Caramel Ganache

whiskey13, Apr 1, 1:28am
Am wanting a recipe for caramel ganache, anyone got one please.
I'm decorating a cake for a friends birthday and she loves caramel so want to base the decorating around that. TIA for anyone who can help
deus701, Apr 1, 1:47am
I have a salty caramel ganache that I use for virtually anything. Its part of a plated dessert component. Btw, if you see the word 'couverture' just replace it with chocolate of your choosing

Salted Caramel Ganache

40 gSugar
120 gCream
1/8 tsp Salt
80gMilk Couverture
20gDark Couverture
20 gButter

Caramelise sugar until deep golden colour. Gently add slightly warmed cream, to preparecaramel sauce. Add the salt. Leave to cool slightly before emulsifying with chocolate. Add softened butter. Store in container until further use
whiskey13, Apr 1, 2:15am
wow thanks for that deus was thinking maybe there wasn't such a thing as caramel ganache, i thought you could only make chocolate ganache, thanks so much.
craig04, Apr 1, 2:21am
Yum, thanks for that recipe - am adding to the pile!
deus701, Apr 1, 2:57am
No problem, let me know if you need any help. There are many kinds of ganache out there, like gingerbread, orange butter, madras curry white ganache, strawberry balsamic, etc.but everyone tastes/preferences are different.
cookiebarrel, Apr 1, 5:11am
HI deus701,I wouldn't mind the orange butter one and the strawberry balsamic ones.How do you think the orange butter one would go with a chocolate and orange cake that I want to layer and maybe fill alternate layers with milk chocolate ganache as I don't want to be overpowering with the chocolate.Thanks in advance.
lodgelocum, Apr 1, 5:21am
I would love the orange butter one too please.thanks.
deus701, Apr 1, 6:06am
Orange Butter Ganache:

110g Soft Butter, 40g Fondant, 480g Melted Milk chocolate, 50g Concentrated Orange Juice, 20g Orange Liquer (Grand Marnier, Cointreau).

Method:
Mix together butter & fondant until well combined. Slowly drizzle in the milk chocolate taking care not to let chunks of chocolate form in the mixture. Stir in the juice and liquer until the mixture is homogenous/emulsified.

Do note that this would give you around 700g of ganache so adjust your recipes accordingly (A small test batch is recommended)Also butter ganache would set firmer than cream ganache. You could reduce the chocolate by 10-20% if you want it slightly softer. Normally this ganache is spread into a metal frame, and when it has set, it will be cut in squares and dipped in chocolates.
deus701, Apr 1, 6:08am
Strawberry Balsamic Butter Ganache:

150g Soft Butter, 150g Strawberry Jam, 360g White Chocolate melted, 40g Balsamic Vinegar (Important to use high quality aged balsamic vinegar that gives sweet dried fruit flavours).

Method: Same for orange ganache above => 1.) Mix butter with a sweetener, 2.) Add the melted chocolate, 3.) Mix in flavourings
deus701, Apr 1, 6:17am
What kind of cake is it! Is it like a mousse cake! Or sponge layers! Depending on what brand of chocolate you use, I think milk is fine. But personally I would use white chocolate, as it works well with tart flavours like orange (especially beautiful with passionfruit).

Here is a basic orange ganache recipe:

70g Cream, 20g Glucose, 250g White Chocolate, 10g Butter, 30g Orange liquer, 60g Orange Confit (Oranges simmered in sugar syrup).

Combine cream & glucose and bring to a boil. Pour over the chopped choc bits and let it set for awhile to let the chocolate melt. Stir the mixture from a small circle from the centre of the bowl expanding outwards until it emulsifies. If the chocolate hasn't melted completely, you can warm it gently over a water both. Stir in the softened butter , drizzle in the liquer and stir in the orange confit last.

I chopped up the orange confit so people can go 'oohhh ahhh' when they taste bits of oranges. Personally the confit I made wasn't as strong as I liked it. I would probably just use the zest (peeled in long strips) and simmered the next time.
cookiebarrel, Apr 2, 5:59am
Hi deus 701,It is like a sponge layer cake.Like your idea of using white chocolate so will possibly go with that.Was kind of thinking of a Jaffa type cake with layers of chocolate cake and orange cake with chocolate ganache in-between the layers and covering with the orange butter ganache.Maybe I could use the orange ganache over the outside of it!
Thanks for the advise.
willyow, Apr 2, 6:44am
'150g Soft Butter, 150g Strawberry Jam, 360g White Chocolate melted' -Does anyone here ever countcalories!
whiskey13, Apr 2, 7:10am
Life's too short
xtownie, Apr 2, 2:53pm
400g Jersey Caramel lollies, 600ml cream, 1 cup icing sugar.
place caramels and cream in a saucepan and slowly melt. Cover and refrigerate until cold.
When cold, beat with electric mixer until smooth and gradually add icing sugar until thick and spreadable.
* Im not one to taste test, lick fingers or the bowl when Im baking but this is an exception lol *
whiskey13, Apr 2, 4:14pm
Oh that one sounds nice xtownie, my friend loves jersey caramel lollies lol, thanks for posting
deus701, Apr 3, 6:51am
Yes, that would work. I probably grate some zest and add into the sponge to enhance the orange flavour. Then use the orange ganache to mask the cake, and lastly I would pour a mirror glaze on top. The cake would look like this (not my pic btw)

http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6110/6379964397_9db12798a9.jpg

I probably put some dried candied orange slices, some white choc twirls, etc for the decor on top. But thats just me.
cookiebarrel, Apr 3, 7:50am
willyow, certainly agree with whiskey13, lifes to short to spend time counting calories, or maybe I am lucky in not having to, or then again proberly because I am not intending to eat the whole cake myself as it to be shared amongst a large group of friends, my piece will not be big enough to be a bother.Do people honestly think just one or two are going to eat a whole cake like this themselves!Mind you there are some who do or would, but that's their choice and their problem.
deus701, thanks for the picture.I have made chocolate paste orange slices to go on the top of the cake, but will be borrowing your idea to add some choc twirls as well.Oh dear, more calories added.
cookiebarrel, Apr 3, 7:55am
xtownie, looking forward to trying out your jersey caramel recipe.What better time than Easter.Love your name, wish I was one instead of being an xcountry, but hopefully that will change soon.
deus701, Apr 3, 8:45am
All the best for your cake cookiebarrel. Im sure it turn out great with you putting a bit of effort into it.

On a side not, people in the pastry department tend to be slim/skinny athletic build (around 95% of them). I cant say the same for those in the hot kitchen though.