The World of Ganache

In pastry-making, a ganache is usually made mixing cream and chocolate. It is an essential part of many recipes, both in pastry- and chocolate-making. 

Ganache, a versatile chocolate mixture of cream and chocolate, can be used as a filling, frosting, glaze, or even to make truffles, and can be whipped for a lighter texture, adding a decadent touch to cakes, pastries, and other desserts.  

Known for its rich, intense chocolate flavor, ideal for fillings, truffles, or a sophisticated topping.  

Offers a sweeter, more approachable chocolate flavor, perfect for frosting, glazing, or fillings.  

A versatile base for creating creamy, smooth textures, often used for glazing, fillings, or as a base for flavored ganaches.  

A thinner, more liquid ganache, perfect for glazing cakes or drizzling over desserts.  

A light, fluffy ganache achieved by whipping the ganache until it's airy and smooth, ideal for frosting or piping.  

A thicker, more solid ganache, often used for cake fillings, truffles, or as a base for piped decorations.  

A combination of butter and cream ganache, offering a balance of richness and texture, often used for piping.  

In the broad sense of the term, ganache is an emulsion between (melted) solid chocolate (which is made with cocoa butter, the fat phase) and a water-based ingredient, which can be cream, milk or fruit pulp. They have a smooth and shiny appearance. Depending on the ratio of cocoa butter and water in the finished product, ganache can be either semi-solid or liquid at room temperature, which allows its usage in a wide diversity of desserts and confectionery items.

Ganache is a chocolate preparation containing cream. The ratio between these ingredients varies across preparations depending on the final purpose of the ganache: more chocolate than cream will produce a relatively hard ganache appropriately for icing or filling foods, and increasing the ratio further makes a "heavy" ganache, appropriate for making truffles.

Ganache-like sweets have probably been made earlier. An example being the German confectioner Jordan & Timaeus, who sold chocolate combining cocoa paste, sugar and fresh milk in 1839 in Dresden.