How to make chocolate frosting for a cake at home or Ganache for leveling a cake under the frosting

Chocolate icing made from chocolate is a fragrant, bright, self-sufficient decoration for confectionery and baked goods. Compared to its analogue brewed from cocoa, it is much thicker and richer, and in addition, it hardens quickly and does not flow down the sides, so it is suitable not only for eclairs or cakes, but also for Easter cakes, Lviv cheesecakes, “Mushroom” cookies and others "goodies." The ingredients for its preparation are publicly available, and the process itself does not require special culinary skills. However, there are subtleties here that are worth considering.

What is important to know at the preparatory stage

Firstly, it is imperative to follow the technology for melting chocolate, since this confectionery product is quite capricious:

It is better to do it in a water bath.
The dishes used must be perfectly dry.
Only a wooden or silicone spoon is suitable for stirring.
We set the fire to extremely low.
The diameter of the bowl in which the chocolate is melted should not be significantly smaller than the diameter of the container with water, otherwise steam will get into the glaze, which will affect the quality and required elasticity of the final product.
The bottom of the bowl with chocolate should not touch the boiling water.
It is prohibited to cover the glaze being prepared with a lid, this will create favorable conditions for the formation of condensation, and even a tiny drop of water is the worst enemy for our product.

Secondly, it is important to remember that chocolate is not suitable for preparing this product:

porous - due to the oil released during the melting process, the glaze does not turn out liquid, but turns into a large lump formed from small chocolate grains;
with fillings - nuts, fruit layers, raisins, caramel inclusions (because of them, the delicacy for decorating cakes will not be homogeneous and flowing);
cheap, of dubious quality - the final product will be of the appropriate appearance and taste.

Culinary or dessert chocolate, fondant or couverture are suitable for coating baked goods.

What is gommage

Gommage is one of the types of skin exfoliation (peeling). It has a mild effect and is addressed primarily to those with sensitive skin, which is easily injured by hard abrasive particles and therefore requires delicate handling.

If we talk about classic gommage, invented by French cosmetologists back in the last century, it is a gel with enzymes or acids, which is applied to the face for a few minutes, and after drying, rolls off along with impurities and dead cells. Abrasive particles are not included in this gommage.

Today similar peeling rolls can be found in the assortment of Korean manufacturers, who have declared this product almost the last word in cosmetic care, thereby proving that everything new is well forgotten old.

Initially, gommage was called a peeling roll. © Lancôme

The creators of modern products have not forgotten the good old gommage (gomme is French for “eraser” or “rubber band”), but have improved it taking into account new technical capabilities and beauty progress.

But the main, defining features of gommage - softness, delicacy, and the possibility of use for sensitive skin - have remained unshakable.

So, what is the new sample gommage?

Composition of gommages

The formula of modern gommage should be built on three “pillars”.

Enzymes and/or acids (in small concentrations) are agents that soften the stratum corneum of the epidermis and help dead cells separate from the surface of the skin.

Abrasive particles for mechanical exfoliation and massage. Synthetic or natural, they must be soft and small. The main law of gommage is not to scratch or injure the skin.

Caring components. Most often, these are emollient oils that provide an even softer “rolling” of exfoliating particles.

Why do you need gommage?

Any exfoliating procedure (peeling, gommage, scrub) frees the skin from a layer of dead cells along with small (invisible) particles of impurities and sebum. Thanks to the combination of two types of exfoliation (chemical and mechanical), gommage, while soft, is quite effective. In addition, again due to its delicacy, it can be used more often than standard scrubs.

Gommage combines two types of exfoliation. © Skin.ru

As a result of regular use of gommages:

the skin becomes smoother, more radiant, more even;

Thanks to the massage, its tone improves;

the effectiveness of subsequent care increases;

additional ingredients soften and moisturize the skin.

What is the difference between gommage and scrub?

In modern beauty realities, gommage and scrub have become more related products than before, since in both cases we are dealing with mechanical exfoliation. But!

In a scrub, abrasive particles can be quite large and hard (ground apricot kernels, diatomaceous earth, sugar, etc.), which is not bad for those with thick, porous skin, but is not suitable for sensitive and dry skin.

Gommage has softer abrasive particles (often round polymer, waxy, etc.) and smaller ones.

Scrubs are often addressed to oily skin prone to blackheads.

Gommages are universal and can be used for intensive cleansing and exfoliation of delicate, thin, sensitive, and aging skin.

Chocolate glaze made from milk chocolate

A tasty milk bar from a proven brand is ideal for melting in a water bath. This is the variety used in the basic recipe.

To make the chocolate frosting:

Take from 100 to 300 g of milk chocolate (based on the size of the surface of the pie or the number of cookies, Easter cakes).
We break it into small pieces.
Lightly grease the bottom of the dish in which the confectionery product is going to be melted - this will prevent the chocolate from sticking, and it will be easy to clean later.
Heat the composition in a water bath, stirring every 40 seconds, until there are no lumps and a uniform fluid structure. Note! For milk chocolate to start melting, it is enough to heat it to 45, maximum – 50 degrees.
We give the finished product time to cool to 35 - 36 degrees, then cover dessert, fruit or pastries with it.

The temperature of the glaze at the time of application is extremely important: if it is hot, it will ruin the confectionery product and will spread; if it is cold, it will become too thick and unsuitable for coating due to loss of plasticity.

Ingredients

Mastic ganache is made from three types of chocolate: white, milk and black. In the classic French ganache recipe, all ingredients are used in equal proportions: 100 g of chocolate and 100 g of butter. To make different types of chocolate, it is important to know the correct proportions:

For dark chocolate – the ingredients should be taken in a 1:1 ratio.
For dairy - proportions 2:1.
White chocolate ganache for mastic is prepared in a ratio of 3:1, and in some recipes 4:1.

The quality of the products used determines whether you will get a ganache for leveling the cake. Therefore, it is better to take chocolate without any additives and non-porous.

We recommend paying attention to the composition of the chocolate; it must contain cocoa butter or cocoa mass. If this ingredient is not written on the packaging, it is just a chocolate bar and it is better not to buy it.

It is worth using the fattest cream (33%), and better yet, farm cream. When cooking with butter, it is better to use homemade butter from trusted manufacturers.

Cooking with white chocolate

This type of chocolate has a unique, soft taste, and the white chocolate icing for the cake looks elegant and original. This is also an opportunity to experiment by adding food coloring of your desired colors during the melting process. Powdery, turquoise, and maybe even neon glaze is an excellent solution for baked goods made for children's parties, themed parties, and “colored” weddings.

The specifics of preparation are no different from the method described in the previous version. With only one difference - after the white chocolate bar is melted, add from 2 to 5 tbsp. l. milk or cream to obtain the desired consistency of the finished product. Stir until the mass is completely homogeneous. Cool to the desired temperature and apply to baked goods while warm.

This glaze is also suitable for Easter cake, instead of traditional protein fondant. Easter baking will turn out unusual, with a delicious crunch of chocolate “crust”.

Top 7 Gentle Skin Exfoliators

In our selection you will find gommages and scrubs for comfortable and thorough skin exfoliation.

Gommage exfoliant with sugar particles and rose water Rose Sugar Scrub, Lancôme

An excellent example of a new generation of gommages: a soft abrasive, which is melting sugar granules, is responsible for exfoliating and cleansing the skin. The formula is enriched with rose water and honey. The gel texture slightly warms up on the skin, which promotes a deeper effect of the active components. Users are delighted, we are joining.

Facial scrub with pineapple extract, papain, sesame seed oil and apricot kernel powder Pineapple Papaya Facial Scrub, Kiehl's

Don't be confused by the name of the product - this creamy scrub is a gommage by all indications. The skin is freed from dead cells due to the joint work of fruit extracts and the finest apricot kernel powder. Sesame oil is responsible for the softening effect.

Soft scrub, La Roche-Posay

This product fully deserves the right to be included in our rating, even if it does not have an acid-enzyme component. An important distinguishing feature of gommages is their delicate effect. La Roche-Posay, intended for sensitive skin, contains very small abrasive particles and meets this requirement.

Sugar facial scrub, nourishing, softening, L'Oréal Paris

Sugar scrub for face and lips, invigorating, three natural sugars and coffee, L'Oréal Paris

Another gentle sugar scrub that exfoliates with three types of sugar and ground coffee beans is a great way to combat dullness and signs of fatigue.

Cleansing and radiant skin scrub “Apricot” for the face, for all skin types, Garnier

Not only effective, but also a pleasant way to rid the skin of dead cells: this delicious mixture has a thick, yet delicate texture with the addition of fine abrasives (apricot kernel, perlite), and the formula combines salicylic and citric acids with organic apricot oil.

Body scrub “Precious Beauty Scrub”, nourishing, Garnier

The nourishing formula is enriched with oils (rose, macadamia, argan, almond) and moisturizing components, and the texture includes small exfoliating particles that gently polish the skin.

With butter

The chocolate icing, made from chocolate and combined with butter, is shiny, giving the cake a beautiful glossy surface. At the same time, it is very tender underneath, melting in your mouth. This composition is applied evenly and easily, and is prepared quickly.

Ingredients for the classic recipe:

125 g of any chocolate (choose according to recommendations!);
50 g of good quality butter.

The last component is gradually introduced into the melted mass of chocolate. The heat is turned off, but the containers used for the water bath are left in place to achieve the desired consistency and prevent the oil from separating. The glaze is thoroughly stirred to the desired thickness.

Delicious fudge with sour cream

It’s very easy to master the recipe for filling a cake with sour cream. Chocolate fudge acquires a rich taste and slight sourness. It's quick and easy to prepare. The most common ingredients are needed, and the baked goods acquire a respectable appearance. The fudge does not contain any preservatives; all ingredients are natural. This is a big plus.

Product composition

For viscous chocolate glaze you will need the following products:

sour cream in the amount of 100 g;
sugar in the amount of 3 tablespoons;
butter 2 large spoons;
3 large spoons of cocoa powder.

Condensed milk can be used as a substitute for sour cream. Then the taste of the fudge will be a little different. It will become sweeter and the sourness will disappear.

How to cook step by step

Making chocolate fudge with sour cream

Chocolate fondant for the cake is one of the necessary components. Thanks to it, the cakes become smooth and all unevenness disappears. The glaze turns out shiny, viscous and rich in taste. It can be cooked even in boiling water, and with sour cream the fudge becomes exceptional.

For cooking you will need a thick-walled saucepan. Sour cream is put in it.
Cocoa is sifted separately and sugar is added. These components need to be mixed together. Lumps should not be allowed to form.
Sour cream is added to the sugar mixture. The saucepan is placed on the fire. The mixture must be constantly stirred so that the contents do not burn to the bottom and walls. The cooking process continues for 5-7 minutes. During this time, the mass should thicken a little.
Before removing the pan from the heat, add butter. You need to mix everything until the mass becomes homogeneous and shiny.

The finished glaze can be cooled slightly or used immediately to coat confectionery products. Warm fudge adheres well to the surface. If it is cooled below 30 degrees, the thickness of the product will be higher than necessary for an even coating.

How to make chocolate frosting from chocolate and cream

Experienced cooks recommend this recipe when the cake cracked during baking, or the cake/top layer of the cake turned out to have a lumpy surface.

This chocolate glaze is thick, viscous, hardens well, and if you add a tablespoon of sugar syrup to it, it will also be mirror-shiny.

Ingredients for coating one medium sized muffin or pie:

170 – 200 g chocolate (dark is best);
2/3 tbsp. cream 33% fat;
1 tbsp. l. sugar syrup (optional).

Cooking steps:

Heat the cream in a saucepan over medium heat. We don't boil!
Prepare sugar syrup.
We break the chocolate bar into pieces of the same size.
Add the remaining ingredients to the hot cream, which must first be removed from the heat. Leave for about 5 minutes so that the chocolate has time to melt.
Stir with a whisk until smooth.
Pour the cooled glaze onto the surface of the dessert and smooth it out with a knife or pastry spatula.

Chocolate gommage

Deeply cleanses facial skin. Exfoliates and eliminates dead cells and impurities, improves skin structure. With regular use, it removes “blackheads”. Soothes and softens the skin. Designed for deep cleansing and moisturizing of the skin.

Compound:

white clay, zeolite, salt with natural sea minerals, micronized flakes of oats, rice, wheat, millet, demineralized water, honey, bird cherry seed, cocoa butter, dry milk cream.

Mode of application:

Apply 10-20 g of the mass to the face and neck with circular massaging movements. Leave for 5 minutes, then rinse with warm water. Next, apply the “White Chocolate” Mask for normal, oily and combination skin.

TM Shokonat, Akademgorodok, Novosibirsk

Courier delivery in Moscow. Forms of payment: 1. Payment upon receipt of the order, in cash to the courier. 2. Payment by bank card online.

We have the most favorable delivery: its cost is only 230 rubles! And if your order is worth 2900 rubles or more, we will deliver it for FREE! Delivery is made to any address within the Moscow Ring Road. For residents of the Moscow region: there is another convenient delivery option: meeting with our courier near a metro station convenient for you.

Delivery by courier in the Biryulyovo-Vostochnoe district of Moscow is free of charge. Forms of payment: 1. Payment upon receipt of the order, in cash to the courier; 2. Online payment by bank card.

Delivery cost: 0 rubles

Delivery of orders to the point of delivery of the SDEK company.
The service is available by prepayment: Online payment by bank card, Yandex wallet , QIWI, Transfer to a bank account (Sberbank). Delivery cost to the pick-up point for Moscow: 150 rubles (weight up to 3 kg), for orders worth over 2800 rubles the service is FREE . Delivery of orders to the SDEK delivery point. The service is available by prepayment: Online payment by bank card, Yandex wallet , QIWI, postal transfer; Transfer to a bank account (Sberbank) . Regional buyers can familiarize themselves with prices and delivery times to the point of issue in THIS FILE. We also have the opportunity to apply the Economy tariff if it is valid in your region. The cost of the service for parcels weighing more than 3 kg is calculated individually. Delivery of orders by courier to your address . The service is available by prepayment : Online payment by bank card, Yandex wallet , QIWI, postal transfer , Transfer to a bank account (Sberbank). Regional buyers can familiarize themselves with prices and delivery times by courier in THIS FILE. We also have the opportunity to apply the Economy tariff if it is valid in your region.
The cost of the service for parcels weighing more than 3 kg is calculated individually. Delivery cost: 350 rubles

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The service is available by prepayment: Online payment by bank card, Yandex wallet , QIWI, postal transfer; Transfer to a bank account (Sberbank) . Attention: For regional buyers, the exact delivery cost will be calculated by us after you place your order, individually for each city and parcel weight . Delivery to the Boxberry pick-up point in Moscow is fixed - 170 rubles (for items weighing up to 3 kg ). Orders over 5,000 rubles are delivered free of charge ( weighing up to 3 kg ). Attention! For remote northern regions of the Russian Federation, delivery is paid regardless of the order amount.

Simple recipe with milk

This glaze is ideal for eclairs, custard cakes and other similar delicacies. It is prepared simply from chocolate and milk (100 g + 3 tbsp), which are mixed and heated in a water bath. When a homogeneous pouring consistency is achieved, the chocolate mass is applied to the finished confectionery products with a silicone brush.

You need to spread it quickly, because the decoration begins to harden almost immediately.

Recipe for cocoa and sour cream fudge

The glaze, which includes sour cream, is more shiny and tastes like glaze made from chocolate. Chocolate fudge made from cocoa: the recipe is quite simple and won’t take much time.

Ingredients:

sugar - 6 tbsp. l;
sour cream - 6 tbsp. l;
cocoa - 8 tbsp. l;
vegetable oil - 2 tbsp. l.

Cooking method:

Pour cocoa and sugar into a small saucepan and grind with a spoon.
Add sour cream to the mixture and mix thoroughly.
Place over low heat, bring to a boil, then simmer for three minutes, stirring continuously.
Remove the thickened consistency from the stove, add vegetable oil, stir.

It can be used to decorate a birthday cake, your favorite pie or buns.

Chocolate frosting made from chocolate in the microwave

This method is optimal if the chocolate mass is not prepared for coating or pouring, but for mixing with other ingredients (for example, nuts to obtain a sweet sandwich paste). A broken chocolate bar is poured with a few spoons of milk and placed in the microwave for 3 to 7 minutes. The exact time depends on the power and operating characteristics of the microwave oven. The melted mixture is mixed well and then used for its intended purpose.

Helpful Tips:

It is better to set the temperature and power to minimum so that the chocolate mass does not overheat.
If you want to get a softer mass for the glaze, add soft chocolate butter to the bar broken into pieces (can be replaced with a mixture of regular butter and cocoa powder).
Experienced chefs say that the most suitable function for melting chocolate in a microwave oven is “defrosting”.

Types of gommages

The goal of any gommage is to exfoliate dead skin cells as gently and effectively as possible. Gommages can vary in texture, composition, material from which the abrasive particles are made, and additional ingredients. It all depends on the goals and capabilities of the manufacturer.

Cream is a convenient format for including any ingredients: acids and enzymes, hydrants and oils.

Gel-like gommages can have a warming effect and usually contain plant extracts and floral water to soften the skin.

The oil allows you to combine intense exfoliation with softening and nourishing the skin.

Application area

Face

Body

Body gommage is a non-aggressive scrub. Moreover, it can be called either gommage (French version) or scrub. In any case, a soft body scrub is a useful thing in your beauty arsenal. After all, the body needs exfoliation just like the face.

Made from dark chocolate

Prepare a delicious coating for decorating baked goods using any of the suggested recipes. It is important to remember that the temperature suitable for melting this type of chocolate is higher than that of its milk counterpart and is 55 degrees.

For the glaze, it is better to buy a bar of 72 percent bitters.

Of course, this is not an exhaustive list of recipes. Chocolate icing for the cake can also be prepared with the addition of condensed milk, gelatin, honey and even alcoholic beverages - for example, cognac or rum. Each housewife uses her own option, which is closest to her.

Test for correct consistency

We still don’t fully know whether our fondant is liquid or thick enough. Therefore, before pouring chocolate with drips over the cake, let’s experiment on a glass. Take it out of the refrigerator and place it upside down on a flat surface. Use a teaspoon to scoop out the fondant. It can be either ganache or glaze. But you should know that the pouring should not be too hot, because the liquid will not harden even on very cold glass, and even more so on the cake. The optimal temperature is about 35-40 degrees.

First we try it on our hand: it should be hot, but not scalding. Now we drop it onto the glass. Let's see how the stream flows. If it has reached the bottom of the dish, throw a few pieces of chocolate into the fondant. The mass has gathered on top like a greasy blob and does not want to flow anywhere? Add a tablespoon of hot cream and stir. By experimenting in this way, we will achieve the ideal consistency. Now you can pour this ganache (creamy chocolate) over a cake with smudges.

Mirror glaze

Its other name is glossage. The gloss and shine created by the icing gives the cake a luxurious feel. You can simply fill the cake with glaze and not decorate anymore. He will already look respectable. The glossy fill can be any color you want. Below is a recipe for chocolate mirror glaze. To prepare you will need:

A bag of instant gelatin and 130 ml water to dissolve it;
Powdered sugar 140g;
Heavy cream 80 ml;
Cocoa powder 70g.

STEP 1: Dissolve cocoa and powder in heated cream. It is better to sift these two bulk components before dissolving.

STEP 2: Dissolve gelatin in hot (about 80 g) water.

STEP 3: Place the cream and cocoa mixture on the fire and, stirring, gradually add gelatin. Remove the mixture from the heat as soon as it boils. You can drizzle the cake once the glaze has cooled. Don't miss the moment when it becomes the right consistency for pouring. The cake covered with mirror glaze should stand in the refrigerator for a couple of hours. If you see your contented reflection in it, it means the glaze was a success!

Mirror glaze with invert syrup

The ideal coating for a mousse cake is a mirror glaze with invert syrup.

To obtain invert syrup, heat 130 ml of water and 300 grams of sugar in a thick-bottomed saucepan, bringing it to complete dissolution and the liquid to a boil over low heat. Then add 1/3 teaspoon of citric acid. Cooking time – another 25-35 minutes until thickened to the consistency of liquid honey, cool and store in the refrigerator in a glass jar.

Mirror glaze with invert syrup

For the glaze, we will take 150 ml of introvert syrup (can be replaced with glucose), 150 grams of sugar and 60 ml of water and bring the mixture to a boil. Mix 150 grams of white grated chocolate with 100 ml of condensed milk and pour syrup over them. Add soaked gelatin and the necessary dye. Now you need to carefully beat everything with a blender so that no bubbles form - with them the glaze will look less aesthetically pleasing.

Before application, the glaze must be heated to 33-25 degrees. Pour it in a circular motion from the center of the cake, without touching it with foreign objects, so as not to disturb the perfect gloss. Once it begins to harden, you can add additional decorations to the surface of the cake.

Bottle squeezing method

To use this method, you need to pour the ganache into a plastic bottle. Its open neck needs to be positioned just a couple of centimeters above the surface of the cake and begin squeezing along its sides, moving along the top edge. When pressed, the glaze will begin to flow out in a thick stream. It is necessary to release pressure on the bottle when enough drops have been poured out.

If there are large gaps left when applying the glaze, you can carefully squeeze out a few more drops into these areas. The more ganache is poured onto the cake, the thicker and longer the streaks will be. Therefore, it is advisable to start squeezing with 1-2 drops to determine how much glaze you will need for the best result.

After adding ganache along the top edge of the cake, pour it into the middle of the surface. You have to work very quickly so that it doesn't harden too much. To cover the surface of the dessert, you can squeeze the ganache out of the bottle or simply pour it in the center and then spread it evenly with a spatula.