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Post by martin0642 on Nov 4, 2015 12:10:46 GMT -5
Hi folks - I'm hoping someone can help me solve this before I muck up another batch pf ganache.
For the record; I've NEVER had problems making ganache before...
I'm following William Curley's recipe (with ingredients halved) and have tried it two different ways; both with the same result:
7fl oz whipping cream 30g Invert suga (I'm using golden syrup...is that an issue?) 250gr of 75% dark chocolate (home made, not previously tempered) 37g butter at room temp.
Also a teaspoon (if that) of vanilla paste.....which i've just noticed contains alcohol, sugar and xanthan gum....hmmm
First method (as used by William Curley)
Boil the cream and invert sugar syrup and then cool to about 65-70 c Melt chocolate in double boiler to about 45 c Add cream to chocolate stirring continuously to create emulsion Add butter
Complete disaster...... all went well until just as I added the last of the cream when it all turned into a seized or separated, oily, lumpy mess.Sadly I had also added the butter at this point
Second method
As above but this time I added the boiled cream to a bowl of chopped up chocolate instead of melting the chocolate first.
Same disaster basically. All looked good and then in seconds, went grainy, lumpy, oily.
The only difference here from my usual method (boil cream, add to chocolate, stir) is the use of invert sugar/golden syrup. I'm assuming it's a temperature thing? So I may try just heating it all together at the same time in a double boiler....see if that helps.
Absolutely certain no water got in anywhere btw.
Any clues??
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Post by martin0642 on Nov 4, 2015 12:38:13 GMT -5
Update: I tried going back to basics with it....... literally just boiled cream (left it to cool for a couple of mins) and then added it to the rough chopped chocolate. Exactly the same result - or rather..the same result but slightly less extreme (but only slightly).
So it seems its not about teh sugar syrup at least...
I've never encountered this before. Is it because the chocolate wasn't previously tempered? (I finished it yesterday and it's just been sat in a container since - no tempering as yet)
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gap
Apprentice
Posts: 390
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Post by gap on Nov 4, 2015 15:33:52 GMT -5
Are you combining it in a food processor/robot coupe or with a stick blender/immersion blender? Often with high % dark chocolates, using an immersion blender (or equivalent) will help stop the ganache splitting (which is a function of the high fat content from the chocolate)
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Post by martin0642 on Nov 4, 2015 16:46:02 GMT -5
Are you combining it in a food processor/robot coupe or with a stick blender/immersion blender? Often with high % dark chocolates, using an immersion blender (or equivalent) will help stop the ganache splitting (which is a function of the high fat content from the chocolate) No I'm just mixing with spatula and whisk....which is exactly teh way i've always done it. In teh past i've always used good quality bought chocolate - which is tempered. I found some information from Ecole Chocolate that suggests the fact the chocolate was untempered to begin with may have been the issue. Or an issue anyway.. What I *think* has happened is a combination of the cream being too hot (and therefore burning the chocolate) and the chocolate being untempered to begin with. Its so weird...it's like everything is going exactly right and then bang - its a lump of grainy, oily, yuck. I've tempered the remaining chocolate now and checked the temper has held by moulding some chocolate. So I'll try again. I may try the exact same process with some decent bought chocolate but since all I have is a load of Valrhona i'm loathe to ruin it! However - i'll take the point about the stick blender.
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gap
Apprentice
Posts: 390
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Post by gap on Nov 4, 2015 21:49:13 GMT -5
I'd say a stick blender will help. Emulsify the chocolate and cream mixture. Allow to cool to ~35C and then add then butter with the immersion blender - stop as soon as butter is incorporated. Don't overmix it at this stage because the immersion blender can heat up and heat the ganache.
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Post by martin0642 on Nov 5, 2015 7:52:33 GMT -5
I'd say a stick blender will help. Emulsify the chocolate and cream mixture. Allow to cool to ~35C and then add then butter with the immersion blender - stop as soon as butter is incorporated. Don't overmix it at this stage because the immersion blender can heat up and heat the ganache. Excellent - thank you. Still bemused as to why it happened in teh first place. I have made a lot of ganache over the years and this is the first time i've encountered this.
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