5 replies to this topic

[Cassie]

Does anyone have any advice on how to prevent ganache from cracking or splintering when being cut with a knife. I am looking for an explanation of the chemical reason so I can correct it. I usually add the hot cream (I cool it to 105*F before gradually adding it to the melted dark chocolate (which is also about 95-105*). The texture of the ganache is creamy, but when I cut it into pieces, some of the ganache sticks to the knife or breaks off. I use a gently heated knife to cut my ganaches and that helps somewhat. I am wondering if there is a flaw in my recipes: not enough fat in the recipe--would that cause this?

[Kerry Beal]

Cassie - welcome to eG by the way - can we ask a bit more about the details of the recipe?

It may simply be that you need to cut with a wire instead of a knife if you are already very happy with the texture of the center that you are making.

[lironp]

That sometimes happens to me when the foot I spread on the bottom is too thick- by the time I finish cutting, the foot is really hard and breaks away, sometimes causing the ganache to break a bit as well

[lebowits]

That sometimes happens to me when the foot I spread on the bottom is too thick- by the time I finish cutting, the foot is really hard and breaks away, sometimes causing the ganache to break a bit as well

Two things when "footing". First, you're just going to have to get comfortable spreading a really thin coat with a pallet knife. I remember hearing this from another eG'er years ago and trust me, it just takes a little practice.

Second, many people use UN-tempered chocolate for the foot. It takes longer to get firm enough to touch, but it won't crack and break off anywhere near as much.

I've reached the point where I just don't have time to deal with untempered chocolate. I've got too many other things to get done. So I spread a really thin foot, and cut it as soon as it's dry to the touch. I do this on my slab caramels which are cut by hand and with ganache slabs which are cut on a guitar.

Don't fret. Practice and enjoy the remnants!

[Cassie]

Thank you, Kerry. I apologize for not responding sooner--I have been dipping my Kahlua, walnut marshmallows!

Here is an example of one of the ganaches that cracks--this one is a fruit ganache:

Raspberry chocolate truffles--
Raspberry puree, reduced with 50g of sugar:100g
Heavy Cream (41%): 168g
Invert sugar: 35g
Butter: 37g
Chambord: 35-40g

I heat the cream to a simmer, combine with the raspberry puree and bring back to a simmer. Add the invert sugar and cool to 105*F.
Temper the dark chocolate to 95*. Add the cream/rasp mixture slowly. Add the butter at 90*. Add the Chambord.
Pour into frame and crystallize overnight.

This is another example--a peanut butter ganache--

Creamy peanut butter: 270g
Milk chocolate, tempered to 88*F: 135g

Combine peanut butter and milk chocolate. Emulsify and pour into frame. Crystyallize overnight.

I used to add cocoa butter (35g, at 90*), but it made the ganache too firm and didn't have a creamy mouthfeel. It also added a bit of a waxy feel. It's still a bit firmer than I like.

I also have a hazelnut praline ganache that cracks when I cut it. could it be that the ganaches are not fully emulsified before they are slabbed? It seems that lack of fat is not the problem since the peanut butter and hazelnut praline ganaches are high in fat. Or is there too much fat?

[Nigelodeon]

Hello Cassie!

I'm new here and I'd like to share my toughts and knowledge too (:

To your problem now: Seems that your recipies have a lot of solidifying agents, I think you might get your problem solved if you add a little glucose syrup to your preparation. Just take around 40gr and add it to the cream before starting to boil it.

Also, adding a bit of butter to the chocolate/pb ganache might work, since adding glucose to that recipie might not be the best idea because there is no liquids to solve the glucose in.

Hope you try it and let us know if that fixed your ganache.

Cheers (:

Edited by Nigelodeon, 03 June 2012 - 02:12 AM.