Here is a copy of a free eBook on Chocolate Ganache
Lately I have been concentrating more about baking and baking related posts rather than my day to day cooking. The main reason is that my readers are more interested in my baking posts and my other posts get hardly any views. So I thought of making it interesting to the readers. Though I have given the recipe of chocolate ganache in my mud cake post, I thought of making an individual post and discuss about ganache. For Christmas, I made a chocolate cake frosted with dark chocolate ganache and it was a hit. My daughter loves anything with chocolate and ganache is 100% chocolate for her. Even my client prefers ganache to butter cream nowadays. So I am sharing my ganache recipe with you today. Ganache in French means Cheek / jowl (courtesy – Priya Suresh). I think the consistency of ganache is so smooth that it is connected with chubby cheek.
Ganache is made of just two divine ingredients – chocolate and cream. Depending upon the consistency of the ganache, it can be used for truffles, glaze or frosting. When the chocolate and cream are mixed in equal quantities, it can be used for glazing. Adding a little butter to the glaze makes it very shiny. When the chocolate is double the quantity of cream, then it can be used to frost and decorate cakes. It comes in piping consistency and so it is easier to pipe out designs on cakes. When the chocolate is 2.5 times the quantity of cream, then it can be used for truffles. Truffle and frosting ganache sets hard whereas the glaze doesn’t set so hard.
This video demonstrates the making of the ganache. Don’t forget to subscribe for the channel to get new videos in your mail.
The only problem which arises while making ganache is the chocolate may not melt fully and the ganache may turn out crunchy with the chocolate bits. This problem arises only when you use cold chocolate which is straight of fridge or when the climate is very cold. Do not refrigerate chocolate slab. If it is in the fridge, make sure that it returns to room temperature before making ganache. Chop chocolate to very tiny pieces. I feel that shredding the chocolate with a peeler would be great as chocolate melts fast when shredded thinly. While heating cream make sure that it is heated on medium flame. We don’t want curdled cream for ganache. When the cream starts bubbling and is near boiling stage, pour it on the chocolate. Do not stir immediately. If the climate is cool and the chocolate is not completely melt, there is another way to make it fine. Just keep the bowl on a pot with boiling water. Yes, I am talking about double boiler method. Whatever chocolate chunk is leftover will be taken care of during this stage. Once the ganache is silky smooth and glossy you can remove it from heat.
Now let us take a look on what types of chocolate and cream can be used for making ganache. You can use coverture or compound. You can use bitter sweet, milk or white chocolate to make ganache. If using white chocolate then you need to use three portions of chocolate and one portion of cream. Otherwise it will not set properly. For cream you can use whipping cream, low fat cream or non diary cream. I usually use dark chocolate compound and amul fresh cream to make my ganache.
I made this ganache on a hot day, so my chocolate melted easily even though I sliced it to chunks. But when I made it on a cold day, I had to heat it again in my double boiler to get lump free smooth ganache.
Heat cream until it starts bubbling and is near boiling stage.
Pour it on the chopped chocolate and set aside for 2-3 minutes.
With a spoon mix it gently.
You can see the melting of chocolate.
When it is shiny and smooth the ganache is ready. If not place it on a pot of boiling water for further melting. Cover with cling wrap and set aside for a minimum of four hours.
After four hours the ganache will harden and will become really thick.
You can use it to frost and decorate a cake. If the ganache has hardened too much and you have difficulty while applying it on the cake, place it again on the double boiler for a minute and let it loosen a bit. Then use it for frosting.
Hope you found this post useful.
My other posts in the Baking Basics Series:
super gayathri… very well explained… when the ganache is fully set we can even do the piping the way u have done ?
Yes Geetha, you can pipe it just like what I have done..
Wow … Everyday so excited to see ur posts on baking . Clearly explained post .
For glazing v can use Atonce v made as per Ur proportions ?
The ganache was still nt hard I couldnt coat my cake
I have a doubt. After melting it should I store it out or in fridge… Iam confused. I have kept it in fridge for almost 4hrs but I couldn’t cover the cake.. I used tropolite cream.. please suggest some cream for Ganache.
The ganache needs atleast 4 hours at room temp or 2 hours in fridge. If it becomes very hard, you can reheat it until you get the rigt consistency. I have used amul fresh cream for the ganache and find it good..
Hey thanks Gayathri 🙂 if its hard.. should I double boil or microwave it..
Hello… Once I add a thin ganache filling on a layer of the cake and placed the next layer of cake on the top … the cake slides down… plz help me out… its sliding one side to another
If the ganache is too thin then the cake will slide. Place the cake in fridge for 15 minutes and then place the other layer. The consistency of the ganache must be like butter cream. If it is thin like glaze then you need to give it some more time to firm up.
Hi gayathri
Thanx for such amazing recipes… I wud like to know for how much time this ganache can be used if kept in freezer…
hi gayathri,
thankyou so much for this post! my daughter too loves ganache and not buttercream.
is the proportion of chocolate to cream in terms of their weight or volume?
It is the weight, Anu.
Hi Gayathri..
I am big fan ur receips..especially eggless cakes..can the same consistency be used for the cake pops..Since Chocomelts are very expensive..
Thank you. Ganache can’t be used to coat cake pops. It is very thick and it is impossible to coat the pops with it.
Thank you for sharing the recipe …very well explained.
Thank u for sharing the recipe …As per your recipe double the quantity of cream. Like 100 grm. cream and 200grm. chocolate. Is it correct?
Yes, that is the ratio.
Hi gayathri mam Thanks for the video… did u used couverture chocolate for your ganache… dose cooking and couverture chocolate are same… bcoz I ve heared compound chocolate doesn”t taste that good as couverture… where can I get couverture chocolate in madurai or any other shops that dey will send courier …. waiting for ur rpl…Thanks… rgds kanya
I have used compound for this ganache. Couverture tastes greater than compound. What we get as cooking chocolate in Madurai is not couverture. It is compound. You need to source couverutre online or from Chennai. I haven’t come across couverture in Madurai.
Thx for your rply mam…..:)
I in the process of building a ganache cake after having gone many a time through your blog and utube post i decided to follow 1×2 part cream/chocolate. I will be frosting and decorating both by this ganache. Pl advise. Further pl advice on the following :
1. Whether by this ganache i can pipe flowers on flower nail set.
2. Whether the cake will be soft enough to cut by kitchen knief.
I thank you for your simple and detailed recipies.
Regards
Suredran Nair
For piping, use 500 gm of chocolate and 200 ml amul low fat cream. This is easy to pipe and stays soft to cut.
Including frosting – 2. 5 Time ?
And thank you for prompt response…..
Yes. The piped ganache holds shape nicely for this ratio..
Wow….nice… I thought for leyaring and dressing 1X2,Part ratio…. Thank a lot mam
Will this ganache be able to pipe on 2 cakes?
Depends upon the size of the cake and the design you have chosen.
how is it when it comes to amul whipping cream (200ml), how much chocolate and how much sugar?
Add 400 gm of chocolate. And no sugar. I usually don’t add sugar in ganache..
Hi Gayathri which cream have you used in ganache can I use Amul fresh cream or non dairy whipping cream I tried with home made cream ( malie) but became oily TIA
I have used low fat Amul fresh cream.
Hello Ma’am ,
Can I use Lindt 70% or 90% chocolate for piping Ganache ? I have both 70% and 90%. Will it taste bitter ? Do i need to add sugar in it ? If yes how much.? One pack of amul fresh cream and 2 parts chocolate , will it cover the cake properly ? How much ganache is needed for a half kg cake ?
70% and 90% will be too bitter. You can add some sugar to the cream while heating it, so that the ganache is not overly bitter..
Thanx ma’am ..plz also tell for a half kg cake , how much cream and chocolate so that it is coated as well piping designs
It depends upon how you frost. It is better, you make a batch with 400 gm of chocolate and decide on it. It is better to have larger batch than making a smaller batch.
I have one doubt, how many cups of chocolate and cream should be taken for this recipe, i didn’t understand that can you plz share that
It is better to weigh the chocolate instead of measuring in cups. For 400 gm of chocolate use 200 ml Amul fresh cream.
Hi Gaytari nice video.
Pl Can you also upload a video for the side lines you have done on cake.
I have tried it a couple of times but do not get the finesse
I thankyou so much for sharing your recipes.
I would like to know for piping do we need to whip the ganache first or directly use the ganache kept to set at room temperature for piping?
Also after piping the cake do I need to refrigerate it ?
You don’t have to whip ganache for piping and it can stay at room temp once finished. No need to refrigerate.
Awesome videos n great blog Gayathri…very helpful. Pls tell me how should I store ganache for longer time as in a month or more? Will it stay? Should I freeze it.. But once it comes to room temperature..will it split??
Use it within two weeks if storing in fridge. Else it is better to freeze and thaw it before using.
White chocolate simple glaze with butter for 8×4 cake.could you help me with qty.of chocolate, cream and butter. Thanks
For glaze you need to use equal amounts of cream and chocolate. Use 100 gm chocolate, 100 gm of cream and a tbs of butter.
Thanks mam.
I am planning a cake with coloured chocolate galaze…so I will be doing with white chocolate by your above formula
Dear gayathri should we store ganache frosted cake in fridge or in room temperature
Not necessary. You can keep it at room temperature.
Hi gayatri. Thanks for the clarification I have always had about using coeveture and compound for ganache for filling and covering cake.
So from what I understand, even if I use coeveture or compound (milk or dark chocolate) – – I need to use the 2:1 or 2.5:1 (choco:cream) ratio. It doesn’t matter what type or what color of choco.
If white chocolate, even if it is coeveture or compound – I use 3:1 (choco:cream) ratio for filling and icing cake.
And for pour able ganache, any type of chocolate or color – 1:1 ratio with little butter
Am I right???
Yes Shabna, you are correct.
Dear Gayathri ma’am,
Thank you for all your recipes. It’s wonderful how you share them so selflessly.
I tried the ganache yesterday using Amul cream and 35% milk chocolate by 2m as I couldn’t find anything other. The ganache never set and is still very soft after 5 hours. Could it be because if the milk chocolate I used? Please help.
Hi Sandhya, thank you. The reason might be because of the heat now. During too hot temperatures, it is better to use lesser cream than usual.
Thank you ma’am. It worked with lesser cream
Hi Mam
Can you tell me the exact difference between glaze ad ganache.
After baking if we are icing the cake next day do we neec to keep it in fridge or out.
If the cream is to looze ad cake is falling should we keep the cake in fridge or freezer to set.
Can you even share perfect recipe of bread and pav with perfect cup measures and do tell me the ml of cup you are using as am new to baking.
Choclate should be kept in fridge or at room temperature for the ganache to set.
If you really wish to know in detail about the ganache and its techniques, you can take up my online course on it. I describe everything in detail in the class. As for the cup, I use 200 ml in all my recipes. I also have pav and bread recipes in this blog as well as my YouTube channel. You can check my recipe index- breads to view all the recipes.
Hi Gayathri mam, is it possible to paste the candy clay flat figures on the side of a ganache frosting cake? Or can we use a American butter cream figure on the ganache frosting?
Yes, you can definitely use cutouts of chocolate clay on ganache cakes and also you can pair butter cream and ganache.
Thank you so much.
Hello Gayathri Ma’am, can I use morde dark compound chocolate for ganache and frosting the cake? Also can I use the Amul cream the red colour pack for this Receipe.
Yes to both. I have used morde only.
Thank you so much ma’am. I have tried your whole wheat chocolate cake and it was just amazing. Super soft and yummy. Even after being kept in fridge it was still the same, didn’t become hard at all. My kids just loved it. Thank you so much for so many Eggless baking recipes.
That is wonderful. Thanks for sharing!
How long can i keep the ganache without refridgerator? How to increase the shelf life of ganache made with compound and cream or anything else to substitute cream?
There is water ganache which you can try. But if you refrigerate ganache, it would stay good for nearly 15 days, but at room temperature, maximum two days, not more than that.
If i add oil instead of cream to the melted compound chocolate will it stay good without refridgerator? For how long?
No, oil is not a substitute for cream. And the chocolate won’t become ganache but will be chocolate only.
But would it be atleast softer? And would it need refrigerator?
No, it is just chocolate and it will set even at room temperature.