Ideal Formulation and Balancing Example
Ideal Formulation and Balancing Example
In previous articles, we've used specific guidelines for an ideal framed dark chocolate ganache. This formulation was based on trials, studies, evaluations of proven recipes, and chefs' experience. These guidelines will produce an ideally textured dark chocolate ganache for a framed filling. It will have excellent chocolate flavor and a reasonably long shelf life. Remember that these numbers are not set in stone; you may have different parameters that you feel are ideal.
Steps to finding and evaluating ganache composition:
- Find the total percentage of water.
- Find the total percentage of sugar.
- Find the total percentage of cocoa butter.
- Find the total percentage of dairy fat.
Sample Recipe
For the purpose of this article, we're going to use the following recipe for a framed dark chocolate ganache:
| Amount | Ingredient | Percentage |
| 500g | Heavy cream, 36% fat | 38.4% |
| 50g | Glucose syrup DE40 | 3.8% |
| 650g | 66% Dark Chocolate | 50.0% |
| 100g | Fresh butter | 7.6% |
| 1300g | Total | 100% |
1st: Establish Total Percentage of Water
Our first step is to determine what percentage of the total recipe is water.
Heavy cream, for example, is 58% water. The recipe is 38.4% cream. Therefore, cream contributes 22.3% of the recipe's total water.
| Ingredient & water% | % of ingredient in recipe | Math! | water% from ingredient |
| Cream: 58% water | 38.4% | 38.4 x 0.58 = | 22.3% |
| Glucose: 22% water | 3.8% | 3.8 x 0.22 = | 0.8% |
| Chocolate: 0% water | 50% | 50 x 0 = | 0% |
| Butter: 18% water | 7.6% | 7.6 x 0.18 = | 1.4% |
| Total water content | 24.5% |
2nd: Establish Total Percentage of Sugar
| Ingredient & sugar% | % of ingredient in recipe | Math! | sugar% from ingredient |
| Cream: 0% sugar | 38.4% | 38.4 x 0.0 = | 0% |
| Glucose: 78% sugar | 3.8% | 3.8 x 0.78 = | 3.0% |
| Chocolate: 30% sugar | 50% | 50 x .30 = | 15% |
| Butter: 0% sugar | 7.6% | 7.6 x 0.0 = | 0% |
| Total sugar content | 18% |
3rd: Establish the Total Percentage of Cocoa Butter
| Ingredient & cocoa butter% | % of ingredient in recipe | Math! | cocoa butter% from ingredient |
| Cream: 0% cocoa butter | 38.4% | 38.4 x 0.0 = | 0% |
| Glucose: 0% cocoa butter | 3.8% | 3.8 x 0.0 = | 0% |
| Chocolate: 40% cocoa butter | 50% | 50 x .40 = | 20% |
| Butter: 0% cocoa butter | 7.6% | 7.6 x 0.0 = | 0% |
| Total cocoa butter content | 20% |
4th: Establish the Total Percentage of Dairy Fat
| Ingredient & dairy fat% | % of ingredient in recipe | Math! | dairy fat% from ingredient |
| Cream: 36% dairy fat | 38.4% | 38.4 x .36 = | 13.8% |
| Glucose: 0% dairy fat | 3.8% | 3.8 x 0.0 = | 0% |
| Chocolate: 0% dairy fat | 50% | 50 x 0.0 = | 15% |
| Butter: 82% dairy fat | 7.6% | 7.6 x .82 = | 6.2% |
| Total dairy fat content | 20% |
Recipe Analysis
Now that we have established all of these percentages, we can analyze the recipe and consider the possibility of making modifications:
| Functional Component | Our Recipe Percentage | Ideal Recipe Percentage |
| Water | 24.5% | 20% maximum |
| Sugar | 18% | 30% minimum |
| Cocoa butter | 20% | 10-26% |
| Dairy fat | 20.1% | 15% maximum |
| Total fat | 40.1% | 40% |
Conclusions:
- Cocoa butter content (20%) is ideal for a framed ganache.
- Our recipe has a very low sugar content, so the taste will likely be bitter.
- The recipe will likely exhibit a buttery taste from the high % of dairy fat.
- Shelf life will likely be very short due to high water content and low sugar content.
A Better Framed Dark Chocolate Ganache Recipe
| Functional Component | Our NEW Recipe Percentage | Ideal Recipe Percentage |
| Water | 19.8% | 20% maximum |
| Sugar | 29.8% | 30% minimum |
| Cocoa butter | 20.8% | 10-26% |
| Dairy fat | 14.1% | 15% maximum |
| Total fat | 34.8% | 40% |
Conclusions:
- Cocoa butter content (21%) is ideal for a framed ganache.
- Our recipe has an acceptable sugar content, so the taste should be well-balanced.
- The recipe should also exhibit a slight buttery taste from the dairy fat.
- Shelf life should be longer due to lower water content and higher sugar content.
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Ingredient | Old Amount | % | New Amount | % |
| Heavy cream | 500g | 38.4% | 350g | 27.9% |
| Glucose | 50g | 3.8% | 115g | 9.2% |
| Invert sugar | N/A | 115g | 9.2% |
| Salt | N/A | 3.0g | 0.2% |
| Fresh butter | 100g | 7.6% | N/A |
| Clarified butter | N/A | 50g | 4.0% |
| Chocolate | 650g | 50% | 650g | 47.9% |
| Cocoa butter | N/A | 20g | 1.6% |
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Related Videos
Chef Russ Thayer illustrates many of these concepts for you in short videos.
