Image is for illustrative purposes only.
This is a milk chocolate ganache made the practical way: a blend of white and dark compound chocolate melted into hot cream, with soft butter worked in at the end. The two chocolates together give you the mellow, milky flavour and pale brown colour of milk chocolate, while the butter adds shine and a smooth, spreadable body.
It sets firm enough to fill and coat a cake, yet stays soft enough to spread without tearing the sponge. Use it warm as a pouring glaze, at room temperature as a filling between layers, or chilled and whipped for a lighter frosting. It also makes a good base under fondant, since it firms up smooth and square-edged once cold.
Ingredients
The weights in the recipe table below will yield the following 'weight per unit' and 'number of units'. If you would like to change the recipe to cater to a different 'weight per unit' and/or 'number of units',
you can use the Recipe Calculator Tool below the ingredients table.
Note: The Recipe Calculator Tool is available to subscribers.
Weight Per Unit: 1000
Number of Units: 1
Unit Size: batch of ganache, enough to fill and coat one 20 cm round cake
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WEIGHT
(grams)
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ALTERNATIVE METRIC
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INGREDIENT
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IMAGE
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CONDITION
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A
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300 |
1.3 cups
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Thickened Cream
Cream is used as an ingredient in many foods, including ice cream, many sauces, soups, stews, puddings, and some custard bases, and is also used for cakes. Perfect for pouring, baking, whipping or adding the indulgent touch to your favourite recipes.
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B
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100 |
3.5 ounces
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Dark Chocolate (Compound)
Compound chocolate is a product made from a combination of cocoa, vegetable fat, and sweeteners. It is used as a lower-cost alternative to true chocolate, as it uses less-expensive hard vegetable fats such as coconut oil or palm kernel oil in place of the more expensive cocoa butter. It may also be known as 'compound coating' or 'chocolatey coating' when used as a coating for candy.
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chopped or buttons |
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C
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100 |
3.5 ounces
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Butter
Butter is a solid dairy product made by churning fresh or fermented cream or milk, to separate the butterfat from the buttermilk. It is generally used as a spread on plain or toasted bread products and a condiment on cooked vegetables, as well as in cooking, such as baking, sauce making, and pan frying. Butter consists of butterfat, milk proteins and water.
unsalted
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softened, diced |
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D
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500 |
1.1 pounds
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White Chocolate (Compound)
Compound chocolate is a product made from a combination of cocoa, vegetable fat, and sweeteners. It is used as a lower-cost alternative to true chocolate, as it uses less-expensive hard vegetable fats such as coconut oil or palm kernel oil in place of the more expensive cocoa butter. It may also be known as 'compound coating' or 'chocolatey coating' when used as a coating for candy.
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chopped or buttons |
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1000
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Recipe Calculator Tool
Using this tool, you can alter this recipe for your own requirements. Use the two fields below to generate new weights for the ingredients above.
STEP 1. Enter your Custom Weight Per Unit
The 'Custom Weight Per Unit' is already loaded with the weight per unit for this recipe but can be changed if required. If all you wish to do is change the number of units (or servings), just leave the current weight per unit.
STEP 2. Enter your Custom Number of Units
This is the number of units (or servings) you want this recipe to yield.
STEP 3. Click Calculate
The new weights for your adjusted recipe will be displayed in the table above.
Method
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STEP
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ACTION
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DETAIL
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CONDITION
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1 |
Prepare |
Put B and D (dark compound chocolate and white compound chocolate) together into a large heatproof bowl. Have C (butter) diced and softening at room temperature. |
Chocolate in small, even pieces so it melts quickly |
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2 |
Heat |
Bring A (thickened cream) to just below the boil in a saucepan. Do not add the butter to the cream. |
Steaming with small bubbles at the edge; never boil the butter with the cream |
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3 |
Melt |
Pour the hot cream over the chocolate, leave it to stand for a minute, then stir gently from the centre outwards. |
Smooth and glossy with no unmelted pieces; warm the bowl briefly over hot water if needed |
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4 |
Mount |
While the mixture is still warm, add C (butter) a few pieces at a time, stirring until each addition disappears before adding more. |
Ganache silky and shiny; mixture warm, not hot |
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5 |
Rest |
Cover the surface with cling film and leave the ganache to cool. |
Use it warm for glazing, or leave until thick and spreadable for filling and coating |
Important Notes
This batch makes about 1 kg of ganache, enough to fill and coat one 20 cm round cake. Two points from the chef: never cook the butter together with the cream, and always mount the butter into the warm mixture a few pieces at a time so it emulsifies smoothly. Store covered in the fridge for up to a week, or freeze for longer. Bring it back to room temperature and stir gently before using; if it splits, warm a small amount and whisk the split ganache into it a little at a time. Compound chocolate does not need tempering, which is what makes this ganache so reliable for coating.
Tools & Arrangements
Saucepan, large heatproof bowl, spatula or whisk, digital scales, cling film, palette knife for spreading
