Ganache

Ganache

Ganache is an emulsion of chocolate and hot cream, used as a filling, a glaze, a whipped frosting or a firm coating that holds an edge under fondant.

The ratios

Ratios are by weight, written here as cream to chocolate. Set firmness comes from cocoa butter, so the same ratio behaves differently in each chocolate type, and the ratio has to move to compensate.

• Dark chocolate: about 1:1 for a pourable glaze or a soft filling, about 1:2 for a firm coating.
• Milk chocolate: about 1:2 for a filling, about 1:2.5 to 1:3 for a coating. Milk solids and sugar displace cocoa butter, so it needs more chocolate for the same set.
• White chocolate: firmest requirement of the three, roughly 1:3 for a coating.

Why it splits

Ganache is an emulsion, not a mixture, so a grainy or oily result is a broken emulsion rather than too little chocolate. Adding more chocolate makes it worse. Add a small amount of warm cream or milk and stir from the centre outward until the emulsion catches again.

No tempering is involved. The cream interrupts the crystal structure that couverture needs tempering to build.