Ganaching A Wedding Cake: A Step-By-Step Guide To Perfection

Ganache is a popular choice for wedding cakes, providing a smooth and uniform finish. It can be made with white or dark chocolate and is set within 20 minutes to an hour. To achieve the perfect consistency, ganache should be stored in small quantities and stirred gently and evenly after each warming to prevent burning and splitting. Once the ganache has set, it can be used to cover a cake, creating a flawless finish.

How to store ganache

To store ganache, it is important to stir gently and evenly after each warming to prevent burning and splitting. For easier warming, store ganache in small quantities rather than all of it in one big tub. Lay a sheet of cling film on the surface of the ganache, expel any air to prevent skin forming and for extra protection. You can then wrap the ganache in layers of cling film once it has hardened and freeze it. When you want to use it, take it out of the freezer and let it thaw out still in the cling film. It can be brought to working consistency by bringing it to room temperature overnight on the kitchen counter and by gradually warming it in the microwave on low to medium heat at 20/30-second intervals, stirring after each warming and reducing to 15 seconds as the chocolate begins to melt. If your ganache gets too firm, just microwave it for 10 seconds and stir until softened. Be careful not to heat it too much or you could split your ganache and you'll have to wait for it to cool down all over again.

How to defrost ganache

To ganache a wedding cake, you can use a variety of methods to achieve uniform layers. One method is to punch out the cake layers from single sheets of cake, which can be done using pans you already have. You can also piece together layers from scraps.

To defrost ganache, there are several methods. One is to let it sit in the fridge until it reaches the desired temperature. Another is to defrost it at room temperature, which can be done without the lid to prevent chunks or air pockets. You can also defrost it in the microwave in 10-second intervals, stirring after each interval. It's important to stir gently and evenly to prevent burning and splitting.

How to make uniform cake layers

To make uniform cake layers, you can use a method employed by professional cake makers. This involves punching out the cake layers from single sheets of cake. You can use a tiny application of butter to hold down a single piece of parchment, and as long as you spread the batter evenly, the layers will all be of uniform thickness and flatness, with no levelling required. You can even piece together some layers from the scraps left over from punching out other circles or squares.

Once you have your uniform cake layers, you can start to ganache your wedding cake. First, bring the ganache to working consistency by leaving it overnight at room temperature and then gradually warming it in the microwave on low to medium heat at 20-30 second intervals. Stir gently and evenly after each warming to prevent burning and splitting. For easier warming, store ganache in small quantities rather than all of it in one big tub. Lay a sheet of cling film on the surface of the ganache, expel any air to prevent skin forming and for extra protection.

When the ganache is ready, you can frost your cake. It will set in about 20 minutes to an hour, depending on the temperature of the room. If your ganache gets too firm, you can microwave it for 10 seconds and stir until softened. Be careful not to heat it too much, or you could split your ganache and have to wait for it to cool down again.

Once you have ganached your cake, wrap it in layers of cling film and freeze it. When you want to use it, take it out of the freezer and let it thaw out still in the cling film. Then, it's ready to put the sugar paste on.

How to make white chocolate ganache

To make white chocolate ganache, you only need three ingredients: white chocolate, cream and butter.

First, weigh out your chocolate and place it in a heatproof bowl. Microwave for one minute to start softening the chocolate. Next, bring the cream to a simmer and pour it over the chocolate, making sure that the chocolate is fully covered. Leave the mixture to set for five to ten minutes, then whisk until combined. Pour the ganache into a cake pan to let it firm up. This should take about an hour. Cover the ganache with plastic wrap to prevent a film from developing, which can cause the ganache to be grainy.

If you want to use the ganache for drips, make sure your cake is very cold so the ganache sets quickly. You can also use freshly made ganache to frost your cake. If your ganache gets too firm, microwave it for 10 seconds and stir until it reaches the desired consistency.

For easier warming, store ganache in small quantities rather than all in one big tub. Lay a sheet of cling film on the surface of the ganache, expel any air to prevent a skin from forming and for extra protection. You can also bring ganache to working consistency by leaving it overnight on the kitchen counter and then gradually warming it in the microwave on low to medium heat at 20/30-second intervals. Stir after each warming and reduce to 15 seconds as the chocolate begins to melt.

How to avoid splitting ganache

To ganache a wedding cake, you can follow these steps:

• Bring the ganache to room temperature overnight on the kitchen counter.
• Gradually warm the ganache in the microwave on low to medium heat at 20/30-second intervals.
• Stir after each warming and reduce to 15-second intervals as the chocolate begins to melt.
• Store ganache in small quantities rather than all of it in one big tub.
• Lay a sheet of cling film on the surface of the ganache, expelling any air to prevent skin forming.
• Once the ganache has hardened, wrap the cake in layers of cling film and freeze it.
• When you want to use it, take it out of the freezer and let it thaw out still in the cling film.

To avoid splitting ganache, it is important to stir gently and evenly after each warming to prevent burning and splitting. You should also avoid heating the ganache too much, as this can cause it to split. If your ganache gets too firm, you can microwave it for 10 seconds and stir until softened, but be careful not to overheat it. Additionally, you can reduce the total fat content in your recipe by cutting butter and replacing it with milk or using lower-fat chocolate. You can also add a little honey or glucose to the ganache to prevent splitting.

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