Ganache: Tips, Techniques & Troubleshooting

[Jim D.]

Never ever add boiling 95C an over cream to chocolate.

I always have the feeling that I am doing something bad when I add boiling cream to chocolate (previously I have posted the question, why doesn't this take the chocolate totally out of temper?), but that is what most cream ganache recipes call for--including many of the published experts (Greweling, Notter, Wybauw). Can you explain more about your advice?

[Kerry Beal]

The other thing I've done with hot cream is to mix part of the hot cream with all of the unmelted chocolate - then add remaining cream part at a time and emulsify with a stick blender.

Here is a link to the place I learned that.

Edited January 26, 2014 by Kerry Beal (log)

[Alleguede]

Never ever add boiling 95C an over cream to chocolate.

I always have the feeling that I am doing something bad when I add boiling cream to chocolate (previously I have posted the question, why doesn't this take the chocolate totally out of temper?), but that is what most cream ganache recipes call for--including many of the published experts (Greweling, Notter, Wybauw). Can you explain more about your advice?

Kerry's view and link are true and so are the techniques she mentions. I have been to demos, classes, and test sessions with a lot of different brands and chefs and each time they show you one or two different techniques to make a ganache. Thermomix, whisk, kitchen aid, hand blender, emulsifier, spatula, Stephan, robot coupe,...

Anyway, when cacao butter goes higher then 50 degrees, it's particle reaction changes and the setting of your product loses many properties.

If your ganache stays within the 30/35degree range, all stays in temper. The mouthfeel, the texture, the elasticity,.... The binding all stays together. Which creates also a longer shelf life and all the rest.

A lot of it is chemistry linked to the cristals in the chocolate (beta) as well as properties of the different ingredients too.

Hope I answered the question. If not please pm me.

Edited January 26, 2014 by Alleguede (log)

[mrk]

Hi,there, I make fruit ganache ratio I try but result have problem, I use cream(8%) fruit puree(18%) white chocolate(28%) this ratio has enough fruit flavor but so soft, hard to put a thin layer of chocolate(pre-coating), and I try raise white chocolate ratio easy to firm but not enough fruit flavor, how can I do? Thank

[keychris]

you could try adding cocoa butter instead of increasing the white chocolate content

[mrk]

you could try adding cocoa butter instead of increasing the white chocolate content

for instance, cream(8%) fruit puree(18%) white chocolate(28%) this ratio, should I adding how many cocoa butter approximately, Thank you

[Lisa Shock]

I gave up on fruit puree and started using freeze dried fruit, which I grind to a powder. I buy the fruit in tubs at the health food store.

[Jim D.]

You might want to take a look at a chocolate fillings thread on this forum.  I have done a lot of experiments to try to accomplish what you want--a chocolate filling with a strong fruit flavor.  My conclusion is that it is very difficult to do, and impossible with some fruits.  I have given up on pear, peach, and recently rhubarb (it was mixed with strawberry, and all I can taste is strawberry).  I have made some apricot ganache (with reduced apricot purée and ground up dried apricots, plus white chocolate), and it's rather bland.  The fruits I have mentioned (and probably many others) are overwhelmed by white chocolate, not to mention milk and dark.  There are lot of recipes out there by respected authors that have you add fruit flavoring to a milk or dark chocolate, but I can never taste anything beyond the slightest hint of fruit.

 

But all is not lost.  Raspberry, strawberry, cherry, orange, and passion fruit work really well.  Mango is OK but rather faint.  Lemon and lime are terrific, as is yuzu (if you can get it).  As Keychris said, substituting some cocoa butter for the white chocolate helps.  A recipe I use for lime pralines calls for 90g of cream, 125g of butter, 265g of chocolate, and 13g of cocoa butter.  That is about 5% cocoa butter (of the total choc.).  Too much cocoa butter, and the ganache loses its smoothness.

 

In the thread to which I referred above, see Kerry Beal's recipe for Raspberry Centers (a kind of butter cream).. It works!

[lesliec]

Or try this topic, which suggests essential oils and/or citric acid.

[mrk]

You might want to take a look at a chocolate fillings thread on this forum.  I have done a lot of experiments to try to accomplish what you want--a chocolate filling with a strong fruit flavor.  My conclusion is that it is very difficult to do, and impossible with some fruits.  I have given up on pear, peach, and recently rhubarb (it was mixed with strawberry, and all I can taste is strawberry).  I have made some apricot ganache (with reduced apricot purée and ground up dried apricots, plus white chocolate), and it's rather bland.  The fruits I have mentioned (and probably many others) are overwhelmed by white chocolate, not to mention milk and dark.  There are lot of recipes out there by respected authors that have you add fruit flavoring to a milk or dark chocolate, but I can never taste anything beyond the slightest hint of fruit.

 

But all is not lost.  Raspberry, strawberry, cherry, orange, and passion fruit work really well.  Mango is OK but rather faint.  Lemon and lime are terrific, as is yuzu (if you can get it).  As Keychris said, substituting some cocoa butter for the white chocolate helps.  A recipe I use for lime pralines calls for 90g of cream, 125g of butter, 265g of chocolate, and 13g of cocoa butter.  That is about 5% cocoa butter (of the total choc.).  Too much cocoa butter, and the ganache loses its smoothness.

 

In the thread to which I referred above, see Kerry Beal's recipe for Raspberry Centers (a kind of butter cream).. It works!

hi, jim, if you add 125g butter, your chocolate could firm? and the chocolate taste would have strong butter flavor? can you post the passion fruit recipe you always make good result ,Thank 

[mrk]

I saw some book said ganache can't ge into refrigerator that will get moisture on ganache but some recipe call for take into refrigerator to as fast as firm after for ernobing, so what is correct?

Edited March 29, 2014 by mrk (log)

[Kerry Beal]

It's best to make ganaches that don't require firming in the refrigerator.

 

If you get a copy of Chocolates and Confections by Greweling it describes a method of manipulation of the ganache that firms it for piping and scooping.  

 

Cold ganache removed from the fridge and put at room temperature will get condensation on the surface.  

 

If you attempt to enrobe ganache that is cold - it will expand as it warms and the chocolate will contract as it cools causing the dreaded 'truffle worms'.

[Jim D.]

hi, jim, if you add 125g butter, your chocolate could firm? and the chocolate taste would have strong butter flavor? can you post the passion fruit recipe you always make good result ,Thank 

The lime recipe to which I referred is Ewald Notter's "Key Lime Pralines."  Actually I reduce the amount of cream because on the first try the result was not firm enough.  The lime juice and zest overcome any overly buttery taste (is it possible to be overly buttery, I wonder).  The ganache is somewhat soft and the recipe would probably need some tweaking if it were used for slabbing, but it's fine for piping--and delicious.  I use fresh regular limes as I don't care for the taste of canned juice and cannot easily obtain key limes.

 

As for the passion fruit recipe, it is Peter Greweling's "Toucans."  I checked and the eGullet rules don't allow for including the procedure for recipes that are copyrighted, but it's OK to list ingredients.  So:  80g cream, 20g glucose, 80g passion fruit purée reduced (start with 160g), 300g chopped white chocolate, 20g soft butter.  The procedure is like any other cream ganache.  I always have a moment of panic at the end because the mixture is very soft, but it firms up beautifully in a short time.  It can be piped or slabbed.

[mrk]

It's best to make ganaches that don't require firming in the refrigerator.

 

If you get a copy of Chocolates and Confections by Greweling it describes a method of manipulation of the ganache that firms it for piping and scooping.  

 

Cold ganache removed from the fridge and put at room temperature will get condensation on the surface.  

 

If you attempt to enrobe ganache that is cold - it will expand as it warms and the chocolate will contract as it cools causing the dreaded 'truffle worms'.

Hi Kerry,

I have a question, if room temperature about 30C in summer, I copy of Chocolates and Confections by Greweling take the ganache in room temperature(20C) overnight, I can't turn on air- conditioner overnight,  in summer what can I do? Thank you

[Kerry Beal]

How about a wine cooler?

[Gwbyls]

Hello. I have a question that is kind of along these lines. I read in Greweling Chocolate and Confections his technique for freezing completed truffles. Is it possible to do the same with ganache without adverse affects? Has anyone done this and was it successful or was there still moisture and condensation? Thanks in advance!

[Kerry Beal]

Indeed you can freeze ganache - same rules - airtight container.  Some would say 24 hours in the fridge, then into freezer.  I usually go straight to freezer.  Then when coming out - 24 hours fridge, 24 hours room temperature before opening the airtight container.

[Gwbyls]

Hi Kerry! Thanks for the quick reply.

I have an small experimental batch that I put in a vacuum sealed bag, put in the fridge for 24 hours, transfered to the freezer and will take it out in a few weeks to test it. I plan on the 24 hour fridge, 24 hour room temperature technique when I bring it out. I gather that you have done this before. Did you have any moisture problems at all? Did it affect the taste any? Is it a good idea to freeze ganache?

Thanks again for your feedback. (I'm kind of becoming one of your groupies )

[Kerry Beal]

I don't tend to need to do it very often - as my business on the side is teaching rather than production.  It's probably less important with ganache in a bag to worry about the airtight container.  I was picturing ganache slabs or cut pieces that will get enrobed once they are thawed.  

 

 Chocolot would tell you to test the flavour each of your ganaches after freezing - some flavours become stronger when frozen so you need to know the effect.

[Jim D.]

I often freeze ganaches.  Since I am working alone, if I fill the chocolate shells as the ganache is made, I end up with the first pieces sitting around for longer than I like while I finish the rest of the batch.  So I let the ganache firm up a bit (on parchment), then vacuum seal it with my Weston vacuum sealer.  I just put it straight in the freezer.  When I have all the shells made, then I remove the ganaches (usually, but not always, including the interim step of leaving them in the fridge for a day).  I heat them slowly over a water bath until they have returned to their original consistency.  At first I was apprehensive about this method, but I have not been able to detect any difference between the previously frozen and the fresh ganaches.  I am extra careful about heating ganaches with lots of butter (especially a butter-based ganache) as they can go a bit grainy.  But, after a few seconds with an immersion blender, they seem as good as new--at least to me.

 

This past Christmas I went back to the "approved" method of making ganache and filling shells immediately, and the whole process was so much more hectic that I won't go back to it again.  I know that some of the people to whom I give the chocolates eat them one per day, and I get nervous thinking about how long the earliest-made chocolates have been sitting from production to consumption.

 

Another positive side effect of freezing ganache:  If you are invited to a dinner party, you can whip up a nice batch of chocolates at the last minute.  A month ago I decided to contribute some chocolates to a benefit dinner and took the opportunity to use up all the bits of ganaches in the freezer.  It was a great success.

[Gwbyls]

Jim,

Excellent feedback! I really like how you used up all the leftover bits in a creative way. I have two small batches in my freezer right and I am looking forward to trying this out. I too am muddling through this alone and do see the benefits you mentioned. I also need to try the immersion blender. I have not tried that yet. More experimenting! Yippee!

[mrk]

Thank for Kerry and Jim

 

If I use wine cooler but not moisture adjust function, what is receivable limits humidity of chocolate?

[Kerry Beal]

mrk - not sure what you mean

[Jim D.]

I often freeze ganaches. ...At first I was apprehensive about this method, but I have not been able to detect any difference between the previously frozen and the fresh ganaches.  I am extra careful about heating ganaches with lots of butter (especially a butter-based ganache) as they can go a bit grainy.  But, after a few seconds with an immersion blender, they seem as good as new--at least to me.

To set the record straight, I must rephrase my completely positive remarks about reheating ganaches:  Today I had the first failure in this process (leave it to white chocolate to keep us humble).  It was Ewald Notter's coconut ganache.  Of course, items with coconut are never completely smooth, but it was fine when I first made it.  Today, in the reheating process, it separated.  After trying a couple a methods of fixing it, I more or less succeeded, at least enough to be able to use it.  (The taste, by the way, is wonderful.)

 

So now I must say that reheating seems to work fine with dark or milk chocolate ganaches, but white chocolate is another story.  It is crucial to heat it very slowly, stirring almost constantly.  And even then it may separate.  In the future, I probably won't be making ganaches based on white chocolate in advance.  It is necessary to balance the confidence one gets from knowing that a ganache is already made and is going to be firm enough to work against the definite possibility that it won't heat up well.

[AnythingButPlainChocolate]

mrk, if you are worried about moisture you could put some salt in a muslin bag and put it in the cooler, this should help pick up any rogue moisture, however I've never had a problem using a wine cooler (without wine in it!).