About Ganache

• Ganache is one of the simplest preparations used in desserts and pastry making. In its basic form, it consists solely of good quality chocolate and hot cream. The heat of the cream melts the chocolate, and the baker stirs them together until they make a thick, silky-smooth liquid with no remaining lumps of chocolate. Some recipes add vanilla, eggs, sugar, butter and glucose or corn syrup to alter the flavor and texture of the ganache, but these are all optional. The ratio of cream to chocolate varies between recipes and pastry chefs, but the standard version uses equal parts cream and chocolate by weight.

Ganache Filling

• To use ganache as a filling between your cake's layers, mix up a batch and let it cool slowly to room temperature, stirring it occasionally to mix the cooler ganache from the bowl's edges back into the middle. When the ganache is thick and barely cool to the touch, use a hand mixer or stand mixer to whip it until it's light and fluffy. Spread the ganache evenly over each layer to the desired thickness, then add the next layer. When you're done, cover the cake with a dome or plastic wrap and refrigerate it for at least an hour.

Ganache vs. Buttercream

• Once your cake is filled and the layers stacked, you can ice it with either buttercream or ganache. Good buttercream can provide a pleasing contrast with the ganache filling, but whipped ganache can be used in much the same way. Gently reheat a small amount of ganache and pour it onto the cake, spreading it thinly with a spatula to seal the surface and hold any crumbs in place. Once this crumb coat has set, spread your remaining whipped ganache over the top and sides of the cake as you would with buttercream. Alternatively, melt all of the ganache and pour it over the whole cake as a glaze.

Baked Ganache Filling

• Some chocolate cakes use ganache differently, baking it into individual cakes to make a molten center. Let your ganache cool until it sets completely, then use a small spoon or scoop to make balls of the ganache. Chill or freeze the balls, so they'll be slower to melt in the oven. Make up your cakes in individual ramekins, and press a ganache ball into the middle of each. Bake the cakes normally, and serve them warm while the ganache centers are still soft and gooey.