Variations: Satiny and Shiny Chocolate Ganache Glaze; Whipped Ganache
Ganache can be used as a glaze, icing or whipped: To use immediately, stir it over a larger bowl of ice until cooled; less for pouring (should pour like corn syrup), more for spreading consistency (like buttercream) and the most for whipping (stiff, but not hard). Don't let it get too cold. To re-warm, place the heat-proof bowl over a pan of hot water while stirring — do not reheat.
CHOCOLATE RECIPE HELP
For this, I held it upside down and dipped it in a bowl of this chocolate ganache glaze.
After the ganache hardened, I piped on some Swiss Meringue Buttercream Flavored with Jam. The frosting was delish…with a bright raspberry flavor. The cake is the Ultimate Chocolate Butter Cake or UCBC.
This is the Cream Cheese Pound Cake Recipe baked as cupcakes, filled with Vanilla Bean Pastry Cream and iced with whipped chocolate ganache.
INGREDIENTS
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 pound (16 ounces) semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
OPTIONAL INGREDIENTS
Add in for flavor, richness and a smooth texture. I like to add in all three:
1/4 cup light corn syrup — for light sweetening and smoothness and shine.
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, softened (for flavor and richness) – Butter that is too soft or melted will result in a soupier texture. To prepare it for mixing, let butter stand at room temperature until softened but still cool. Add the butter in chunks until combined during the mixing stages.
1 teaspoon instant espresso powder and 1 tablespoon Cognac or Kahlúa or any liqueur or 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Chop the chocolate with a sharp knife, into 1/4-inch evenly sized pieces.
Place chopped chocolate in a medium-sized, heat proof bowl. Make note that the hot cream will eventually be poured over it and must cover it entirely.
SARAH SAYS: If whipping later, I use my stand mixer bowl to place the chocolate in, which is perfect.
2. Pour cream into a medium saucepan. Under medium heat, bring to a boil, stirring to make sure the cream does not burn.
3. Remove from heat and pour at once over the chocolate.
SARAH SAYS: Make sure the cream covers all of the chocolate pieces. If not, push chocolate down under the hot cream with a spoon or the tip of a whisk. Shake pan and allow to stand for about 2 minutes.
4. Rapidly stir mixture with a whisk in one direction until smooth.
MADE WITH A FOOD PROCESSOR
Microwave cream and butter in measuring cup on high until bubbling, about 1 1/2 minutes. (Alternatively, bring to simmer in small saucepan over medium-high heat.) Place chocolate in bowl of food processor fitted with steel blade. With machine running, gradually add hot cream and flavoring, such as Cognac, through feed tube and process until smooth and thickened, about 3 minutes. Transfer ganache to medium bowl and let stand at room temperature 1 hour.
VARIATIONS
SATINY AND SHINY CHOCOLATE GANACHE GLAZE
Ganache can be poured like a glaze on cakes that sets with a beautiful shine and smoothness, and also seals in freshness. You can tell if a cake has been glazed with it because it has a glossy and smooth chocolate surface. How to Glaze Baked Goods.
Used with the
Valentine's Day Love Stacks
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Whisk in the corn syrup and room temperature butter chunks. Whisk in the espresso powder dissolved in liqueur.
Cake and photo by odetteganda Odetteganda, Premium Member, Says: “This is a layer of the Cream Cheese Pound Cake, the Ultimate Chocolate Butter Cake or UCBC, Swiss Meringue Buttercream or SMBC, Regular and Raspberry Variations, and I glazed the top with the POURED chocolate ganache (which by itself is to die for!). I also had some homemade raspberry jam that I glazed on the bottom pound cake layer….This is just so delectable! Only some of Sarah's finest recipes in one cake!”
WHIPPED GANACHE is used for making truffles, piping, filling or making a mousse.
Cream Cheese Pound Cake filled with Vanilla Bean Pastry Cream and topped with WHIPPED chocolate ganache.
INSTRUCTIONS
1. The ganache mixture needs to cool to lukewarm so it stiffens and will whip faster and have a better texture.
2. Place ganache in a mixing bowl and whip it vigorously by hand or with an electric mixer on medium-high. Do this until mixture has lightened in color and is fluffy. Do not overwhip, otherwise it will become grainy. If it does, reheat in a double boiler and strain.
STORAGE
A classic ganache can generally stay at room temperature for 2 days, as long as it's kept in a cool place. But, there are lots of exceptions to this rule. If in a bowl, always place a piece of plastic wrap firmly against its surface so a film does not form or it won't form a sugar crust on its surface. Ganache can be frozen for a month. Reheat in the top of a double boiler under gentle heat, whisking together in one direction, before using.
