Ganache Proportions

Classic ganache is made with an equal weight chocolate and heavy cream or crème fraîche, which lends the ganache a slightly tangy quality. The resulting consistency is fine with a low-percentage chocolate, but if using a 60 percent or higher cacao chocolate, I prefer to increase the amount of cream so that when the ganache sets on the cake, it doesn’t pull away or separate from the cake when I serve it. Use the following guideline based on 8 ounces/227 grams chocolate.

• For 60% to 62% cacao chocolate, I use 9 ounces/255 grams cream (1 cup plus 1½ tablespoons).
• For 63% to 64% cacao chocolate, I use 10 ounces/283 grams cream (about 1¼ cups).
• For 66% cacao chocolate, I use 11 ounces/312 grams cream (about 1 ⅓ cups).
• For 70% cacao chocolate, I use 12 ounces/340 grams cream (about 1½ cups).
• If you are adding butter, use high-fat butter, preferably cultured, for the best flavor and texture. I like to add up to a third the weight of the chocolate in butter and up to ½ teaspoon liqueur per ounce of chocolate. So, for 6 ounces/170 grams chocolate, I add 1 to 2 ounces/28 to 56 grams (2 to 4 tablespoons) butter and 1 tablespoon liqueur.