Recipes
Milk 32% Chocolate Ganache — for Cakes and Pralines
Ganache is one of the most versatile bases in confectionery: an emulsion of chocolate and cream that, depending on the ratio, becomes a pourable glaze, a creamy filling or a pliable paste for shaping truffles. Milk 32% callets melt smoothly and evenly, giving a silky, glossy ganache with a gentle, milky flavour.
Below you'll find the basic recipe along with a ratio table that lets you match the consistency to a specific use — from a glaze cascading down a cake to the firm centre of hand-rolled pralines.
Ingredients
- 200 g Milk 32% chocolate callets
- 120 ml cream, 30–36% fat
- 20 g butter (for gloss and smoothness)
- optional: a pinch of salt or a teaspoon of honey
Method
- Tip the Milk 32% callets into a heatproof bowl.
- Heat the cream in a saucepan until it begins to steam and the first bubbles appear around the edges (do not let it boil). Remove from the heat.
- Pour the hot cream over the callets and leave for 1 minute without stirring — give the chocolate time to melt.
- Stir with a whisk or spatula from the centre outwards, in small circles, until the mixture is uniform, smooth and glossy.
- Add the butter (and the optional pinch of salt) and stir until it has melted in completely and the ganache takes on a shine.
- Use straight away as a glaze while it's warm and pourable, or set it aside to firm up — depending on how you plan to use it.
Ratios by use
| Use | Chocolate : cream | Consistency |
|---|---|---|
| Glaze (drip cake, coating) | 1 : 1 | pourable, glossy |
| Cake filling | 2 : 1 | creamy, pliable |
| Under fondant | 2.5 : 1 | firm, stable |
| Rolled truffles and pralines | 3 : 1 | thick, mouldable |
Tip
If the ganache "splits" (separates into fat and liquid), add a tablespoon of hot cream and stir briskly — the emulsion usually comes back together. For a truffle ganache, let the mixture cool, chill it for 2 hours in the fridge, then roll into balls and dust with cocoa.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use milk instead of cream? Better not — cream gives a stable emulsion and a velvety texture. Milk has too little fat, so the ganache will turn out watery and less stable.
How long can I keep ganache? In an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Before using it as a glaze, warm it gently in a water bath or in short bursts in the microwave, stirring as you go.
Why is my ganache dull? Most often because of over-stirring, which whips air into the mixture, or because the temperature was too high. Stir calmly, and the butter added at the end will bring back the shine.
