Chocolate ganache is like a perfect hair day; a drop of water and it’ll all go frizzy.
Okay, so chocolate doesn’t frizz, but it does seize. And I’m talking, “It looks like you’ve seen a ghost and crawled into yourself” seize.
But wait! There are always solutions. Think of this as your friendly Ganache F.A.Q. You shall ask and we shall answer.
Does The Temperature Of A Ganache Matter?
There are two parts of this question and the answer to both is, “Yes”. When making a ganache you need to make sure that the heavy cream is hot enough to melt the chocolate but not boiling to burn it. We say 200°F is a good temperature to lean towards while making ganache.
The second part of the question is regarding the temperature after the ganache is made. If you are using it as a very thin glaze it must be used immediately while still very warm. However if you are looking for the glaze that gently flows down the side of the cake you will want to wait for the ganache to cool slightly. If making truffles, the ganache must be chilled thoroughly, resulting in a solid product. More info about ganache temperatures and about how to make ganache with different textures is over here.
My Ganache Looks Chunky And Broken, How Do I Fix It?
A ganache is essentially an emulsion (just like a salad dressing) and sometimes the fats melt and separate, creating a dull and grainy texture. This can be fixed by gradually adding a small amount of cold heavy cream into the broken ganache and stirring slowly.
How Do I Add Flavor To My Ganache?
You can add fun flavors to you ganache a variety of different ways. You can use alcohol, nut butters, extracts, and even steep ingredients into the heavy cream to add new flavors. Find out how over here.
I Have Leftover Ganache, How Do I Save It?
If you are planning on using it within two days the ganache is safe to keep on the counter in a cool kitchen. Cover tightly with plastic wrap pressing on the ganache itself to prevent a skin from forming. The ganache can be put into containers and be kept in the fridge for about a month or three months in the freezer.
This post originally appeared in February 2016 and was revised and republished in February 2022.
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