Is boiling or pouring better for emulsifying chocolate ganache
I am making a recipe that calls for emulsifying solid chocolate with a heated milk/butter mixture. Most articles online say to pour the hot milk on to the chocolate.
Wouldn't it, however, be easier to just throw the chocolate into the pot of milk on the stove and mix it there? Is there any difference between the 2 methods?
Best Answer
There is. Pouring hot milk or cream over chocolate pieces is a much gentler way of melting it. If you boil the chocolate, however, chances are good that you will overheat it.
Chocolate has a low melting temperature, and a low burning temperature. Boiling your chocolate for too long (more than a few seconds) will burn it, changing the taste and texture from sweet and smooth to bitter and grainy.
Simply pouring hot dairy over the chocolate allows it to melt much more slowly, preserving its taste and texture. It is the superior method, which is why most recipes advise doing it that way. If you're concerned about having more washing up to do (I am!) then you can simply add the chocolate to the hot milk off the heat and swirl briefly to disperse, instead of pouring the liquid over the chocolate into a second bowl; it gives the same effect.
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How do you heat cream for ganache?
Pour the cream into a small saucepan set over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Pour over the chopped chocolate and let stand for 5 to 10 minutes to allow the hot cream to melt the chocolate and to allow the overall temperature to reduce because emulsions form better at 90 to 110\xb0F.How do you make water ganache?
How to Make Ganache With Water Instead of CreamHow do you make ganache set faster?
Put ganache into the fridge to let it set and get thicker. If you have the time, take your ganache, cover it with plastic wrap, and set it in the fridge. Leave it in the fridge for an hour, taking it out every 30 minutes to stir it. Once it gets to the right consistency, proceed with your recipe.How do you keep ganache shiny?
The secret to making the ganache extra shiny is to add corn syrup. Glucose syrup (get it HERE *affiliate*) is even better for this purpose, but it is hard to find in stores, so corn syrup will do if that is all you have.How to FIX a Broken Chocolate Ganache | 3 Common Problems | DallasChocolateClasses.com
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Answer 2
You can put the chocolate into the pan with the milk, but it's a bit more tricky than if you pour the milk onto the chocolate. I know if I pour X amount of milk at Y temperature onto some chocolate it will add Z amount of heat to that chocolate.
On the other hand if I put the chocolate into the pan with the milk then the milk and the pan will add heat to the chocolate, so I have to account for the pan's heat capacity and heat the milk (and the pan) to a lower temperature. A thicker pan will add more heat than a thin pan of the same material, so it's challenging to know exactly what the right heat would be if you use that method. If I guess too high I overcook the chocolate, too low and it won't melt.
Pouring the milk onto the chocolate gives a consistent result.
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