Ganache

How to make Ganache for cake decorating?

I had that question about 5 years ago. So many beautiful cakes with those super defined sharp edges.

I got a mission. The mission was to find out how in the world those sharp edges were achivable. After searching for quite some time, I found a Youtube video on how to make it. I couldn’t believe it, that was so simple. Until I got to try the recipe and my desperation kicked in. There I go, cook faster and with more power to save some time or so I thought.

I burned it.

Yep! that is exactly what I did, I left it for a longer period of time in the microwave that I just completely burned it.

But that was not going to stop me, as I can get stubborn from time to time…….. Don’t ask my family.

Next batch!

I kept on trying, I would heat up the cream then pour it over the chocolate, let it sit and the pop it in the microwave to get rid of the chocolate lumps. Burned again and again and again.

Here is the key!

What if you heat up both ingredients at the same time and at the same rate…huuh… that might work.

Well of course it did, it just makes sense right.

So now I put chocolate and cream in the same bowl and microwave them together for about a minute the first time. Remove from the microwave and let it sit in the counter for about a minute. Don’t mix it. We are allowing heat transfer from the bowl to the chocolate and the cream so we do not over heat our ganache to be.

Put it in the microwave again for 30 seconds and rest for one minute. Repeat the process once more and now is when you start combining the cream and chocolate with a spatula. Repeat the process if you still see lumps just don’t go crazy with the microwave or you will burn the chocolate.

The other secret is to use a stick mixer so you can get rid of the tiny lumps and get a smooth Ganache.

Cover it and let it rest.

I wish I could use it right away but that is not possible for the only reason that it is way too soft use it as filling or to frost a cake. So what’cha have to do is to cover it with a plastic film and let it rest in your refrigerator overnight. Pull it out a couple of hours before you will be using it.

Sometimes you still need to microwave it for 10 secs so you can get the right consistency to add it to the cake.

Ways to flavor your ganache.

You can add:

Liqueur ( I like amoretti brand)
Add some fruits to the cream and let it sit on the fridge overnight, remove the fruit before pouring on the chocolate.
Espresso powder
Peanut butter or nutella

Do you want a cheat sheet with the ratios used to make ganache http://eepurl.com/dttB_X

Ok, lets make ganache!

Words of wisdom: “No man succeeds without a good woman behind him. Wife or mother, if it is both, he is twice blessed indeed.”