Chocolate ganache: Butter or no butter?

[yumyumyogi]

Hi. I'm trying to make an Earl Gray-infused chocolate ganache filling for macarons but am debating whether or not to add butter to the chocolate/cream mixture. Could someone explain to me what difference it makes to add butter and which version would work better as macaron fillings? Thanks. Much appreciated!

[littledipper]

any tips on making white chocolate ganache? i want to make it mint flavored for frosting and decorating an ice cream cake. thanks!

[cowboyardee]

Pretty much the same way you make dark chocolate ganache. Heat cream, pour over chopped chocolate with or without butter added, stir, refrigerate. Here is a recipe:
http://articles.latimes.com/2010/apr/...
You don't have to do the ice-bowl thing - you can just refrigerate if you're in no hurry, stirring occasionally.
You can infuse the cream with mint while warming it up slowly. Strain before pouring over the chocolate. Alternately, you can use a little mint oil or extract for a similar effect.

[littledipper]

ok, i was afraid there was a difference in the proportions with the white chocolate. i came across that same recipe, but skipped over it because it looked like it was for piping. i am kind of in a hurry (would like to frost tonight so it sits overnight) so i may try the ice-bowl.

thanks!

[Hank Hanover]

I would cheat and use the flavored oils from loran to flavor the ganache but that's just me.

[goodhealthgourmet]

i never add butter. as Hank said, the primary reason for it is to keep the ganache shiny, but i personally prefer the contrast of the matte finish against the shiny exterior of the macarons.

[yumyumyogi]

If you're lucky enough to have shiny macarons, that is. My first semi-successful batch after 3 tries with only the dull exterior to disappoint. Not sure what happened, but that's another topic altogether.

[goodhealthgourmet]

that's a bummer. Italian meringue, or French? and did you let them sit before baking?

there's some terrific troubleshooting & instructional info on the Web. David Lebovitz actually posted all the best links in one place on his blog:
http://www.davidlebovitz.com/2008/09/...

[Hank Hanover]

I'm afraid I can't get excited about macarons or meringue anything. I mean it's just meringue.

They are colorful. Perhaps someday I will taste some at a bakery or confection shop and fall in love.

[BobB]

My ganache contains only two ingredients: Bittersweet chocolate and heavy cream. I've never tried filling anything with it though, I mainly use it as a cake frosting or ice cream topping.

[TheHuntress]

I'm with you BobB, to me ganache is chocolate and cream.

[Adrienne]

Same here.

[chowser]

Me too. But, I use it for so many different things.

[Hank Hanover]

I'm surprised you use it as a frosting without butter unless you just pour it on like a boston cream pie.
A typical frosting has these ingredients and is whipped when it is cool.

16 ounces semisweet chocolate , finely chopped
8 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 stick)
1/3 cup sugar
2 tablespoons corn syrup
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon table salt
1 ¼ cups heavy cream

[chowser]

You can beat it w/ a mixer and it works great. Change the proportion of cream if needed.

[BobB]

I do just pour it on. My favorite is to use it to top my flourless chocolate cake. Talk about gilding the lily! I can't eat more than about a one-inch slice of that combo but it's SO good!

[ipsedixit]

I would not use butter if you are using them for fillings.

[yumyumyogi]

Reason? Does it make the filling too soft?

[ipsedixit]

No. It makes it taste weird.

[Hank Hanover]

Ipsedixit's opinion is not shared by me or by many others.

Yogi, you have your answer and it has been confirmed. Butter is added to ganache to make it shiny. You could add any oil you wanted to. It would accomplish the same.

Do a taste test for yourself. Melt and blend 4 ounces of dark chocolate and 4 ounces of cream and add even 1 full tablespoon of butter and that would be quite a bit of butter for that small amount of ganache. Make another batch without. I bet you won't be able to taste the difference. There will b a difference in gloss and feel, however.

You could use a high % coca butter chocolate and wouldn't need butter. I use a lot of Callebaut 835 semisweet. It is 54% cocoa solids and 35% cocoa butter which makes it good for dipping. I use it for ganache too. If you use a harder thicker less sweet chocolate like 80+%, it may well need some added sugar to sweeten it and butter to make it shiny.

[yumyumyogi]

Thanks for your response. I think I will try out both versions in small batches as you recommended just to see for myself.

[Hank Hanover]

There you go. Learn for yourself. I do hope you are using good chocolate or at least chocolate that you like the taste of.

[babette feasts]

I beg to differ. Butter can stabilize a ganache and some chocolatiers say it 'fixes' the flavor - in the rendering less volatile sense of the word. When butter replaces part of the cream, it makes a firmer ganache and extends shelf life. Different fats interact with cocoa butter in different ways. Nut oil, dairy fats, and coconut fat all have a softening effect when combined with cocoa butter. Plus, butter is solid at room temperature while oil is not, I would not add oil to any ganache unless I was specifically making an olive oil ganache or such.

[Hank Hanover]

I don't know much about macarons but butter is used in ganache to make it shiny and to smaller degree to keep it from hardening.