Image is for illustrative purposes only.
This is a butter ganache rather than a cream ganache: softened butter whipped light, then blended with melted dark and white chocolate and nougat paste. The nougat brings a toasted hazelnut and almond sweetness that sits between the bitterness of the dark couverture and the mellow milkiness of the white chocolate, and the whipping makes it pale, airy and easy to spread.
It pipes and spreads beautifully, holds its shape at room temperature and sets firm when chilled, so it works as a filling and a coating for layered pastries, logs and cut bars, and as a filling between sponge layers. In the bakery this mixture is used for long baton-style pastries, where it is piped in a neat ribbon and left to firm up before slicing.
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: 950
Number of Units: 1
Unit Size: batch of about 950 g, enough to fill and coat one 20-25 cm cake or a tray of cut bars
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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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400 |
14.1 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, room temperature |
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B
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150 |
5.3 ounces
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Dark Chocolate (Couverture)
Couverture chocolate is a very high-quality chocolate that contains extra cocoa butter (32–39%). The higher percentage of cocoa butter, combined with proper tempering, gives the chocolate more sheen, firmer "snap" when broken, and a creamy mellow flavor.
bitter, cooking grade
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melted and cooled |
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C
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250 |
8.8 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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melted and cooled |
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D
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150 |
5.3 ounces
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Nougat Paste
Nougat paste is a smooth, sweet paste made from roasted nuts, usually hazelnuts and almonds, ground with caramelised sugar until it becomes spreadable. It is sold in tubs by pastry suppliers and gives fillings a deep toasted nut flavour; a good quality gianduja or praline paste can be used in its place.
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soft, room temperature |
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950
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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 |
Take A (butter) out of the fridge well ahead of time and cut it into cubes so it softens evenly. |
Soft enough to take a fingerprint easily, but not oily or melting |
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2 |
Melt |
Melt B and C (dark couverture and white chocolate) separately over a water bath or in short bursts in the microwave, then set them aside to cool. |
Melted and smooth, then cooled to barely lukewarm - cold to the lip but still fluid |
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3 |
Whip |
Whip A (butter) in a mixer with the paddle or whisk until very pale and fluffy. |
Almost white and light, scraping the bowl down once or twice |
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4 |
Mix |
Add D (nougat paste) to the whipped butter and mix until smooth, then pour in the cooled melted B and C (dark couverture and white chocolate) and mix everything together. |
Evenly coloured, no streaks; if the chocolate is too warm the mixture will go runny, if too cold it will set in specks |
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5 |
Whip |
Whip the finished mixture on medium speed until it lightens. |
Light, pale and creamy, holding soft peaks and ready to pipe or spread |
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6 |
Use |
Use straight away while it is soft and pipeable, or cover and keep it at cool room temperature. |
Firms up as it stands; re-whip briefly if it becomes too stiff |
Important Notes
This batch makes about 950 g of ganache. Because it is set with chocolate and butter rather than cream, it firms up quickly - work with it while it is soft, and if it sets too hard, warm the bowl slightly and whip it again until it is smooth and spreadable. Keep it covered at cool room temperature for a day or two, or refrigerate for up to a week and bring it back to room temperature and re-whip before using. Filled and coated pastries should be chilled to set the ganache firm before slicing, which gives clean cuts.
Tools & Arrangements
Electric mixer with paddle or whisk attachment, heatproof bowl and saucepan for a water bath (or a microwave), spatula, piping bag with a plain or star tube, palette knife
