Image is for illustrative purposes only.
This is a white chocolate butter ganache flavoured with molasses, which turns the pale sweetness of white chocolate into something closer to caramel or butterscotch. The molasses gives it a soft toffee colour, a deep, slightly smoky sweetness and a long, buttery finish, while the butter keeps it smooth and spreadable rather than hard.
It is a useful filling and frosting for layer cakes: firm enough to hold a stack of sponge and to be smoothed on the outside of a cake, soft enough to pipe when it is at room temperature. It pairs especially well with banana, date, walnut and coffee sponges, and it sets firm in the fridge if you need a solid base under fondant.
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: 1150
Number of Units: 1
Unit Size: 20 cm round cake, filled and coated
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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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225 |
1 cup
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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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675 |
23.8 ounces
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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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C
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225 |
7.9 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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soft, room temperature |
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D
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25 |
0.9 ounce
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Molasses
Molasses, or black treacle, is a viscous by-product of the refining of sugarcane or sugar beets into sugar. The word comes from the Proto-Indo-European *mélid". Cognates include Ancient Greek μÎλι (méli) (honey), Latin mel, Portuguese melaço. Molasses varies by amount of sugar and method of extraction, and age of plant.
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1150
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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 (white compound chocolate) into a large heatproof bowl. Have C (butter) out of the fridge well ahead so it is properly soft. |
Chocolate chopped small and butter soft enough to dent with a finger |
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2 |
Heat |
Warm A and D (thickened cream and molasses) together in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring so the molasses dissolves. |
Just coming to the boil, small bubbles at the edge; do not let it boil over |
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3 |
Melt |
Pour the hot cream over B (white compound chocolate), leave it for a minute, then stir from the middle outwards until smooth. |
Glossy and completely smooth, no unmelted pieces; warm gently over a water bath if some lumps remain |
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4 |
Cool |
Leave the ganache to cool, stirring now and then. |
Just warm to the touch, around 30°C, or the butter will melt and split the mixture |
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5 |
Beat |
Add C (soft unsalted butter) in a few lots and beat with a mixer or spatula until fully combined. |
Smooth, creamy and evenly coloured, with no streaks of butter |
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6 |
Set |
Leave the ganache at room temperature until it firms to a spreading consistency, or chill it briefly and beat again before use. |
Holds a soft peak and spreads without running |
Important Notes
This quarter batch makes about 1,150 g of ganache, enough to fill and coat one 20 cm round cake, or to fill and pipe a batch of cupcakes. It keeps for up to a week in a covered container in the fridge and can be frozen for a month; bring it back to room temperature and beat it smooth before using. If it ever splits, warm a small amount gently and whisk it back in. For a firmer coat under fondant, chill the cake once coated and let it set hard.
Tools & Arrangements
Saucepan, large heatproof bowl, whisk or spatula, electric mixer, thermometer (optional), palette knife, piping bag and nozzle if piping.
