Infusing butter ganache with vanilla bean

[David J.]

I'm making a vanilla butter ganache for a "Cookies N Cream" bon-bon so I can use real cookie inclusions without having them disolve into mush on me. The issue is how to get the vanilla flavor into the ganache. Since vanilla is the major flavor I would prefer to use real beans, but unlike a cream ganache I don't have anything to boil it with. Other options include vanilla extract and a vanilla liqour "Navan" that I bought some time ago to experiment with.

[Kerry Beal]

How about just the scraped seeds from a vanilla bean? I'd probably let them sit in the warm tempered chocolate for as long as possible to extract flavour before adding the butter. Or vanilla crystals - it's crystallized pure vanilla.

[David J.]

I've got a lot of beans so I'd like to use them if possible. I hadn't thought of infusing directly into the chocolate, but that should work. I can split the pods, scrape the beans and dump everything into the chocolate and keep it at temperature for a day or so in a melter. Then all I have to do is pull out the pods, temper, and make my ganache.

That will give me the both the best flavor and least water. Thanks.

[prairiegirl]

You could even add the seeds directly to the butter and you don't need to spend time "infusing" as this is done automatically. (because the seeds are suspended in the butter). I use this process whenever I do a vanilla buttercream bonbon. Plus I add a smidge of Galiano liqueur.

[Lior]

I have used Navan in vanilla ganache. It is a lovely liqueur but not too strong so I don't know how much extra vanilla taste it would give. You could also infuse the vanilla into ghee while it is melted. Even butter canbe melted gently infused and tempered with unmelted butter and cooled to room temp.

[David J.]

You could even add the seeds directly to the butter and you don't need to spend time "infusing" as this is done automatically. (because the seeds are suspended in the butter).  I use this process whenever I do a vanilla buttercream bonbon.  Plus I add a smidge of Galiano liqueur.

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So you just add the seeds straight to a white chocolate/butter ganache? Is the the Galiano liqueur just for the touch of anise?

[David J.]

I have used Navan in vanilla ganache. It is a lovely liqueur but not too strong so I don't know how much extra vanilla taste it would give. You could also infuse the vanilla into ghee while it is melted. Even butter canbe melted gently infused and tempered with unmelted butter and cooled to room temp.

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I had no idea one could retemper butter once it was melted. It sounds like more work than other methods, but now I need to know. How exactly is this done?

[Lior]

I do it when I make a lemon butter sauce for artichokes! I gently melt the butter over low heat. I turn off the flame before all the butter is melted - as the melted part melts the unmelted parts ( ). Stir till all pieces are melted. Usually now it is tempered but If I melted too much butter and want to return some to the fridge, I add a blob of butter, mix it in and walla! It won't do that "thing" that happens when you return melted butter to the fridge-if you ever returned melted butter to the fridge you will understand what I mean.

Just like chocolate- the fats need a bit of tempering I guess. It takes a few seconds-no more! You can flavour butter this way with any herbs or spices.

Edited April 30, 2009 by Lior (log)

[David J.]

I know the seperated mess that you get when you chill melted butter.

How cold is the added butter, and can/do you return it to the fridge after it is mixed in? Is that just a little hand whisking?

[paulraphael]

I've infused vanilla successfully into melted butter, just by splitting beans, tossing into the butter, and holding over low heat for 5 to 10 minutes.

The flavor is excellent, even when it's the second use of the beans.

Chocolate is probably a good enough emuslfier that you wouldn't have to worry about breaking the butter. If think breaking will be an issue, you could infuse the vanilla into a beurre monte ... it would just take a bit of effort to keep the temp below 180 or so, to keep it from breaking.

[Lior]

Well I just take a plop from the fridge and mix it in with a teaspoon.

Perhaps as Paulraphael said, it may not need tempering if it is being mixedin with chocolate. I temper it cause I do put it back in the fridge to use and warm up later. If you flavour butter with Rosemary and garlic for ex, you can even pour it into molds (silicone) and get cute shapes. I make my lemon butter sauce ahead of time and then reheat. If I don't temper first time around, it breaks when I reheat...

[David J.]

OK, so as I understand it your process never gets your butter warm enough to break. That allows you to infuse and then re-chill it. I was thinking you were fixing broken butter.

I suppose for my purposes I could just let it cool to 85F and mix it with the tempered chocolate since the chocolate is going to melt it anyway.

[Kerry Beal]

OK, so as I understand it your process never gets your butter warm enough to break.  That allows you to infuse and then re-chill it.  I was thinking you were fixing broken butter.

I suppose for my purposes I could just let it cool to 85F and mix it with the tempered chocolate since the chocolate is going to melt it anyway.

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I think she is melting it, infusing it, then essentially retempering it with the introduction of seed butter from the fridge.

[Lior]

Exactly-Kerry has it right!

It is completely melted. Sometimes it breaks but I try not to, but it is melted all the way.

[ElsieD]

I make my lemon butter sauce ahead of time and then reheat. If I don't temper first time around, it breaks when I reheat...

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[Lior]

Hi ElsieD!

Yes exactement! It looks like it has never been melted. It looks creamy and normal.

[Lior]

Here I made some today . I was making my daughter a "Martha Stewart Perfect Omelette" as she calls it, and while melting the butter I decided to melt more, temper it, flavour it, mold it, fridge it and photograph it. I used salted butter and added parsley. I used a silicone ice cube mold.

Edited May 1, 2009 by Lior (log)

[ElsieD]

Here I made some today . I was making my daughter a "Martha Stewart Perfect Omelette" as she calls it, and while melting the butter I decided to melt more, temper it, flavour it, mold it, fridge it and photograph it. I used salted butter and added parsley. I used a silicone ice cube mold.

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Wow! That sure is pretty. I can't wait to try it out. This is one of the best things I've heard about all year.

[Lior]

I am so glad!