World Pastry Forum Day 1: Ganache

You can see why I was getting bleary eyed by mid-afternoon. This post will focus on the numerous ganaches that we made. First, Chef introduced us to a cool way to prep ganache frames. He has a bunch of 1/2" thick plexiglass that is cut to the size of his sheet pans. We then wiped those with a moist towel and lined them with acetate. Tempered milk chocolate was then thinly wiped over the acetate just wider than the frame. The frame is then set into the chocolate firmly and since its tempered seals the frame to the base making it water-tight.

With that set-up you'll see all the different ganaches we made. All of them follow the same basic process. Here's Mexican Vanilla Ganache:
630 g Cream 35%
120 g Butter 85%
8 Mexican vanilla beans
50 g Sorbitol
40 g Dextrose
400 g 65% Chocolate
215 g 38% Chocolate
20 g Vanilla extract
10 g Mycryo cocoa butter (1% of total weight)
1 g Soy lecithin liquid

Split beans. Put cream and butter in a sauce pan. Many say butter should go in at the end, but Chef disagrees. There is no structural reason for leaving it til the end and Chef believes that adding it now increases the emulsification process. Warm and add the dextrose, sorbitol and vanilla beans and extract. Ideally, steep covered for 24 hours then re-warm. Melt the chocolate and then add the warm cream mix and process in a food processor or with a stick blender. Mixing by hand can lead to separation. Finally, add the mycryo and pour into the frame, leveling and removing air bubbles.

Pistachio Marzipan
500 g Marzipan
135 g Simple syrup
25 g Kirsch
165 g Pistachio paste
115 g Mycryo cocoa butter

In processor, add each ingredient in order until smooth and homogeneous.

Chef then covered the pistachio marzipan with Lemon Ganache.
360 g Cream 35%
256 g Butter 85%
300 g Lemon juice
40 g Lemon peel
150 g Sorbitol powder
288 g Pasteurized egg yolk
65 g Inverted sugar
396 g 38% Chocolate
840 g 65% Chocolate
60 g Mycryo cocoa butter

Mojito Ganache
350 g Cream
180 g Lime purée
20 g Sorbitol
200 g Inverted sugar
175 g Butter
810 g 65% Chocolate
85 g White rum
8 g Mint
10 g Cocoa butter

Kona Hawaiian Coffee Ganache
550 g Cream
100 g Sorbitol powder
215 g Dextrose
160 g Butter
220 g Glucose
5 g Lechithin liquid
640 g 65% Chocolate
235 g Kona Coffee
20 g Mycryo cocoa butter

Earl Grey Tea Ganache
650 g Milk
80 g Tea
600 g 38% Chocolate
300 g 65% Chocolate
110 g Butter
95 g Sorbitol powder
50 g Dextrose
25 g Mycryo cocoa butter

I'm crashing so I'll finish up tomorrow with caramels and nougats.