Bright and brazen drip cakes are one of the hottest baking trends of 2016, but don’t you dare reach for the candy melts and compound! We pay Chocolate Artisan’s Jessica Pedemont a visit to find out how colouring white chocolate ganache creates a ‘wow’ factor  that tastes as good as it looks.

While white chocolate doesn’t offer the stability of dark chocolate, it does present an entirely new range of possibilities. Not only can it be sweeter, lighter, creamier and fluffier than dark ganache, but it’s also perfect for integrating fun flavours and colours – orange and raspberry just two of the possibilities.

Yes, technically it’s not chocolate. But despite not having the cocoa mass of milk chocolate or dark chocolate, Jess says
she’s encountered many clients over the years who are simply nuts for the white stuff – be it in individual moulds, in truffles
or on cakes.

She also brings it out when clients request a particularly
colourful creation.

“A lot of people these days are requesting really vibrant, multi-coloured cakes; cakes covered in rainbow sprinkles and decked out with macarons,” she says.

“Drip cakes are a massive trend at the moment, and it’s really opening people’s eyes to what’s possible with a cake.

“Sadly, a lot of people are still using nasty candy melts and compounds. Of course, I can see their purpose, but using them as the sole ingredient instead of chocolate just isn’t the same.

“When you’re leading with candy melts, you’re not working with food anymore – it moves into the realm of edible craft. Plus look at the amazing effect you can have with mostly real ingredients.”

Looking at Jess’ buckets of coloured ganache, it’s hard to believe she’s only used a tiny bit of food additive. Because it’s concentrated, a little bit goes a long way, meaning more importance can be placed on the real liqueurs, fruits and salt that give these ganache recipes their distinctive flavour profiles.

Of course, you can leave out the colour and still have a great orange- or raspberry- tasting ganche – but where’s the fun
in that?

“The colour is a really great addition. Australian customers are going gaga for bright colours, particularly in the vintage palates – the oranges, the candy pinks and the baby blues,” Jess says.

“I used these two colours together for a client who wanted a retro sports-themed cake for a 21^st birthday party. Think Olivia Newton John in workout gear and you’ll get the picture!

“That’s the great thing about designing your own colour; you can colour match all your different elements to the client’s request. And the leftovers can be used on a range of different things. For example, I used up some blueberry purple hydrangea ganache I’d previously used on some macarons for this birthday cake. So make sure you hold on to your leftover ganache for a drip cake, macarons or anything else you want to add a pop of colour to.”

Orange Ganache

1. Heat cream, raspberry and salt in a saucepan, whisk to break up the fruit and bring to the boil.

2. Place chocolate in a bowl.

3. When the cream is ready, pour it over the chocolate and wait one minute for the heat of the cream to sink into the chocolate.

4. Gently stir with whisk or spatula until it is smooth. Add colour and alcohol.

5. Pour the mixture into a container to set overnight.

Mud Cake

250g unsalted butter (Pepe Saya)
200ml water
400g white sugar
250g dark chocolate – couverture
150g plain flour
150g self raising flour
1/2 tsp bi carb soda
65g cocoa powder (22-24 per cent)
1 tsp mixed spice
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/4 cup grape seed oil
4 free range eggs lightly beaten
1/2 cup buttermilk (Pepe Saya)
Seeds of 1 vanilla bean

1. Preheat oven to 130-140c; Grease 6 & 8 inch round cake pan or 10 inch round cake pan; line base and sides with baking paper.

2. Combine the butter, sugar, salt and water in a medium saucepan. Stir over low heat until smooth. Take saucepan off heat, add chocolate and whisk until chocolate has dissolved.

3. In a large bowl, whisk sifted flours, bi carb soda, cocoa and spice. Once blended add oil, eggs, buttermilk and vanilla. Mix until smooth.

4. Pour mixture into pan/s and bake for around 2 hours. Cool the cake in the pan on a wire rack before removing.