Ganache: Tips, Techniques & Troubleshooting

[Aria]

find if ganache sits for a while that it does get rather crusty, however after a day or so enrobed in chocolate I think you will find the crunchiness will likely disappear.

Thanks Kerry! I was wondering about the reason why the crunchiness will disappear. Will it for sure or only in some cases?

Also,

Did you use any invert sugar (corn syrup, glucose, honey, etc.) in your ganache? This helps prevent sugar crystals from forming and also has a natural preservative effect.

I've never used invert sugar because I've always wanted the truffles to be 'natural'. Is the taste different if you used invert sugar? Maybe I'll try using it next time.

Thanks so much everyone!

[John DePaula]

I've never used invert sugar because I've always wanted the truffles to be 'natural'. Is the taste different if you used invert sugar? Maybe I'll try using it next time.

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honey, corn syrup and glucose (which is just corn syrup with less water (there are wheat based versions, too, but I don't like the taste)) are natural, though you should verify that sulpher-dixoide isn't used as a preservative.

obviously, honey can impart a strong flavor so only use it when you want that in your end product.

[Aria]

Thank you so much John!

[John DePaula]

Thank you so much John!

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You're quite welcome. Glad to help.

[John DePaula]

I would like to make an infusion for a ganache using fresh Pandan (Screwpine) leaves. The leaves are vibrant and fresh, but the scent of pandan is quite mild, almost undetectable, in fact.

Should I leave the pandan out to ripen and develop flavor, as you would for a banana?

To make the ganache, as I see it there are two possibilities:

1) Boil the cream, add the chopped leaves and steep like tea.

2) Dry the leaves in a slow oven or dehydrator, boil the cream and steep like tea.

Does anyone have some related experience?

Could you recommend the best method?

Thanks

[Apicio]

Drying the pandan blades will make the flavour totally disappear. Your chance of extracting the most pandan flavour is by doing your #1. Snip them to thin pieces with a scissor so as to expose as much leaf cross-section as possible. This will allow more flavour to bleed into the hot cream.

[ScorchedPalate]

You probably already know this, but many Thai groceries sell pandan extract, in case you wanted to boost the flavor of your infusion.

[John DePaula]

You probably already know this, but many Thai groceries sell pandan extract, in case you wanted to boost the flavor of your infusion.

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Yes, thanks. I've tried to find it locally but everyone has stopped carrying it. If anyone knows of an online source, I'd appreciate hearing about it.

[John DePaula]

Drying the pandan blades will make the flavour totally disappear.  Your chance of extracting the most pandan flavour is by doing your #1. Snip them to thin pieces with a scissor so as to expose as much leaf cross-section as possible.  This will allow more flavour to bleed into the hot cream.

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Wow, I didn't know that about drying the leaves. Thanks!

[Apicio]

You probably already know this, but many Thai groceries sell pandan extract, in case you wanted to boost the flavor of your infusion.

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They do not have colourless pandan extract though. What they sell are invariably allied with the ugliest kelly green on the planet. Even worse are the ones blended with artificial coconut flavour. Natural infusion, if you can get hold of fresh blades, gives the best fragrance, in my experience. Also great for panna cotta and other congealed desserts.

[ScorchedPalate]

You probably already know this, but many Thai groceries sell pandan extract, in case you wanted to boost the flavor of your infusion.

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Yes, thanks. I've tried to find it locally but everyone has stopped carrying it. If anyone knows of an online source, I'd appreciate hearing about it.

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Here are three sources:

GourmetSleuth

Import Food

Wing Yip (UK)

Yes, they're all neon green

This indonesian paste looks a little less green... in fact, it's almost slate blue.

I found a recipe online that suggests:

100ml pandan juice (blend 6 pandan leaves with about 125ml water, strain)

Edited April 18, 2006 by ScorchedPalate (log)

[John DePaula]

You probably already know this, but many Thai groceries sell pandan extract, in case you wanted to boost the flavor of your infusion.

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They do not have colourless pandan extract though. What they sell are invariably allied with the ugliest kelly green on the planet. Even worse are the ones blended with artificial coconut flavour. Natural infusion, if you can get hold of fresh blades, gives the best fragrance, in my experience. Also great for panna cotta and other congealed desserts.

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It looks like fresh will be the best alternative all the way around since I require an all natural product and it looks like the online sources have artificial ingredients.

Thanks for your help!

[John DePaula]

I found a recipe online that suggests:

    100ml pandan juice (blend 6 pandan leaves with about 125ml water, strain)

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I was wondering about the quantity and this gives me a place to start. Thanks a lot!

[trillium]

Don't rule out frozen leaves. Most SE Asian grocery stores will have them frozen, and some of the ones from Thailand have more flavor then the ones flown in from Hawaii.

regards,

trillium

[Tepee]

If you want the fragrance without the colour, scratch the fresh leaves with a fork before using them.

[Renee K]

What I usually do when I make kaya (a rich pandan flavored coconut milk curd/jam) is to make tears along the length of the pandan leaves at different spots, stack a few of the leaves together and tie into a knot, then gently "pound" the knotted leaves with a pestle or anything heavy really... this really helps to release the aromas. Then just plop the knotted leaves into the coconut milk mixture and stir it with the milk till the curd is cooked and ready. And the jam carries a beautiful pandan fragrance without any added color.

Yeah, drying the leaves will kill the aromas, unfortunately.

[miladyinsanity]

What I usually do when I make kaya (a rich pandan flavored coconut milk curd/jam) is to make tears along the length of the pandan leaves at different spots, stack a few of the leaves together and tie into a knot, then gently "pound" the knotted leaves with a pestle or anything heavy really... this really helps to release the aromas. Then just plop the knotted leaves into the coconut milk mixture and stir it with the milk till the curd is cooked and ready.

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Pounding it a few times is pretty much the classic Asian way of releasing aromas from herbs, spices etc.

[John DePaula]

What I usually do when I make kaya (a rich pandan flavored coconut milk curd/jam) is to make tears along the length of the pandan leaves at different spots, stack a few of the leaves together and tie into a knot, then gently "pound" the knotted leaves with a pestle or anything heavy really... this really helps to release the aromas. Then just plop the knotted leaves into the coconut milk mixture and stir it with the milk till the curd is cooked and ready. And the jam carries a beautiful pandan fragrance without any added color.

Yeah, drying the leaves will kill the aromas, unfortunately.

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Mmmm... that sounds delicious. Thanks for adding this technique. I will look for a recipe for kaya!

[miladyinsanity]

What I usually do when I make kaya (a rich pandan flavored coconut milk curd/jam) is to make tears along the length of the pandan leaves at different spots, stack a few of the leaves together and tie into a knot, then gently "pound" the knotted leaves with a pestle or anything heavy really... this really helps to release the aromas. Then just plop the knotted leaves into the coconut milk mixture and stir it with the milk till the curd is cooked and ready. And the jam carries a beautiful pandan fragrance without any added color.

Yeah, drying the leaves will kill the aromas, unfortunately.

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Mmmm... that sounds delicious. Thanks for adding this technique. I will look for a recipe for kaya!

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Oh no! I forgot. I told an eGulleter I'd get my mom's recipe, but I never did.

Edited to add: She should be making it soon, so I can PM you if you want (she makes it in number of coconuts, not cans of coconut milk).

Edited April 19, 2006 by miladyinsanity (log)

[atcake]

I've only ever made ganache with heavy whipping cream. Is it possible to make ganache with heavy cream rather than heavy whipping cream? Is there any proportion difference?

(I bought the wrong cream and got heavy cream rather than heavy whipping cream)

TIA!

Nevermind...have my answer

Edited June 5, 2006 by atcake (log)

[Tweety69bird]

If you mean the heavy 35% cream that just doesnt' say it's for whipping, then yes, I think you will have no problem using that. I have used that for other uses instead of whipping cream with fine results, as long as there is no whipping involved.

[escry]

If you wish to recreate the same texture that you are familiar with when using a 35% fat cream with the, say 45% fat cream you have bought by mistake then you can achieve very acceptable results by cutting your heavy cream with water to bring the fat content down to 35%.

Indeed cutting cream with water gives a ganache a nice clean taste that I highly value.

Note, should you add above about 3 parts water to 5 parts cream you may find your sheet of ganache overcontracting and cracking.

[atcake]

Thanks! I found a recipe from Alton Brown that uses the heavy cream and it gave me wonderful results. Exactly what I was looking for.

Thanks!!

[Beanie]

According to this link, heavy cream and heavy whipping cream are the same thing, more than 36% fat. It's the only cream I ever use.

[SweetSide]

According to this link, heavy cream and heavy whipping cream are the same thing, more than 36% fat. It's the only cream I ever use.

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Me too unless I can get 40% commercially.