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The Great White Hope, 5 Steps to the Perfect Drip Cake

September 25, 2019 by hannahabaffy No Comments

The drip cake has the potential to be the most enduring trend within the baking community in many years. Since its emergence in 2016, the trend has been at the forefront of social media and there seems to be no end in sight. And why should there be? The drip is a personal favorite of mine, it boosts any cake from plebian to positively luxurious with the addition of nothing more than a bit of ganache. With that being said there are a few tricks to getting it just right.

It’s Black It’s White

There are two kinds of drips out there, those made with white chocolate and those made with milk, or dark chocolate. Even the most inexperienced home baker knows that white chocolate is a very different animal than traditional chocolate and it is notoriously finicky to work with. 

So why does white chocolate present so many unintended issues? Some would say that the answer lies in the contention that white chocolate is not actually chocolate at all – allow us to elucidate. Dark chocolate is made up of cocoa solids, sugar, and emulsifiers. In contrast, white chocolate is missing what many consider to be a vital ingredient: chocolate. These cocoa solids are instead replaced with milk solids, then mixed with sugar, a fatty substance called lecithin, and cocoa butter. 

White Trash

White chocolate is often-times made of very poor quality ingredients, be wary of any chocolate that looks too white or is priced very cheaply. Some manufacturers replace the cocoa butter in their recipes with vegetable oils, palm oils, and other fillers. For white chocolate drips the integrity of the chocolate is less important than for other applications but no one ever wants to feel like she’s been “had”.

Great White Hope

 The thing about white chocolate is it’s not exactly white, in fact, it’s more of an ivory color so when creating drips if you want them to be truly white you’ll need to add white food coloring to the mix. We recommend Americolor’s Bright White food coloring gel. Just about ½ a teaspoon should get you a nice white without changing the viscosity of the ganache too much. 

Some people think using candy melts are an acceptable alternative; don’t make this mistake. Candy melts are created with sub-par ingredients and that is directly reflected in their flavor and mouthfeel. 

Stay Cool 

Once your ganache has been made and thoroughly whisked together you must have the patience to let it cool properly before use, otherwise, you risk drips that simply slide all the way down your cake. Give your ganache about 20-30 minutes to cool to room temperature. Trying to speed up this process by sticking ganache in the fridge doesn’t seem to be very effective either, the chocolate tends to cool unevenly and will leave you with gloppy drips.

Be wary of stirring too frequently as well as this could lead to fat separation. An oil will emerge on the top of the chocolate and the ganache will become dull and grainy in appearance. If, heaven forbid, your ganache should split you can remedy the situation. Simply, reheat your ganache to 92F and stir until everything has recombined then begin the process of cooling all over again.

Iced Cold

Be sure to properly chill your iced cake before using your ganache. Give it at least 30 minutes in the refrigerator before attempting the drip. These cooler temperatures will help ensure that you don’t have a drip that travels too fast down the side of your cake and simply pools at the bottom of your serving platter.

Testing

Once more we encourage patience with this process. Before jumping headlong into your drip cake, do a practice drip. If it slides right down to the bottom, your ganache is still too warm, give it a little more time. If it instead globs up or doesn’t travel nearly as far as you might have hoped, reheat the ganache slightly in the microwave (no more than 10 seconds) give it a stir and try again. Once you have achieved the ideal temperature you will achieve the ideal drip.

Start With the Sides

Whether you use a spoon or a squeeze bottle for application we encourage you to start your drip with the sides instead of pouring your ganache into the middle and trying to control it all at once. By working your way around the edge first you give yourself much more control and ensure that your drips are exactly how you envisioned. Fill in the center after, being careful not to overfill the middle. This could cause the chocolate to start dripping down the sides a second time and leave you with weird double drips. 

And that concludes our guide to the perfect White Chocolate Drip. Armed with our tried and true tips your success is practically guaranteed. And he said unto them: “As for you, go forth and make beautiful on-trend cakes” or something like that.  

Drip Cake
Print

White Chocolate Ganache Drips

The perfect white chocolate drip

Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword Cake, Cakeflour, dessert, dripcake, dripcakes, Technique
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 cup White chocolate (190g)
  • 1/3 cup Heavy cream (79ml)
  • 1/2 tsp White Gel Food Coloring

Instructions

  1. Measure out your white chocolate into a medium-sized bowl.

  2. In a heavy-bottomed saucepan bring heavy cream just to a simmer over medium heat. Pour the cream over the chocolate and allow to rest for a few minutes (approximately 5)

  3. using a rubber spatula so as not to incorporate too much air, stir the cream and chocolate together until thoroughly combined. Add in the gel food coloring. Mix again, then allow the ganache to cool to the “ideal” temperature we mentioned above. 

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About Me

Hi, I'm Hannah. Creator of Milk + Honey and long time curious eater. Join me as I explore the surprising history behind some of the world's most iconic dishes, and figure out the best ways to prepare them.

Recent Posts

  • God, Granola, and the Spiritual Qualities of Breakfast Cereal
  • Groom’s Cake, the Last Bastion of Gentility
  • The Great White Hope, 5 Steps to the Perfect Drip Cake
  • Pizzelle, The Cookie from Limbo

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Recent Posts

God, Granola, and the Spiritual Qualities of Breakfast Cereal

God, Granola, and the Spiritual Qualities of Breakfast Cereal

October 7, 2019
Groom’s Cake, the Last Bastion of Gentility

Groom’s Cake, the Last Bastion of Gentility

September 30, 2019

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September 25, 2019

Pizzelle, The Cookie from Limbo

September 9, 2019

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August 19, 2019

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milkandhoneythebakery

"By their desserts will I judge them."
•Saveur Food Blog Award Finalist 2019: Best Baking and Sweets

Hannah | Milk + Honey Bakery
Imagine it: A thick, creamy, salty layer of peanut Imagine it: A thick, creamy, salty layer of peanut butter sandwiched between a crunchy coating of toasted almonds and toffee and a sweet chewy base of dates and oats. Now drizzle that in dark chocolate, and you’ve got yourself these decadent raw chocolate, peanut butter almond bars. 

Vegan, refined-sugar free, and gluten-free, eating responsibly has never felt so indulgent. Get the recipe on the blog this week!
The superiority of chocolate, both for health and The superiority of chocolate, both for health and nourishment, will soon give it the same preference over tea and coffee in America which it has in Spain.
-Thomas Jefferson

While not necessarily for the health reasons stated, Jefferson’s prediction has certainly come to materialize, at least in my home.
A debate I had with my husband shortly after makin A debate I had with my husband shortly after making this honey-almond “snack cake”: As we sat around “snacking,” we began to discuss what the real difference was between Snack cakes and Snacking cakes. Banal, yet relevant in the moment. 

This arbitrary mystery resulted in a lot of opinions and by the end of it, several unanswered questions. 

So I put it to you, Instagram Family, what is the real difference between Snack cakes and Snacking cakes? Are the terms so similar as to be inconsequential, or do their comparabilities hide deeper differences? 

The perimeters (at least in my mind) are these: Leftover birthday cake that becomes the next morning’s breakfast would definitely be a snack cake. Meaning a snack cake, while sounding laid-back, could be a slice of sophisticated dacquiouse or some other luxurious dessert.
Whereas a snacking cake would be something more along the lines of a sheet cake (like the classic chocolate Texas variety). More than a brownie but less than a layer cake. Something you could take a fork to but would probably just pick up with your hands. 

In short, any cake can be a snack. But not every cake is a snacking cake.

Thoughts?
When confronted by the age old question: ‘chocol When confronted by the age old question: ‘chocolate or carrot,’ which do you choose?
Is it too soon for #pumpkinspice ? Is it too soon for #pumpkinspice ?
Fragranced by delicate basil, rich with parmesan a Fragranced by delicate basil, rich with parmesan and pine nuts, and packing a garlicky punch, our braided pesto bread is the ideal way to use up your garden’s bounty. 

Also it looks impressive. Pull-out all the stops and impress your family and guests with this ultra-easy and rewarding loaf.
Consumed by Olmecs, Mayans, and Aztecs the ancient Consumed by Olmecs, Mayans, and Aztecs the ancient Mesoamericans are remembered as the original chocolate lovers. Considered a sacred beverage among them, cocoa was used during celebrations and religious ceremonies and was thought to lend the drinker strength.

It is said that Montezuma kept a massive storehouse of cocoa beans, and drank 50 golden cups of the stuff a day, decreeing that only those men brave enough to face battle would be permitted to join him in drinking it. Chocolate eventually becoming a regular part of military rations among the Aztecs. 

The belief that chocolate was a powerful elixir that lent its drinker extra virility and strength seems to have made its way into European and US thinking as well and may explain the application of including chocolate or pressed cakes of cocoa powder in US military rations, an operation practiced all the way up to the Vietnam war. 

With piles of historical evidence it would stand to reason that chocolate must be good for me, so I’m going to start making a regular habit of indulging in it. Each bite imbuing me with strength, vim, and vigor. Don’t stay a weakling all your life, join me in making these chocolate pot de creme today and start eating more chocolate.
A creamy savior, ice cream was America’s refuge A creamy savior, ice cream was America’s refuge during Prohibition, and one of our favorite forms of solace during the Great Depression. One might argue that without the aid of ice cream we might not be here today.
"Good apple pies are a considerable part of our do "Good apple pies are a considerable part of our domestic happiness." — Jane Austen
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milkandhoneythebakery

"By their desserts will I judge them."
•Saveur Food Blog Award Finalist 2019: Best Baking and Sweets

Hannah | Milk + Honey Bakery
Imagine it: A thick, creamy, salty layer of peanut Imagine it: A thick, creamy, salty layer of peanut butter sandwiched between a crunchy coating of toasted almonds and toffee and a sweet chewy base of dates and oats. Now drizzle that in dark chocolate, and you’ve got yourself these decadent raw chocolate, peanut butter almond bars. 

Vegan, refined-sugar free, and gluten-free, eating responsibly has never felt so indulgent. Get the recipe on the blog this week!
The superiority of chocolate, both for health and The superiority of chocolate, both for health and nourishment, will soon give it the same preference over tea and coffee in America which it has in Spain.
-Thomas Jefferson

While not necessarily for the health reasons stated, Jefferson’s prediction has certainly come to materialize, at least in my home.
A debate I had with my husband shortly after makin A debate I had with my husband shortly after making this honey-almond “snack cake”: As we sat around “snacking,” we began to discuss what the real difference was between Snack cakes and Snacking cakes. Banal, yet relevant in the moment. 

This arbitrary mystery resulted in a lot of opinions and by the end of it, several unanswered questions. 

So I put it to you, Instagram Family, what is the real difference between Snack cakes and Snacking cakes? Are the terms so similar as to be inconsequential, or do their comparabilities hide deeper differences? 

The perimeters (at least in my mind) are these: Leftover birthday cake that becomes the next morning’s breakfast would definitely be a snack cake. Meaning a snack cake, while sounding laid-back, could be a slice of sophisticated dacquiouse or some other luxurious dessert.
Whereas a snacking cake would be something more along the lines of a sheet cake (like the classic chocolate Texas variety). More than a brownie but less than a layer cake. Something you could take a fork to but would probably just pick up with your hands. 

In short, any cake can be a snack. But not every cake is a snacking cake.

Thoughts?
When confronted by the age old question: ‘chocol When confronted by the age old question: ‘chocolate or carrot,’ which do you choose?
Is it too soon for #pumpkinspice ? Is it too soon for #pumpkinspice ?
Fragranced by delicate basil, rich with parmesan a Fragranced by delicate basil, rich with parmesan and pine nuts, and packing a garlicky punch, our braided pesto bread is the ideal way to use up your garden’s bounty. 

Also it looks impressive. Pull-out all the stops and impress your family and guests with this ultra-easy and rewarding loaf.
Consumed by Olmecs, Mayans, and Aztecs the ancient Consumed by Olmecs, Mayans, and Aztecs the ancient Mesoamericans are remembered as the original chocolate lovers. Considered a sacred beverage among them, cocoa was used during celebrations and religious ceremonies and was thought to lend the drinker strength.

It is said that Montezuma kept a massive storehouse of cocoa beans, and drank 50 golden cups of the stuff a day, decreeing that only those men brave enough to face battle would be permitted to join him in drinking it. Chocolate eventually becoming a regular part of military rations among the Aztecs. 

The belief that chocolate was a powerful elixir that lent its drinker extra virility and strength seems to have made its way into European and US thinking as well and may explain the application of including chocolate or pressed cakes of cocoa powder in US military rations, an operation practiced all the way up to the Vietnam war. 

With piles of historical evidence it would stand to reason that chocolate must be good for me, so I’m going to start making a regular habit of indulging in it. Each bite imbuing me with strength, vim, and vigor. Don’t stay a weakling all your life, join me in making these chocolate pot de creme today and start eating more chocolate.
A creamy savior, ice cream was America’s refuge A creamy savior, ice cream was America’s refuge during Prohibition, and one of our favorite forms of solace during the Great Depression. One might argue that without the aid of ice cream we might not be here today.
"Good apple pies are a considerable part of our do "Good apple pies are a considerable part of our domestic happiness." — Jane Austen
Load More... Follow on Instagram
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