Ganache as a term and technique was codified in French pâtisserie in the 19th century, though chocolate-cream combinations existed earlier. The word itself is disputed in origin. What is not disputed is the technique's centrality to modern chocolate work — ganache is the foundation of truffles, bonbon centres, cake glazes, and tart fillings, each requiring a different ratio and therefore a different emulsion structure.
An emulsion of chocolate and cream (and sometimes butter) where the fat from both the cocoa butter and the cream must be suspended in a stable matrix. The ratio of chocolate to cream determines the final texture: high chocolate ratios produce firm, sliceable ganache; high cream ratios produce pourable, flowing ganache. Both require the same emulsification principle — thorough dispersion of fat droplets through the aqueous phase.
Ganache is the purest expression of chocolate — the quality of the chocolate determines everything. High-percentage dark chocolate produces intensity and bitterness requiring sweet counterpoint; milk chocolate produces sweetness requiring acid or salt contrast; white chocolate produces dairy richness requiring citrus or berry contrast. Salt added at the end (fleur de sel, never table salt) sharpens every note.
- The emulsion begins at the centre — cream is poured into chopped chocolate and the mixture is stirred from the middle outward in small circles, gradually incorporating the fat into the aqueous phase. Starting at the edges risks breaking the emulsion before it begins - Chocolate must be chopped finely — large pieces melt unevenly and create temperature differentials that prevent proper emulsification - Cream temperature matters: too hot destroys the cocoa butter crystal structure; too cool fails to melt the chocolate completely. [VERIFY ideal temperature: approximately 80°C for the cream] - Butter added at the end (below 35°C) adds gloss and softness — it must be added when the ganache has cooled enough not to separate the butter fat [VERIFY temperature] - Crystallisation: ganache set at room temperature develops a softer texture than ganache set in the refrigerator due to different crystal formation Decisive moment: The initial emulsification in the centre of the bowl — when a smooth, shiny, elastic mass forms in the centre before the outer edges are incorporated. This is the ganache taking form. Rushing to incorporate the outer edges before this central emulsion is established breaks the structure. Sensory tests: - Properly emulsified: smooth, shiny, elastic when pulled with a spatula. No graininess, no visible fat separation - Broken ganache: dull, grainy, oily sheen on the surface — can often be rescued by warming gently and re-emulsifying - Set ganache at correct ratio: holds a clean cut without crumbling or flowing
- Pouring cream over chocolate all at once and stirring vigorously — introduces air and breaks the emulsion - Using cream that is too hot — scorches the chocolate and produces a grainy, separated result - Adding butter when ganache is too hot — fat separates rather than incorporating - Refrigerating before the ganache has crystallised at room temperature — produces a grainy texture
PASTRY TECHNIQUES — Block 1