A ganache is an emulsion. An emulsion is a mixture of two
otherwise incompatible consistencies.
A ganache is an emulsion consisting of liquid (including the
water in the whipping cream) and fat (including the cocoa butter in the
chocolate). It is the fat that can encapsulate the liquid, so that we can
produce a silky smooth and perfect mixture of chocolate and whipping cream: A
ganache.
If you would like to make a delicious ganache for your chocolate
bonbons, which has both a wonderful taste, perfect texture, and a long shelf
life, there should - in addition to chocolate and whipping cream - be a third
main component in your ganache: Sugar.
Below you can read more about what chocolate, whipping cream
and sugar respectively contribute with when you make ganache for chocolate
bonbons.
Chocolate contributes with flavour, and the cocoa butter in
the chocolate also (as the only component) makes the ganache firmer. The more
cocoa butter you add to a ganache, the firmer the ganache will be when it has
set - and the longer the shelf life will be, as the amount of active water is
thus reduced.
In some of my ganache recipes I add – in addition to
chocolate – pure cocoa butter. I do this when (for the sake of optimal
balancing of the ganache) I need to increase the proportion of cocoa butter
without simultaneously increasing the proportion of cocoa solids, sugar and
possibly milk fat (applies to chocolates other than dark).
Whipping cream contributes to the ganache with flavour and with
making the ganache creamier. The same also applies to butter, which I often
also add to my ganache. Butter (added in the right amounts) also contributes to
extending the shelf life.
As mentioned, the third main component in a good ganache for
chocolate bonbons should be sugar. Sugar contributes both to emulsify the
ganache, to extend its shelf life, and to make the ganache softer - and of
course with flavour and sweetness.
In my ganaches I use (in addition to the granulated sugar
contained in the chocolate) sorbitol, glucose syrup, invert sugar and dextrose.
The different sugars have different properties in terms of sweetness, texture
and AW-reducing properties. E.g. invert sugar is much sweeter than sorbitol, sorbitol
has better AW-reducing properties than glucose syrup, and invert sugar
counteracts dehydration better than dextrose.
If you are looking for recipes for delicious ganache, which contain multiple sugars for optimal taste, texture, and shelf life, then you will find plenty of such recipes in my e-book "CHOCOLATE BONBONS - a practical guide".
