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Ganache? How long is the shelf life and making
Hi,
I’ve been using hard butter cream to grum my cakes and as a beginner find my cakes end up with belly’s due to the butter cream getting to warm. Now I’ve watched the videos on how to make ganache but not sure I’m happy with how long you can keep it after you make a batch, as it sounds like it doesn’t have a long shelf life.
Anyway I’ve found a dairy free recipe from searching the net using water, corn syrup, cocoa, touch of salt, heat this up to boiling point in a pan then poor over chocolate and stire till all smooth and melted and then add some chocolate extract, would this ganache last alot longer than ganache with cream?
Hello Codebreaker
The type of ganache used in the tutorials can be kept refrigerated for approximate two weeks in an airtight container. It can be frozen for approximately three months stored in freezer bags and an airtight container.
Ganache is made in different ways, not all are equally shelf stable. The tutorial ganache is made with double cream which is boiled to allow most of the water in the cream to evaporate. Too much water availability in the cream can cause microbial growth. However the fat contained in double cream, the chocolate to cream ratio + boiling the cream helps to keep the ganache stable. It’s important to use cream with the longest shelf life on purchase. UHT cream will also give more stability as will using a tablespoon or two of alcohol. This is just a very simple explanation into some of the science of ganache. I’m by no means an authority! I recently made ganache which tested for a shelf life of one year. The ganache was made for filling chocolates, it contained ingredients required for that application.
Ganache which we use in cake decorating is enrobed under sugarpaste which acts as further preservative and providing it is made, handled and stored in a safe way, it is stable for the application it is intended.
Some while ago, in response to enquires for dairy free ganche, my hubby and I conducted a small experiment with water ganache, you can see the recipe and results by scrolling down in this blog http://www.cakeflix.com/blog/how-to-make-chocolate-mud-cake
The water ganache was left out at room temperature for a couple of weeks without physical signs of deteriotation. Under a microscope however, I’m sure it will have been a different story. Water ganache has it’s own problems. In answer to that part of your question I wouldn’t hesitate in saying that it will not have a longer shelf life.
Once you try ganache you’ll be hooked! It gives a much sharper, smarter finish to cakes. There is a ganache quantites chart for the different types of chocolate and size cakes here:
http://www.cakeflix.com/blog/how-to-ganache-cakes-without-gnashing-your-teeth
Hope it helps.
Thanks so much for the reply, I’ll use the double then as I want to try ganache for the first time on a birthday cake and see if this works better than butter cream, as I don’t like the saggy luck you get when the butter cream starts to warm up, looks a bit unprofessional and annoys me lol. Anyway thank you for your quick and informative reply x
Thank you. That helps a lot, appreciate the help.
