Get your Ganache on!

I thought for today's post I would share with you all some simple steps to working with and using chocolate ganache. Chocolate ganache is one of those great and very versatile elements that can be used with cakes to make the perfect filling, a naughty rich sauce, or simple cake mask. It can make the simplest of cakes look divine! Below we turned a plain white chocolate mud cake into an beautifully rich white and dark chocolate Easter cake simply by filling the cake with ganache, masking it in butter cream and pouring some more ganache over the top. We finished it with a small pile of Easter eggs on top and let me tell you it was so yum!

Or for a simple and easy dessert at your next dinner party, bake a normal size cake (any flavour will do) and using ring cutters, cut mini cakes out, mask them with butter cream and decorate with ganache and berries! Too easy.

Cakes topped with chocolate ganache is a hot trend in the industry at the moment, and although it's not a new technique, it's one that many are catching on to, Bride's especially! Just yesterday we created this wedding cake that boasted rich chocolate ganache poured over each tier and piled with berries. Definitely a different style to the wedding cakes we usually see. 

So, how do you make it I hear you ask? Well just follow these simple instructions for making and pouring the perfect ganache!

You'll need:

1L pouring cream
150g glucose
150g caster sugar
1kg good dark chocolate (min 65% cocoa), chopped
150g butter, cubed

1. Put the cream, sugar and glucose together in a saucepan and bring to the boil slowly on a medium heat, stirring occasionally to ensure the sugars don't stick to the bottom of the pot.
2. Place your chocolate and butter into a bowl and set aside.
3. Once your cream mix has come to the boil, pour it gently over the chocolate and butter and stir until all melted and combined. Use immediately for pouring or leave to set if using for filling or masking.


Tips for pouring:
1. Ensure your cake is chilled prior to pouring the gananche on top. (N.B Pouring ganache will only work with cakes masked in butter cream or ganache as fondant wrapped cakes cannot be chilled as they will sweat). 
2. Make sure your ganache is just warm, not boiling hot otherwise it will melt the butter cream. 
3. Pour a small amount into the middle of the cake and using a palette knife, gently push the ganache towards the edges of the cake. Slowly pour more ganache in the centre of the cake and repeat until the ganache starts to run down the sides of the cake.
4. Refrigerate your cake to set.