Ganache made with previously frozen cream

[mostlylana]

I'm wondering if ganache made with previously frozen cream will have the same shelf life as ganache made with fresh cream. Of course, this is assuming the cream is frozen 'fresh' and thawed properly.

My concern is getting the same emulsion using frozen cream as with fresh cream. I've experimented and all seems good. I use a thermomix and so heated and whipped the cream before proceeding. This seemed to take care of the separation that happens when the cream is thawed.

I was hoping the science minded people might be able to shed some light on this.

If you're wondering why I'm asking - I use organic products and can purchase cream wholesale by the case but can't use it as quickly as needed. Hence the need to freeze! I've been purchasing my cream retail up until now... expensive!

[Kerry Beal]

I suspect it shouldn't change - don't have any cream in the house right now but if I remember I'll do a little experiment and measure the available water with fresh and with frozen cream next batch of ganache I make.

[mostlylana]

What a great idea! Kerry you're fabulous. Thank you so much!!

[Darienne]

Mine is a very amateur reply but I have used thawed cream in a number of ganaches and not noticed any differences.

[mostlylana]

Mine is a very amateur reply but I have used thawed cream in a number of ganaches and not noticed any differences.

That's great to hear! Thanks for sharing.

[scott123]

The damage to dairy products caused by freezing is irreversible. Expanding ice crystals damage the protein framework and some of the emulsion is lost. It can't be re-emsulified. It's similar to the damage one finds with freezing meat. Once the cells are ruptured and the meat gives up some of it's water, there's no way to put Humpty Dumpty back together again.

Frozen cream will always be impaired. There are mitigating factors, though, that dictate the extent of the impairment. Stabilizers, such as gums, will lower the freezing point and decrease ice crystal size. Ice crystal size can also be kept in check with faster freezing.

Context plays a large role in detecting impairment. Consuming the cream straight, in, say, something like strawberries and cream, will make the impairment much more noticeable than in ganache. I would venture to say that unless you told your average person that the cream had been frozen, most people would be hard pressed to tell the difference. At the same time, though, most people will freeze a beautiful rib eye steak without blinking an eye.

As far as shelf life goes, any loss in emulsion results in greater water activity, and water activity hastens spoilage. Ganache tends to be pretty sturdy stuff, though, so I don't think the loss in shelf life will be that dramatic.

And, I'm not sure if this helps you, but, as long as a container hasn't been opened, cream, especially the organic brands of cream which are usually ultra pasteurized, will last far longer than it's expiration date. I frequently have opened cartons of cream spoil within weeks- long before the expiration date, while unopened cartons are flawless two months (and longer) past the date.

[mostlylana]

That all makes complete sense Scott. Thank you so much for confirming my suspicions. I'm somewhat of a shelf life junkie so I think I'll stick to fresh cream. I like to make my ganache on the soft side (ie - decreased shelf life), so I try to take whatever steps I can to increase shelf life in other ways. Kerry, if you're still up to it - I'd love to see what the difference is in aw between fresh and frozen!

[Kerry Beal]

That all makes complete sense Scott. Thank you so much for confirming my suspicions. I'm somewhat of a shelf life junkie so I think I'll stick to fresh cream. I like to make my ganache on the soft side (ie - decreased shelf life), so I try to take whatever steps I can to increase shelf life in other ways. Kerry, if you're still up to it - I'd love to see what the difference is in aw between fresh and frozen!

Got some cream in the freezer right now!

[mostlylana]

Got some cream in the freezer right now!

Woo Hoo!!

[Kerry Beal]

Ok - so the results are in! On the left we have the ganache made with 120 grams of frozen and thawed cream, along with 250 grams of dark chocolate and 35 grams of butter. On the right 120 grams of fresh cream, 250 grams of dark chocolate and 35 grams of butter.

The frozen/thawed cream was lumpy and split as anticipated upon thawing.

I mixed both ganaches in the thermomix, heated the cream and chocolate for 4 minutes at 50C, turned up the speed to 5 to emulsify. Added the butter and continued at speed 5 for about 20 seconds.

The aW readings on both ganaches were identical at 0.84. I couldn't detect any real difference in texture or smoothness between the two ganaches - in fact think I liked the one from the frozen cream just the tiniest bit more.

[Beth Wilson]

That is awesome! Kerry, I admire your ability to take on a challenge and give us the results!

I think this will add another thing to our freezers that we can stock up on when it goes on sale! Of course it is to be used up with our spring time freezer clean out!

Thanks for experimenting!

[Kerry Beal]

That is awesome! Kerry, I admire your ability to take on a challenge and give us the results!

I think this will add another thing to our freezers that we can stock up on when it goes on sale! Of course it is to be used up with our spring time freezer clean out!

Thanks for experimenting!

I don't think there is 2 square inches in my freezer to put a container of cream! I still haven't finished my cleanout from last year - maybe this winter.

[mostlylana]

The aW readings on both ganaches were identical at 0.84. I couldn't detect any real difference in texture or smoothness between the two ganaches - in fact think I liked the one from the frozen cream just the tiniest bit more.

Kerry you're great!! What would we do without you?!

Wow, I was not expecting those results. Very interesting. Hey Kerry, if you haven't eaten it all - can you check the aW in a week's time or so? I can't imagine it would change - but it seems my 'imaginings' are off these days!

I'm just tickled that you did that! And now if it works out, I wonder what my cold infusions will look like?! Lumpy cream and coffee - yikes! I wonder how it would work to infuse first, strain, and then freeze?? Ahhh, more to play with...

Thanks Kerry!

[Kerry Beal]

The aW readings on both ganaches were identical at 0.84. I couldn't detect any real difference in texture or smoothness between the two ganaches - in fact think I liked the one from the frozen cream just the tiniest bit more.

Kerry you're great!! What would we do without you?!

Wow, I was not expecting those results. Very interesting. Hey Kerry, if you haven't eaten it all - can you check the aW in a week's time or so? I can't imagine it would change - but it seems my 'imaginings' are off these days!

I'm just tickled that you did that! And now if it works out, I wonder what my cold infusions will look like?! Lumpy cream and coffee - yikes! I wonder how it would work to infuse first, strain, and then freeze?? Ahhh, more to play with...

Thanks Kerry!

I'll put them aside - can you remind me in a week? Good memory but short...

[justDeb]

Kerry, out of curiosity, what do you use to measure water activity? Aren't those instruments ridiculously expensive?

[Kerry Beal]

Kerry, out of curiosity, what do you use to measure water activity? Aren't those instruments ridiculously expensive?

Remember - the one with she most toys when she dies...wins!

I picked up a reconditioned PaWkit from the company for a whole lot less than new.

[justDeb]

You certainly do have quite an impressive toy collection!

[mostlylana]

I'll put them aside - can you remind me in a week? Good memory but short...

Yup, I'll remind you in a week. I love this part of making chocolates! I think I need that toy too...

[Kerry Beal]

You certainly do have quite an impressive toy collection!

Yup - but pales in comparison to andiesenji's.

[mostlylana]

I'll put them aside - can you remind me in a week? Good memory but short...

Yup, I'll remind you in a week. I love this part of making chocolates! I think I need that toy too...

Kerry, it looks like time got away from me a bit. Well it's been just over a week... time for another aW test! (drum roll please...)

[Kerry Beal]

Funny - just looked at it this am - and moved them over to my work area to do this evening.

[Kerry Beal]

Both still 0.84 aW - and both moldy interestingly.

[mostlylana]

Both still 0.84 aW - and both moldy interestingly.

I guess the mold stands to reason if the ganache was unenrobed at room temp for over a week. But I just looked back at your recipe and it's got a high chocolate to cream ratio. And according to Wybauw, an aW of .84 should give a 3 month shelf life when enrobed. I guess it IS a head scratcher that it would be moldy after just over a week.

Well I'm glad to hear that BOTH ganache were moldy. At least the experiment gave some useful results! Too bad you couldn't enjoy those results though... yuck!

Thanks for being so helpful Kerry. I will definitely play around with freezing cream for ganache.

[Kerry Beal]

0.85 seems to be that point where you go from 3 weeks to 3 months shelf life. Guess for 3 good months you're better down around 0.7 and enrobed.