The Raspberry Ganache in RHC calls for White Chocolate. My question:  Can I get away without using the White Chocolate and how do I adjust?  I do have white chocolate on hand but (I have said before) I do not like it.  I am afraid it will change the flavor too much from the dark chocolate.

Hi, Renee!!

I don’t have the recipe on hand, so I can’t see the whole thing and what’s in it, but white chocolate is generally 33% each cocoa butter, sugar and milk.  Perhaps you could sub with either (1) milk chocolate—this would, of course, make it more chocolatey and less sweet (you could lower the cocoa percent of the other chocolate you use to equalize it some), but milk chocolate is usually around 33-40%% cocoa butter, as well, so it should have a similar texture, (2) 33% each of butter, cream and sugar (might need to dissolve the sugar in the cream overnight).  Butter isn’t hard at room temp like chocolate is, so the resulting ganache would likely be softer.

—ak

Thank you Anne,  I am brave enough to leave out the White Chocolate and give your idea a shot.  (Hoping I have milk chocolate on hand).

FWIW, I don’t notice the white chocolate in it.  Perhaps those with a more refined palate will

Definitely report back especially on the consistency.  I find the raspberry ganache thickens a lot and fast.

I recently made a blackberry version of the raspberry ganache using double the puree (subbing the extra puree for cream) and it was great- really, really great.  I did not notice the white chocolate at all, it almost has a diluting effect on the dark chocolate which I think is welcome when paired with fruit.  However, I did use Green & Black’s which has a milder taste than some brands of white chocolate. 

I also found that mine set up very thick when left overnight.  I was able to use it, but it cemented itself to the cake a bit and was a little difficult to spread.  The G&B white chocolate, as well as the dark chocolate that I use, all have higher cocoa butter % than average, so I think that’s part of it.

If you’re determined to sub the white chocolate I would figure out how much fat and sugar are in the white chocolate and then use butter for the cocoa butter and sugar, well, for the sugar.

Thank you all. I will let you know what I end up doing ...