Ganache is widely used in recipes for cakes, confections, pastries, tarts, pies, mousses, and other confectionery creations. It can be used as a chocolate sauce, as a base for creams, as a filling, or as a glaze. A thick ganache is used to make truffles.
The exact way ganache is used depends on the ratio of chocolate and heavy cream in its composition. More on this below.
WHAT IS GANACHE MADE OF?
The two main ingredients for ganache are chocolate and heavy cream with a fat content of 30% or more. Classically, ganache is made with dark chocolate, but depending on the purpose, recipe and taste preferences, the chocolate can be replaced with milk or even white chocolate.
The main condition is that the chocolate should be of the highest possible quality.
Indeed, the content of cocoa butter and cocoa mass in milk and white chocolate is lower than in dark chocolate. Therefore, to obtain the same consistency of ganache, the proportion of chocolate and cream in the milk and white versions should be shifted towards the predominance of chocolate.
In addition to heavy cream and chocolate, ganache may contain flavoring and aromatic additives – for example, dark rum, liqueurs (cherry, coffee, almond, orange, etc.), various extracts and essences (vanilla, mint). Also – fruit or berry purée – orange, passion fruit, mandarin, blackcurrant, etc.
Butter, glucose syrup, and corn syrup can all be added to ganache to improve the flavor and texture of the finished product.
Butter is most often added to compensate for the fat content when some of the heavy cream in a recipe is replaced with liqueur, fruit puree, or another flavoring ingredient. Typically, butter is used in an amount equal to half the weight of that ingredient.
Glucose syrup and corn syrup are added to prevent recrystallization of the sugar in the chocolate and to maintain the smooth consistency of the ganache. The weight of syrup added should not exceed 10% of the total weight of the ganache.
The corn syrup and glucose syrup are added to the heavy cream before it boils.
HOW TO MAKE CHOCOLATE GANACHE?
To make the ganache, the chocolate is chopped into small pieces. This is necessary for the chocolate to melt evenly. It is easiest to chop the chocolate with a knife, but you can grate it with a coarse grater if you prefer.
If you’re using chocolate in callets (equal-sized drops), you don’t need to chop.
Pour the heavy cream into a saucepan and bring to a boil. Then pour it into a bowl with chocolate and let it stand for 2-3 minutes.
Then stir the mixture with a spoon, spatula, or whisk until all the chocolate pieces are melted.
At this point, you can add the above flavorings to the ganache.
Some recipes call for adding the chopped chocolate to the cream in the saucepan. This is also a viable option, but there is a risk that the chocolate will overheat when it comes into contact with the hot bottom of the saucepan.
The ganache can then either be used immediately for its intended purpose (if it is to be used as a glaze) or cooled and stored in the refrigerator.
A tip: Before storing, place plastic wrap over the surface of the ganache to prevent it from drying out.
If the chocolate pieces are not completely melted, you can place the bowl with the mixture in a double boiler and melt while stirring constantly.
HOW TO FLAVOR GANACHE
Not only alcohol and fruit puree can be used to flavor ganache. You can also use tea, coffee, spices, vanilla, and various herbs (e.g. mint).
How does it work?
1. Bring the heavy cream to a boil, add the flavorings and remove from heat.
2. Let the mixture stand under a lid for 5-10 minutes to allow the cream to absorb the flavors.
3. Strain the cream to remove any excess.
4. Weigh the cream and make up the difference in weight (some of the weight will be lost through evaporation) by adding a small amount of whole milk.
5. Bring the flavored heavy cream back to a boil before pouring it into the chocolate.
