Cake Decorating Community - Cakes We Bake

Does anyone know whether I can I put ganache over a fondant covered cake, or is it better to put on a buttercream covered cake. 

Views: 5296

Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

thanks..gonna try that for my Dh for father's day..the dude loves chocolate ;)
Thanks for the advice

Yes I do mean when the filling bulges out... it makes a ring in the fondant in warm weather, and looks less smooth. i have recently started refrigerating my cakes before fondanting them... but was looking for a way to hold the filling in. What wouukld i pipe a ring of to hold the filling in? It was sugested that if i spread gnache all over the cake (like you sugested in a previous post ) and then put the fondant over the top of this then it would give a smoother finish and help stop the filling making bulges in the fondant.... so im not too bothered about the gnache becoming see through or needing to be pourable as it would be under the fondant.I would mostly be using this teqnique on wedding or other tiered cakes, as it wouldnt be cost effective on my birthday cakes.

All the fillings i use are fine to be out of the fridge for a week (I never use fresh cream) as i find refrigerating the fondant makes it tacky, so i dont advise my customers to refrigerate occasions cake unless its a very hot spell (unusual in the uk to be fair!) but i would be unsure of what advise to give on a cake containing gnache. If it was stored in an air tight container how long would the cake be safe to eat?? I do many cupcakes containing fresh cream as an ingrediant, but always recomend they are refrigerated and eatenwithin 2 days.

Theresa Happe said:
The part about the icing getting lumpy I don't understand.

When you make ganache, you let it cool to room temperature and then pour it over the cake. It will drip down the sides, but you can guide it and touch it up with a spatula. If you refrigerate it, it will be too thick to pour, but you can use it as a filling.

If you make white chocolate ganache, the consistency is thinner. It is also see-through. So, I would use it over a layer of buttercream because you'll see the cake right through it.

It can stay out of the refrigerator for quite some time. As far as your customers taking a week to eat it, that really depends on what kind of filling you are using, if they wrap it properly, etc.

Alioson roberts said:
Hi... Im new here, and have been decorating cakes for a year and a half. Ive never made ganache but would like to... could anyone answer my questions? (sorry to ask such basic things)

Someone on Flikr sugested i use gnash to stop the buttercream slurging out (technical term ;-) ) and making my fondant icing lumpy... how would this work? Does the gnash set hard? would i have to pour it on or would it still set if i let it get to spreading consistency? How long would i have to leave it before putting fondant overit and how would i stick the fondant to it.

I also wondered about the shelflife of a cake with gnash... it contains fresh cream so does the cake have to be stored in the fridge? How long will the cake last... I often have customers who take over a week to eat there cake....

Finally... is the recipy above the standard one everyone uses? Can I substitute white chocolate for dark if using on vanilla sponge?

Sorry for the six billion questions... Im self taught and this is a big gap in my knowledge!
I haven't used ganache as of yet but after reading all the tips and techniques above, sounds easy enough. Thank you all!!!
Ganache is a cooked icing/frosting because you boil the cream before you pour it over the chocolate. It can stay out for at least a week covered at room temperature, so you dont have to worry about your customers eating their cake over the week. Hard ganache is made with a ratio of 2 parts chocolate to one part cream by weight. Cream is approximately 8 oz per 8 fl oz so hard ganache is 1 lb chocolate to 8 fl oz heavy cream. This will set up hard and will cover a cake when warm. When set you can lay the fondant right over the hard ganache while it is still tacky. Yiu can also make chocolate truffles with hard ganache. Soft ganache or poured ganache is 1 part chocolate to 1 part heavy cream, so 8 oz of chocolate to 8 fl oz heavy cream. This will set up over night but will be like very soft fudge. It can be warmed to pour over cakes or petit fours or whipped like buttercream and spread like frosting.

Cakes that buldge on the sides usually have too much filling. The weight of the cake makes the filling ooze out the sides. Like Theresa said pipe a ring of buttercream just inside the edge of the layer about 1/2" thick. Put the filling inside the buttercream ring and place the next layer on top. Smooth a thin layer of buttercream all over the cake for a crumb coat to seal the cake. Refrigerate till firm then finish the icing with ganache or more buttercream or fondant, whatever you wish.
Sorry for not getting back to you...the ganache actually sets up over night and is a spreadable consistancy. No need to spritz it... it spreads like buttercream.... actually nicer than buttercream!

Sweet Art Cakes! said:
Hi Jeri..
when you set it out on the counter top over night..next morning do you spritz the ganche coverd cake before applying the fondant..or is the ganache still tacky enough for the fondant to stick onto?? thanks...sounds delish..and would love to try something different to buttercream.. :)
Thank you all for the advice.... It will really help... and i almost feel brave enough to try Gnache now!!! :-)

Sorry I havent replyed sooner, but not been getting any notifications so didnt realise anyone had replyed to me!! Sorry!!
I've found ganache is sooo versatile. I used to use buttercream under my fondant but I have had a couple of occasions where the heat and humidity has been such that the fondant slowly slipped. With ganache you can cover your cake and get it really smooth - a bit like using royal icing in the old days to cover a cake. BUT it cuts really well, you can get lovely sharp edges on your cakes and it tastes really nice. I find that the combination of dark chocolate ganache, mud cake and the thin layer of fondant has the right balance of sweetness and bitterness and isn't overwhelming. Amazingly the darkchocolate ganache doesn't show through white fondant!
If you let your ganache cool right down you can pipe with it just like royal icing. Whip it when it's cold and it makes an excellent filling - a bit mousse like.
It's really stable in hot and humid weather, which in Australia, is important during summer.
Due to the chemical changes that occur to the cream during boiling, it becomes a very stable addition to the cake decorating repertoire.
You can use ganache over fondant as that was what it was used for originally in confectionary making, - the fondant was the nice bit in the middle - but I would be inclined to experiment with it first to see if you will get the effect/finish that you're after.
And I can thank Bettina for sharing the Planet Cake's method of covering a cake with ganache with me!!! She sold me on it and I love it!
I hope and pray you somehow read this post. I still haven't seen anywhere anyone answer this specifically, so here I am throwing what I think I know at you. Please tell me if I have anything wrong.

1.When using the poured ganache, you must let cool to room temp before pouring.
2.Poured Ganache after letting cannot have fondant applied to it.
- My question to this is why not?
*I hear that ganache hardens up, so y can't you pour ganache, let it set hard, then apply fondant on it.

What is the recipe exact and directions, in lamens terms, for hard setting ganache and then recipe exact and directions for soft filling ganache?

I want to thank you in advance in hopes that you can take the time to share and help me with your knowledge on ganache. I myself will be doing this as a first timer of ganache for my son's 5th birthday. Thank you!!!!!
Kaiulani I have never heard of not applying fondant after a cake is covered in ganache....there is no reason I know of as to why you cant....

Soft Ganache
heavy cream (double cream) 8 oz (250 ml)
dark chocolate 8 oz (250 mg) chopped

Hard Ganache
heavy cream (double cream) 8 oz (250 ml)
dark chocolate 16 oz (500 gm) chopped

Directions:
Heat cream in a heavy saucepot over medium high heat until it just comes to a boil being careful not to scorch it. Pour over chocolate. Let sit about 2 minutes then stir until completely combined. Let cool to room temperature. Then cover and let sit overnight at room temperature. Use however you wish. Hard ganache can be made into truffles. You can add flavorings and nuts after the cream is stirred in. Then roll in cocoa, powdered sugar or nuts.

Kaiulani Flores said:
I hope and pray you somehow read this post. I still haven't seen anywhere anyone answer this specifically, so here I am throwing what I think I know at you. Please tell me if I have anything wrong.

1.When using the poured ganache, you must let cool to room temp before pouring.
2.Poured Ganache after letting cannot have fondant applied to it.
- My question to this is why not?
*I hear that ganache hardens up, so y can't you pour ganache, let it set hard, then apply fondant on it.

What is the recipe exact and directions, in lamens terms, for hard setting ganache and then recipe exact and directions for soft filling ganache?

I want to thank you in advance in hopes that you can take the time to share and help me with your knowledge on ganache. I myself will be doing this as a first timer of ganache for my son's 5th birthday. Thank you!!!!!
Hello Karen! Thank you for the most timely response ever! LOL! I know that ganache can go under fondant, as you have confirmed as well. To be 100% clear, is it possible to put fondant over poured ganache after it has set and hardened, if at it does this! I heard you can whipp but what about poured? On CakeCentral.Com there are 2 forumsthat say no its too soft! But again if it hardens up, wouldn't you just let it set and then cover it! If so, how long do you let itmature before pouring and then set before going at it with a palette knife? Thank you again my cake advice HERO and to everyone else here in this forum! LOL!
I personally would not use a poured ganache under fondant. It is too thin and you will only have a very slight glaze on your cake. Poured ganache will drip down the sides of your cake and yes it does set up but you will not have a good layer on the outside of your cake for your fondant to adhere to. I just made 4 batches of ganache last night for cakes that I am doing this weekend. I use either merkens wafers or Yucatan dk chocolate. The better quality chocolate... the better the ganache. If you really want to splurge... go for the Belgin chocolate... it is REALLY good! I always make mine a day or two ahead. Just be sure if you put it in the fridge to have it come to room temp before you use it. Hope this helps. I will not be back on here for a few days. Too much going on this week.

Reply to Discussion

RSS

© 2024   Created by Theresa Happe.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service