Soft Ganache For Molded Bonbons
Equipment needed:
polycarbonate molds
spatulas- silicon and metal ones that are straight and triangular – you need to find what best suits your style
piping bags- preferably disposable ones
baking sheets
bowl
Ingredients (can be halved or doubled). There are roughly 10-15 grams of ganache to a molded bonbon. Adding up all the weights will give you an idea of about how many bonbons the recipes make.
For Dark Chocolate ganache (makes about 20-30 bonbons, depending on the size of the molded shells):
125 g Dark Chocolate – the ratio rule here is one part chocolate to one part cream, however, for a firmer texture, more chocolate can be used.
125 g cream – 38% to 40% if possible, UHT is good for extra shelf life
Optional for taste and shelf life:
30 g butter at room temperature
1 Tablespoon of Invert Sugar, Glucose or honey
For Milk Chocolate ganache (makes between 22-35 bonbons, depending on the size of the molded shells):
190 g milk chocolate (one and a half part chocolate or more to one part cream)
125 g cream 38% to 40% if possible, UHT is good for extra shelf life
Optional for taste and shelf life:
30 g butter at room temperature
1 Tablespoon of Invert Sugar, Glucose or honey
For White Chocolate ganache (makes between 30-40 bonbons, depending on the size of the molded shells):
250 g White Chocolate – the ratio rule here is two parts chocolate to one part cream, however, for a firmer texture, more chocolate can be used.
125 g cream – 38% to 40% if possible, UHT is good for extra shelf life
Optional for taste and shelf life:
30 g butter at room temperature
1 Tablespoon of Invert Sugar, Glucose or honey
Method
There are two popular methods to prepare the ganache for filling molded chocolate shells. The first method is easier, quicker and used more often by non professionals.
Method 1
Place the pieces of chocolate into a bowl. If you are using a bar of chocolate, break into small pieces.
Bring the cream to almost boiling, turn off the flame. Pour the cream over the chocolate . Push all the chocolate down so that it is covered with the cream. Wait a minute or two and then start mixing from the center. You should get a circle of chocolate mixed with the cream forming “an eye”in the center of the bowl …then start mixing from center outwards. Be sure that the temperature of the ganache mixture stays between 34.5o-41o C (94o-106oF) while mixing or the chocolate won’t melt all the way. You may need to give it a zap with a hairdryer or in the microwave. You should get a pudding- like consistency, and it should be shiny and smooth with no oily layer floating on the top (if this happens, your ganache is “broken”- see instructions for fixing a broken ganache).
If you want to flavor the ganache with herbs or spices, teas or coffee, add the spice/tea/coffee etc to the cream before boiling in order to steep. You may want to strain the cream while pouring it over the chopped chocolate. Nice additions can be added according to taste, as you would with a soup! I like adding cardomom, coffee, vanilla, chile like chipotle, cinnamon… whatever is your favorite-just add!
If you want to add some alcohol, that is great and even helps stabilize the ganache.
When the ganache reaches 35C (95F) you may add a tablespoon or two of an alcohol or liqueur (not liqueur that has cream in it as the flavour will get lost completely). Mix gently until all the liqueur is incorporated. Good choices include Whiskey, Brandy, Kahlua, Grand Marnier, etc.
When the ganache reaches 35o C (95o F) add the butter if using, which is at room temperature. Mix gently until all the butter is incorporated. The ganache needs to be poured into a piping bag and piped into the prepared chocolate molded shells (see instructions) at a temperature no higher than 30C (86F), or it will melt the chocolate molded shells.