Molded Ganache: Tips and Techniques

[mostlylana]

I normally slab ganache and dip. I have that down to a science! At Valentine's I like to do molded hearts and I fill with caramel and a dark chocolate ganache.

Now that I have my thermomix, I use it to make all of my ganache. It makes a beautiful emulsion!

Here's the bad part - after filling a few molds, the ganache is starting to get too thick to smooth out in the mold. The good part is that it's a lovely smooth ganache. I'm not sure what to do!!

I don't want to jeapordize a smooth emulsified ganache in order to keep it liquidy enough to fill all of my molds. And of course, I can't work with it too hot. I usually pipe the ganache at around 27C. I really don't even let it sit at all. By the time I transfer it to the piping bag and fuss around for a few minutes it's at an OK temp. to pipe.

I tried heating it with a heat gun and smooshing it around but didn't want to get it too hot so that didn't really work...

I know there must be molding experts out there with a dandy answer to this problem that has me perplexed.

Just to let you know... I'm not using the same ratio's that I use when I slab! I'm using approx. 1.25 : 1 (chocolate to cream). But what I am doing is adding the butter once the chocolate/cream is combined and cooled (and I like to use a fair amount of butter in this particular ganache). Maybe melt the butter along with the chocolate??

Thanks!

[Lior]

It seems that the ratios are fine. I add butter at around 35 C while the butter is of course at room temp and soft. Is the room cold? Are you doing lots of molds? You can use a silicone spatula to squash down the peaks and level it. It is a problem. Maybe there is too much butter. Put the piping bag in a melter set to 28-29 to warm up the ganache? I have also had these annoying issues. I have colleagues that make ganaches one day and pipe the next by warming up the ganache. Never worked well for me... I always pipe just like you-as soon as I am done fiddling around it is ready to pipe. Oh the annoying little issues!! I am not good at slabs because I use caramel rulers and not a tray and leveler. I keep saying that I must buy the tray/frame and leveler...

[ejw50]

good question. What T does everybody else here pipe at?

With what ratios?

I usually pipe much higher (31 instead of 27, or 90F vs 80F).

Otherwise, it also sets too fast for me at a 1.6:1 dark choco:cream ratio, and I get these annoying peaks.

I think this is technically too high T than is in the books, but I dunno.

Maybe others can share their experiences.

Edited February 2, 2010 by ejw50 (log)

[Kerry Beal]

One of the beauties of making ganache in the thermomix given the technique that we are using is that the ganache sets up really quickly. When I was making ganaches by hand, I usually had longer to work with it before it started to firm up. So perhaps doing something to 'untemper' the ganache - ie letting all the chocolate melt before you turn up the speed and add the butter. The ganache will still set up, but will take longer to do so.

I often use ganaches that have been in a piping bag in the fridge - I put them in the microwave at 10% for a minute at a time until they are soft enough to pipe. I do find however that I am more likely to get peaks that I then have to tamp down with a cornstarch covered finger. I use the cornstarch trick for any ganache that is a little firm.

[schneich]

you should change the formule of your ganache to make it "shorter" so it doesnt form peaks, that is btw one of the biggest problems when you work with a one-shot machine. other than that you should change your ganache recipe to make the texture fluid enough to fill a LOT of moulds, if you got it right slightly banging the mold on the counter flattens out the peaks ;-)

[prairiegirl]

I do molding almost exclusively...although that will change soon. I rarely add butter to any of my ganache recipes...too much fat. Kees does the same, she doesn't add butter to her truffle ganache. Anyhow, when the ganache is too thick I will add more cream. Rarely do I use measurements, but checking the ganache. My recipe starts with total weight needed for the amount I am making..then 66% weight is chocolate, then cream, and whatever else I am adding (purees).

[ejw50]

you should change the formule of your ganache to make it "shorter" so it doesnt form peaks, that is btw one of the biggest problems when you work with a one-shot machine. other than that you should change your ganache recipe to make the texture fluid enough to fill a LOT of moulds, if you got it right slightly banging the mold on the counter flattens out the peaks ;-)

but doesn't that run into shelf life problems? Unless your fluid = liquor or invert sugar?

[Truffle Guy]

Kerry....why do you use the cornstarch? Does this do something different than using a gloved hand?

[Kerry Beal]

Kerry....why do you use the cornstarch? Does this do something different than using a gloved hand?

I just find it sticks less - and the cornstarch just disappears after they are backed off.

[schneich]

@ejw50 i can send you some tried and true recipes all with an aW value below .080 which makes them shelf stable for up to 3 month...

[Lior]

may I see an example? I assume no artificial anythings, only sorbitol or invert...

Thanks

[cakemuse]

Shopping for some new molds and came across these at pastrychef.com.

For dipping and enrobing, seems like it might save time. Then again, not sure how easily and cleanly the ganache will come out, even though they say all should be well.

Thoughts?

I am LOVING this world of chocolate making - I find molds easy but with no guitar cutter, dipped chocolates have very "interesting" results. I laugh and move on...

[Kerry Beal]

Shopping for some new molds and came across these at pastrychef.com.

For dipping and enrobing, seems like it might save time. Then again, not sure how easily and cleanly the ganache will come out, even though they say all should be well.

Thoughts?

I am LOVING this world of chocolate making - I find molds easy but with no guitar cutter, dipped chocolates have very "interesting" results. I laugh and move on...

Search as I might - I can't find the topic where we discussed this previously. I seem to recall the molds were useful only with very firm ganache - if the ganache was too soft - getting it to release from the molds was a problem.

I know when we discussed it before - we talked about the cutters that you can get from Tomric or Chocolate World - they come in a variety of shapes and can be used to get less 'interesting' result.

[Lior]

I think it was on another hmmm ahemmm, forum...

[Kerry Beal]

Perhaps that's why my search was in vain!

Here is the only discussion I did find.

Edited March 4, 2010 by Kerry Beal (log)

[andiesenji]

Is this the topic for which you were searching, Kerry?

Chocolate and other molds

[Kerry Beal]

Is this the topic for which you were searching, Kerry?

Chocolate and other molds

Not that one unfortunately - that one talks about the silicone molds for Pates de Fruit - but it was fun to take a look through that one. I really liked the gold leaf patterns on the top of the dipped chocolates.

My suspicion is that Lior is correct and we were discussing it on a specifically chocolate forum we both belong to.

[cakemuse]

Thanks, all! Kerry, did you start a Chocolate forum here? I seem to remember something...

[pringle007]

I think it was on another hmmm ahemmm, forum...

You guys have another fun forum? I feel sooo left out...

[Kerry Beal]

Thanks, all! Kerry, did you start a Chocolate forum here? I seem to remember something...

No not me - but I do belong to some 'outside' chocolate forums.

[rebgold]

I saw one mention of ganache molds in an old thread, that the ganache needs to be a very firm one to pop out of them. Does anyone have a ganache they've already found the perfect percentages for that come right out? I just got two, a round and a square. The regular truffle didn't come out of the round one at all. The very firm one, the white chocolate one with a lot of butter did better coming out of the square one, but I lost the corners on most of them.

Any tips?

[justDeb]

I've read elsewhere that it helps to pop the filled mold into the freezer for awhile. Then, after removing the bonbons, let them come to room temperature. Can't say that I've tried it though.

[rebgold]

I cut a 4 oz of cream from my ganache and used pan spray on the mold today, it worked great.

[Jim D.]

I have mentioned this issue previously but am continuing to have problems with ganache not firming up enough to be satisfactory in molded chocolates. Yesterday I made Notter's mint ganache. The recipe uses the standard technique of bringing cream (300 g) and glucose (70 g) to a boil, then pouring these over chopped white chocolate (440 g) and adding melted cocoa butter (43 g). Finally a little mint oil is added. Couldn't be simpler, and the recipe is similar to other formulas for such fillings. But both times I have made it, it has remained so liquid that it has to be poured (not piped) into the molds. A day later its consistency has thickened only very slightly, not enough to support a layer of chocolate on top. The previous time I had some left over and added a boat-load of melted cocoa butter to it, and it did thicken up. This time I committed an act of heresy and put the mold in the refrigerator for about 20 minutes. Like all ganaches, it will harden if it gets cold enough, but I was aware that all experts warn against doing what I did. I must report that about half the chocolates unmolded with grayish areas (one refused to unmold at all); the rest were fine. I had a similar problem the day before but am fairly certain it was due to too much warmth in the kitchen and thus bad tempering (did this in the Chocovision and did not test the tempering since it has never failed in the machine). Today, for the mint chocolates, I tested the temper and it was fine. So I don't know if the refrigeration caused this problem or not. Since I needed these chocolates, I applied a little cocoa butter tinted mint-green to the tops to cover up the defects (a technique which works, even though it is unorthodox). In any event, that is another issue aside from the too-thin ganache..

What could be the problem with the ganache? I do find that each ganache I try seems to have a mind of its own. Most of them, however, begin to thicken as I complete mixing them so as to give me faith that they will eventually firm up (and, of course, one does not want them to be too firm too soon or they will not pipe). Greweling's passion fruit, for example, starts thickening fairly soon but can be piped easily, then firms up rather quickly. My "customers" (family and friends) love mint-flavored chocolates, so I want this Notter recipe to work, and since Notter uses cocoa butter in many of his recipes, I assume he would have called for more if he thought it necessary.

Any help would be most appreciated.

[Kerry Beal]

What are the proportions of the ingredients in the ganache?