Cream

Ganache is loosely defined as chocolate combined with cream, so cream naturally plays a significant role in ganache formulation. Cream is the major source of water in ganache. Without sufficient water, the fat cannot disperse and the ganache separates. Cream is also the major source of butterfat in ganache. When combined with cocoa butter, butterfat lowers the melting point of chocolate, both because of its lower solid fat index (SFI) relative to that of cocoa butter and because of its eutectic effect. (See Eutectics.) It is the combination of butterfat and cocoa butter that is largely responsible for the melt-in-the-mouth quality of ganache. In addition to water and fat, cream contributes milk solids, lactose, and dairy flavor.