Welcome to the Cake Decorators Q&A

Hi,
I am reasonably new to cake decorating and always use butter cream, however I am not happy with the finish it gives when covering it with fondant. I have been watching lots of tutorials on Ganache and feel that this will give me a much better finish, especially as I am doing my brothers wedding cake next April.
I was wondering if you make a large batch of Ganache how long would keep for in the fridge or can you freeze it and also how many times can you re-heat it, to soften it?
Any help would be greatly appreciated,
Many thanks in advance.

Hi Sopie 202020

Generally, ganach stored in the fridge is as good as the use by date on the cream which is used for making it. However this is just a guide line. There are many other factors which must be considered. The type of chocolate and cream used determines ganche self life as does the method of preparation and hygienic conditons in which it is prepared. When a higher proportion of cocoa solids and a high fat content of cream is used, the shelf life is extended. Cleanliness and preparation method is also a high factor to consider. Bringing the cream to a full boil will help reduce the water content in the cream and will contribute to better keeping properties.
Ganache can be stored in the freezer for approximately three months. It has to be wrapped up well in strong freezer bags and then placed in an airtight container away from strong smelling foods. This helps to prevent freezer burn and also prevents the uptake of other food smells.
While working with ganache it will begin to set and become unspreadable. At this stage it can be re heated on low setting of the microwave and warmed for 20 seconds or less increments to bring it back to working consistency. Chocolate burns very quickly, so to prevent this happening it is critical that the ganache should be gently stirred after each warming to distribute the heat in the mixture. It can be warmed throughout the process of working on the project in hand.
If you want to make big batches on ganache it is advisable to store it in smaller amounts rather than in one big batch. Take out and defrost the amount required so you’re not heating huge amounts. Once ganche has been defrosted it should not be refrozen. Same freezing and defrosting rules apply as to any other frozen and defrosted foods.
There is a mountain of information of ganache on the site. However the site has been under new construction and I can’t find the links to give you at the moment.
You’ll find a ganache quantities blog and chart here:

How to Ganache Cakes Without Gnashing Your Teeth!

Again there is a problem with opening the chart which I’m sure will be sorted out soon. If you are unable to open the chart and need help with quantities please post again.
For more information on helping to extend ganache shelf life take a peek here:

The Shelf Life of Ganache – By madeitwithlove

Hope some of the above information helps. If you need futher help or more information, please post again.