Enrobed Chocolate Separates from Ganache

[Stan Kitson]

I'm having a problem w/ some of my truffles, after a few days the enrobed chocolate separates and crumbles from the ganache when you bite into it.

In the past its held together very well. 

 

We're using a 70%, 4-drip viscosity chocolate to enrobe, its in temper.

The room is between 68 - 70 F, % humidity in low 30's, they're stored at 60 F. 

 

I'm trying to figure out where to start diagnosing the problem.

Is it the ganache?

The temperature we're enrobing or storing in?   

Humidity? 

 

We're using the same brand chocolate for enrobing that we've always used. 

Anyone ever hae a similar situation? 

Thanks

[teonzo]

Probably you are enrobing the pieces sooner than before. You need to let them rest few hours in the air, so their surface dries a bit, becomes rougher instead of perfectly smooth, so the chocolate adheres better.

 

 

 

Teo

 

[Francois Royal]

Hello,

your room temperature is about correct, however please adjust humidity and storage temperature. I've attached some image from my book CCG on the correct temperature and humidity, hope it will help.

Now to answer what is the real issue of your coating tempered chocolate that separates and crumbles from the ganache (center) is as follow:

• Missing of fats in your ganache (we talk here about butter)
• Missing of inverted sugar
• Bad emulsion of your ganache (use spatula when you mix ganache at first, then when you add butter at 35-36C, mix it with blender) - dont use whisk its a comment mistake 

 

Note: don't use 70% dark chocolate to coat centers of ganache, its not recommended, better use around 55% Dark

 

I hope I was of a help, let me know if you have other inquiries.

Merci

Edited March 30, 2020 by Francois Royal
adding styles (log)

[Stan Kitson]

Thank you Francois. 

 

I have a feeling the humidity is the primary culprit. 

My recipes include 3.5 - 4.5% invert sugar and about 4 - 5% butter, although I'm considering increasing that to increase creaminess. 

 

I've used the 70% chocoalate to enrobe in the past and its worked beautifully. 

 

We're in Wisconsin, the humidity has been low and that's when we started noticing the change in the enrobing.  

 

I appreciate your guidence. 

Stay healthy. 

[Francois Royal]

13 hours ago, Stan Kitson said:

My recipes include 3.5 - 4.5% invert sugar and about 4 - 5% butter, although I'm considering increasing that to increase creaminess. 

Just to clarify when I’ve mentioned missing of fat and inverted sugar I ment we need to balance it! I know you add it already however we need to balance that amont because the separation cause is in relation to the ganache not the tempered chocolate. 
🙂

[Stan Kitson]

Thank you Francois, you've made me ask more questions. 

 

When we consider fats, are we including all fat in the ganache - fat from butter, milk, cream and cocoa butter? 

Is the invert sugar is reducing the amount of water available to surround the fat particles, causing the ganache to break? 

 

Is the balance between fat and inverted sugar a ratio or percentage of inverted sugar to total fat? 

 

Am I close to thinking right?

[Francois Royal]

Your questions are very beautiful and fall into our topic.

 

When we consider fats, are we including all fat in the ganache - fat from butter, milk, cream and cocoa butter? 

When we consider fats for your situation, I only mean butter or either cocoa butter.

am sure your cream is 35% or higher already hey

Is the invert sugar is reducing the amount of water available to surround the fat particles, causing the ganache to break? 

Correct!

• the inverted sugar reduces the amount of water as result it will increase dry matter of all your mixture (Inverted sugar contain 62% min of dry matter).
• Inverted sugar is a powerful anti-crystallization 
• lowers the viscosity of the masses. more fluid ganache
• Modifies, softens and shortens the texture

Is the balance between fat and inverted sugar a ratio or percentage of inverted sugar to total fat? 

I have on my hand professional recipes that contain only cocoa butter with no inverted sugar, some with butter 16% water only. some with just glucose! no fat.

there's no ratio or percentage to follow! its all depend on the recipe given. yet be careful switching to milk ganache doesnt only change the amount of cream only but all the recipe. (unfortunately for books available in market i didnt see yet 1 book given details of a recipe, so dont be surprise to add extras work to adjust it.)

Am I close to thinking right?

you are thinking right  just remember ganache is most complex material to work with from all my pastry and culinary experience, ganache perspective from conservation, storage and in relation to texture to tempered chocolate is the hardest to understand and follow! I till today I try to improve my knowledge with it and create conclusions. what i want to say is dont give up you are dealing with the most complex matter here LOL.

Also when you adjust your recipe if you reduce or increase some raw material you might solve the problem and create another one! so your goal with ganache is to find the ultimate balance to satisfy conservation, texture, taste. its a line that goes trough all the beauty of enjoying a ganache.

Edited April 2, 2020 by Francois Royal (log)

[Stan Kitson]

Francois, this is extremely helpful, thank you for sharing your knowledge and experience.