Chocolate Glaze: Tips & Techniques

[pastrymama]

I do mostly use ganache because I don't like the stickiness of glacage, but I have used the torch with glacage also with good results.

[tamiam]

Sometimes I just don't think. I was making a chocolate/coffee glaze to top some holiday cookies. The ingredients were bittersweet chocolate, butter, heavy cream, thick espresso powder coffee. I did not have enough bittersweet, so, like a dunce, I substituted 2 oz of unsweetened. Needless to say, my glaze is broken--the butter is separating and it became gritty.

Can anyone help me--either a save for my mix, or a quick glaze for a 9x13 pan of cookie that consists of a choc/coffee brownie layer, frosted with a cinamon cream cheese frosting? Any thoughts would be much appreciated. Thanks.

[sugarbuzz]

Try some chocolate water. It's very thin(depending on how much water you add) and has a smooth shine.

Take x amount of warm melted chocolate, add boiling hot water a little at a time. Whisk it in. It will get stiff & appear broken. Just keep adding hot water until you get the consistency or thickness you want. Strain & let cool to just above room temp. there you have chocolate water. I use this recipe to cover cakes & molded mousses, brownies,bombes..etc.

It lasts a long time too.

Edited December 13, 2005 by sugarbuzz (log)

[etalanian]

Sugarbuzz, thanks for that tip! I will try the chocolate water to coat a cheesecake for Christmas. I never would have thought it would work, because I thought the chocolate would seize.

But, why do you strain it?

Eileen

[tamiam]

Thanks for the tip Sugarbuzz.

Does it matter which type of chocolate you use, unsweet, bittersweet, etc. as far as texture?

[sugarbuzz]

I strain it just to make sure there are no unmelted pieces of chocolate & also straining it appears to give it more shine.

I use this as a cake glaze if I know the cake will be eaten that day. It generally will start to crack after the 2nd day. And I always put a thin layer of buttercream on the cake before glazing to give it a smooth finish. Another handy tip for using this as a cake glaze is that if you make a mistake while writing on the cake..you can chill it & the glaze will easily peel off so you can start all over by remelting & restraining it.

I usually use bittersweet chocolate..Callebaut is my chocolate of choice.

I use the milk & white chocolate in the same manner to make an incredibly stable mousse. I can find the ratio of liquid/choc/ cream if anyone is interested.

[tamiam]

In the spirit of not making the same mistake twice, and now that my brain came back on again, I'd like to learn from my screwup.

I was making a chocolate glaze using bitterweet, butter, heavy cream, and a touch of thick instant espresso, and it failed. It became gritty and ugly instead of smooth. I tried adding a T of corn syrup as a save, but it did not help. The whole thing ended up as a gritty, lumpy, shiny glop.

My first thought is that it happened because I substituted 2 oz of unsweetened for some of the bittersweet, but now I wonder if perhaps I just cooked it too hot. I used a metal mixing bowl over a pan of simmering water, but I think I let the water get too hot.

Any thoughts as to whether the unsweetened chocolate substitution or the temperature was at fault?

edited because clearly my brain is not fully working today

Edited December 13, 2005 by tamiam (log)

[JayBassin]

I wouldn't think that unsweetened + bittersweet would make it seize. Your ingredients look ok. What's your technique? I'd first bring the cream+espresso+butter to a simmer and put in the chopped chocolate off heat, whisking in. I think the chocolates would seize if you had a small amount of water or if you brought the chocolate too hot without the tempering of cream or butter. A little water + chocolate causes seizing, but more water will work, as Sugarbuzz says. I think 2+ tablespoons of water per ounce of chocolate is the minium to avoid seizing.

[tamiam]

I wouldn't think that unsweetened + bittersweet would make it seize. Your ingredients look ok. What's your technique? I'd first bring the cream+espresso+butter to a simmer and put in the chopped chocolate off heat, whisking in. I think the chocolates would seize if you had a small amount of water or if you brought the chocolate too hot without the tempering of cream or butter. A little water + chocolate causes seizing, but more water will work, as Sugarbuzz says. I think 2+ tablespoons of water per ounce of chocolate is the minium to avoid seizing.

←

I will melt all the butter and cream first next time, then add the chocolate. I put the chocolate in at the same time, so perhaps it cooked too harshly.

Thanks!

[miladyinsanity]

Hmm..

I've melted everything together before, without adverse results.

[achevres]

I'm reviving this topic beause I've been looking up chocolate glazes and this just came into my email: RLB's Deep Chocolate Passion Cake. The glaze recipe will be in her new cookbook which should come out Fall 2008.

[Sebastian]

Here's a tried and true one:

Sugar 45.6%

Water 24%

Cocoa 14%

Sour cream 14%

gelatin 2.5%

boil sugar / water 1 minute

add cocoa and return to boil

add dairy and hydrated gelatin

[tillie baker]

I love payard's recipes too...i was wondering if anyone has his pistachio chocolate cookie recipe. I went to his shops a few years ago and had one of these. It was incredible but I've never been able to locate the recipe....anyone???