heavy cream and chocolate.
Pattycakesnj, I find that the little bit of butter adds a very glossy sheen to the ganache once it sets up. Just a little somethin' extra! And really, can butter HURT anything LOL??!?
thanks
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