Chocolate Ganache is made with just 2 ingredients- chocolate and cream but has so many practical uses as a dip, frosting, filling, and topping.
I have made this chocolate ganache recipe countless times as frosting for Chocolate Cupcakes, a dip for Eclairs, or poured over Poppyseed Cake. See our video below to learn how to master this ganache recipe.
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Easy Chocolate Ganache Recipe
The first time I made this chocolate ganache recipe, I messed it up because I stirred it too soon. I also measured the chocolate all wrong so be sure to measure your 8 oz of chocolate bars by weight (230 grams). If you don’t have a kitchen scale, you can measure chocolate chips with level dry ingredient measuring cups (1 1/3 cups). Measuring correctly is critical here.
Luckily, I’ve made the mistakes in the past so you can start with a master recipe for perfect ganache.
Chocolate Ganache Video
See how simple it is to make this amazing chocolate ganache recipe at home. Soon you’ll be pouring this chocolate sauce over everything you can get your hands on,
Tips for Making the Best Ganache
- 1:1 Ratio – you only need two ingredients measured in equal WEIGHT proportions. Measure the chocolate using a scale (or the package weight) and the cream with a scale or measuring cup meant for liquids.
- Good Quality Chocolate – For a classic ganache, use high-quality semisweet chocolate bars or chips (35-55% cacao) or bittersweet chocolate (60% cacao). It also works with milk chocolate and white chocolate.
- Tools for Ganache – You’ll need a small saucepan to heat the cream, a glass or metal heat-proof bowl to melt the chocolate, and a silicone spatula or metal spoon to stir. Make sure they are all dry because water can make ganache seize.
Only 2 Ingredients
It really is just chocolate and heavy cream, but be sure to measure correctly and use good quality ingredients for the best taste and texture.
- Chocolate – classic ganache is made with semi-sweet chocolate. I recommend using high-quality chocolate bars such as Ghirardelli baking bars which have 40-50% cocoa, chopped into small pieces with a serrated knife. You can also save a step by using high-quality chocolate chips which I get at Costco with 51% cocoa. See substitutions below for bittersweet, milk chocolate, and white chocolate.
- Heavy Whipping Cream – Use heavy cream with 36% milk fat. Heavy cream with 40% milk fat will work, but the ganache will be too thick to pour. Avoid half-and-half or milk because the fat content isn’t high enough for the ganache to set.
Substitutions
- Dairy-free and Vegan – use dairy-free/vegan chocolate and replace heavy cream with full-fat canned coconut milk. Shake the can well then measure 1 cup or 8oz of coconut milk.
- Flavors – once the chocolate is melted, stir in a few drops of extract (vanilla, peppermint, coffee, or orange), peanut butter, instant espresso powder, orange zest, or liqueurs
- Chocolate – you can substitute with bittersweet chocolate but the ganache will be less sweet. If using milk chocolate or white chocolate, decrease the cream by about 2-3 oz.
How to Make Chocolate Ganache
It’s so simple to make chocolate ganache. Follow these easy steps and then see our troubleshooting section below if needed.
- Bring the heavy cream to a simmer in a small saucepan. You will see steam coming from the pot and small bubbles around the outside, but don’t let it boil. As soon as it simmers, pour the cream over the chocolate chips, swirling the bowl to cover all the chips.
- Cover the bowl with a lid to trap the heat and let it sit undisturbed (no mixing) for 5 minutes. Remove the lid and swirl the chocolate chips with a silicone spatula or metal spoon. It will turn into a velvety ganache right before your eyes and you’ll get excited!
Pro Tip:
Keep in mind that the longer the ganache sits, the thicker and more of a frosting or mousse it becomes, but it won’t become hardened. Once it has cooled, or after refrigeration, you can whip it into a frosting (see instructions below).
There are 3 Forms of Ganache
- Ganache Glaze or Dip: Let it sit uncovered at room temperature for about 15 minutes until it coats a spoon nicely before pouring it over a cake (see our tips below)
- Ganache topping or filling: wait until it cools, then cover and refrigerate for 1 hour. Use it plain to frost a cake or cupcakes; as filling between cake layers, or inside cupcakes or donuts; or pipe using a wide-tipped piping bag.
- Whipped Ganache: refrigerate for 2 hours then whip on high speed for a few minutes until fluffy and lightened in color. It makes 3 cups of ganache frosting which pipes beautifully.
- Bonus: To make chocolate truffles you need a thicker mixture. Use a ratio of 2:1 (8oz semi-sweet chocolate to 1/2 cup heavy cream). Chill the mixture until firm then scoop into balls. Roll in topping and refrigerate.
How to Glaze a Cake with Ganache
Place the cake on a wire rack over a rimmed platter or rimmed baking sheet. Pour your slightly cooled liquid chocolate ganache evenly over the top of your cake until the desired coverage is reached. You can lift up the wire rack and re-use the chocolate ganache that drips onto the platter.
Troubleshooting Chocolate Ganache
If you notice the chocolate ganache is separated, lumpy, too thin, too thick, or grainy, Have no fear! Here’s how to fix it:
- Lumpy – chocolate isn’t melting. the cream may not be warm enough or the chocolate pieces were too big. Solution: Reheat in a double Double boiler or microwave for 15-second intervals between stirs being careful not to overheat.
- Separated, oily, or seized – cream was too hot or there was water in the bowl. Solution: stir in a tablespoon of warm milk one at a time until the mixture comes back together
- Grainy – you may have used a low-quality variety of chocolate chips, used a whisk (incorporates too much air), or a plastic bowl. Solution: add a tablespoon of warmed milk while stirring. If it gets too thin, add a bit more chocolate.
- Too Thin/Too Thick – the ganache will become thicker as it cools, but if it’s not setting up or thickening, the Solution: try melting more chocolate chips and stirring them in. If it’s too thick, add warmed milk by tablespoons.
So many uses for Ganache!
These are SOME of our favorite ways to use ganache. The uses are endless! Let us know in the comments how you use it:
- Poured as Icing over Cheesecake, Brownies, Poppy Seed Cake Roll, or Chocolate Babka
- Frosting for Chocolate Cake, Tiramisu Yule Log Cake, Mini cheesecakes, or Peanut Butter Cookies
- Filling for Italian Cookies, Pumpkin Cookies, Macaroons, Cream Puffs, Cream Horns, or layered cakes
- Dip for Homemade Marshmallows, Donuts, Apple Fritters, or Shortbread Cookies
- Stirred into regular or Iced Coffee
- Swirled into Banana bread or Zucchini Bread batter before baking
- Served as fondue with strawberries, bananas, or Churros
- Drizzled over Ice Cream, Scones, Pecan Pie Bars, Baklava, Bread Pudding, Baklava Cups, Mini Pumpkin Pies, Crepes, Cinnamon Rolls, Pancakes or Waffles
Make-Ahead
Chocolate ganache keeps well at room temperature on the counter for up to 2 days. Once it’s cooled, cover it with plastic wrap so it doesn’t dry out on top.
- To Refrigerate: cover in an airtight container for up to a week
- Freezing: freeze in an airtight container for 3 months
- To Reheat: thaw in the fridge. If separated, reheat on the stove or in the microwave, adding more warm cream or melted chocolate chips as needed
This decadent chocolate ganache is one of our favorite chocolate recipes. It’s so easy and delicious that you’ll be searching high and low for things to dip, spread, and cover with chocolate sauce. Don’t wait to try this recipe!
Easy Chocolate Ganache Recipe
Ingredients
- 8 oz semi-sweet baking bars, finely chopped, or chocolate chips, 230 g by weight or 1 1/3 cups in dry ingredient measuring cups
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream (36% fat), 8oz or 240 ml by liquid volume
Instructions
- In a small saucepan, bring the heavy whipping cream just to a simmer on the stovetop, stirring occasionally. Just as soon as you see a simmer, immediately remove from heat and pour over chocolate chips. Swirl the bowl to be sure all the chocolate is covered.
- Place a lid on the chocolate chips to trap the heat. Let it sit without mixing for 5 minutes, then remove the lid and swirl the chocolate chips with a silicone spatula. Start in the center and work outward until the mixture is smooth, but be sure not to overmix.
- Let the ganache sit at room temperature for 15 minutes before pouring it over a cake. See more ways to use ganache in the notes.
Notes
- Serving Size is based on 2 Tablespoons of Ganache. The recipe makes 1.5 cups of ganache or 3 cups of whipped ganache. This is enough to glaze one cake roll or frost 12 cupcakes.
- Milk fat matters: Use heavy whipping cream or heavy cream with 36% fat for the best results. Do not substitute with milk, half and half, or light cream.
- For dairy-free or vegan ganache: vegan/dairy-free chocolate and a can of full-fat coconut cream instead of heavy cream. Shake the can well, then measure out 8oz.
- The chocolate ganache will thicken as it cools.
- If you want more ganache, increase the ingredients proportionally.
- How to Use Ganache: To glaze a cake, cool for 15 minutes and then pour over the chilled cake. For frosting, let the ganache cool completely, then cover and refrigerate for 2 hours until mousse-like texture. Spread or pipe as frosting or whip using an electric mixer for whipped ganache.
- How to Store Ganache: cool completely. Cover and store at room temperature for 2 days, refrigerate for 5 days or freeze for 3 months. To reheat, thaw in the fridge.
Nutrition Per Serving
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Hi, I used this ganache (which turned exactly as you’ve described) to fill a cake but it all oozed out. I managed to cover the cake with the ganache and put it in the refrigerator to stiffen up. It’s been in there an hour and the ganache is bulging from between the layers again and has not stiffened. Will it ever stiffen or this is it? It’s for my mom’s birthday party which is tomorrow so I don’t have time to remake the cake.
Hi Alexandra, ganache takes on different forms at it sets and when it is liquid, it is only intended to dip or coat or drizzle with but to fill a cake you would have to let it firm up to the consistency you want to see once it is inside the cake. A ganache will firm up to a spreadable frosting consistency and that is the point at which it is best to put inside of a cake. I would refrigerate the cake and let it set further and it should firm up. Hope that helps for next time!
I am making a three tier Groom’s cake, would this ganache recipe work as a poured covering on it? Being that it is square I know I’d need to cover each section separate
and then place probably day of, since the layers are 16″, 12″, and 8″. I’m just a little unsure about the ganache and how it would set up on the cake.
Hi Saundra! This should work great for a wedding cake! I do recommend having a test run since trying something new on a wedding cake is pretty adventurous & brave! 🙂 Here is what one of our readers said “Needed one to use on my sister’s wedding cake. This was perfect!! I hope you love it!
I’m a numbers person and couldn’t help but notice your math error…I’m not trying to be a jerk here but 3/4 of a 12 oz bag would be 9 oz. If you want 8 oz out of a 12 oz bag, you would need 2/3 of the bag. I just wanted to let you know so you can correct your opening description.
Oh my goodness you are totally right! Thank you for pointing that out. I updated the intro. All those calculus classes and I got it wrong (face palm). 🙂 Thanks again!
can we use candy making chocolate like candiquik chocolate
I found the best result using these chocolate chips. If you experiment with that, please let me know how you liked the recipe 🙂
I need help. I have crumb coated a cake with whipped chocolate ganache. I want to do a chocolate glaze over it now. It’s 3 tiers. No room in fridge. Can I leave it out on the counter all night?
The ganache will be fine to leave at room temperature for a couple of days, it all depends on what kind of cake you used if there is dairy involved, however, to store the entire cake outside of the fridge.
This recipe sounds easy yet fabulous. I will try it for my Christmas log tomorrow. I am worried about one step and I haven’t seen any comments on that, so perhaps you can share your tips on HOW do you transfer the cake roll from the rack to the serving plate without making a mess?
Hi Anne, we frosted ours on the serving plate. Otherwise, a heavy-duty spatula should do the trick in helping lift it 🙂
Tried the ganache!! How simple and thanks for the tips! Anyone that uses this please read completely. If I hadn’t I would have just poured over the cake without letting ganache set! I would then had a mess!
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us!
If I refrigerate this will it be thick enough I could slater on the rim of martini glass for a chocolate martini?
Hi Sherry, I think that would work but keep an eye on it to be sure it reaches the desired consistency because it does get pretty thick when it is refrigerated.
Now we could have glazed it but we all love a bit of a thick ganache spread on top of a brownie cake, so we did that. Thank you! A simple but effective and smooth recipe. 🙂 The small difference in steps really make a difference in the texture, you know?
That’s so great! I’m happy this worked for your brownies!!
Hi
I have 2 questions:
1- can I use this recipe for a drip cake?
2- if so, can I use white chocolate as I need the ganache to be purple.
Thank you
Hi Cynthia, I haven’t tried that but our readers have reported it doesn’t work well with white chocolate chips. I suspected that was the case – or that some substitutions would be necessary to make a white chocolate ganache but I haven’t experimented with it. If I come up with something great in the future, I will be sure to share it! & Yes, this should work great for a drip design.
This recipe works great with white chocolate. HOWEVER, you must make sure you are using real white chocolate. Nestle, Hershey and other chocolate manufacturers do not use real white chocolate in their chips.
Thank you for sharing that with us, Joe!
Made the ganache yesterday to top a peanut butter cheesecake with, and it turned out wonderful! So delicious and easy.
I have quite a bit of ganache left however, and I’m wondering how it works to freeze it? I want to make cookies and spread it on top, but I like to keep cookies in the freezer so they stay fresh longer.
HI Janelle, ganache is fairly stable and can be frozen. Thaw in the refrigerator. Also, ganache should only be frozen once. Do not re-freeze.
If I wanted to make this a peppermint ganache would I just add peppermint extract to it? Thank you!
Hi Lindsay, I honestly haven’t tried that but it sounds like a good idea!! You might set aside a small amount to test before adding it to the whole batch and of course add the extract to taste 🙂
Natasha, what chocolate do you use? I mean what brand? Would Nestle work or Ghirardeli is better? Chips or baking bars?
Thanks!
Lera, we used chips for this recipe. I honestly haven’t tried all the brands. If you compare I would love to hear your feedback.
This was perfect timing. I needed a tasty and easy ganache to top my double fudge bundt cake. I also used this as a topping for my mini chocolate cream pies. You are the best. Thanks for sharing all your recipes and your great videos. I find them very useful and gives me great ideas.
I can imagine it looks wonderful on those cakes and pies! I’m so happy you enjoyed those videos! Thank you!
Hi Natasha, would it be ok to use on top of a refrigerated mousse cake?
Are you you using it ti drizzle the ganache? Or what do you mean by on top?
I would like to use it to glaze the top of a refrigerated mousse cake instead of dusting the cake with cocoa powder.
I haven’t tried that but I think that will work! I’d like to know how you like it if you experiment!
Hi – it worked beautifully! Cake looks amazing. Can’t wait to serve it:)
Is this recipe good for piping (after a chill)? I want to use it for a Bruche de Noel.
Hi Joe, yes it would work. I would recommend whipping it after it has chilled to make it easier to pipe (but it will lighten in color if you do). You can also leave it creamy. Check out what we did for our Yule Log cake. I used this chocolate ganache for it.
Hi Natasha,
I am wanting to glaze a cheesecake, will this work for such an idea? I have never made a ganache or tried to glaze anything, but it is sounding REALLY good to me. It’s a pumpkin swirl cheesecake. I’m not sure it’s possible or when the best time to glaze it is. Thanks for any advice!
I think this may be perfect for that! I haven’t tried it but the idea of that sounds amazing! I would love to know how you like that!
Hello!
I’d like to know if ganache can be reheated to make it runny again.
I don’t think you’ll get the same velvety texture, but if you do reheat it, do it slowly. You don’t want the mixture to get too hot.
You don’t have to post this, but how do you put up with the same questions being asked over and over and over again? OMG, your recipe is about as easy as it gets!
I find that my responses help other readers that do browse through these comments! We welcome all questions and realize not everyone comes from the same background or eats/ has access to the same recipes 🙂 We are more than happy to help!
Hi Natasha! I love watching your videos! Quick question?? With the chocolate ganache, just curious why you use semi sweet chocolate chips? I love dark chocolate and was wondering if one is better than the other for a ganache?? Thanks 🙂
Hi Gina! to be honest, I’ve only ever done it with semi-sweet or bittersweet or dark chocolate. I imagine it will be less sweeter, but I’m not sure how else it would change the ganache besides being darker in color. All of the recipes I’ve come across have either semi-sweet, bittersweet, or dark chocolate. I hope this helps
I just made this ganache for my chocolate cake and it came out perfect!! Thank you so much for an easy and fast recipe😊
I’m so happy to hear that, Tamikah!
Thank you for this recipe. Needed one to use on my sister’s wedding cake. This was perfect!!
I’m so happy you found our recipe! Thanks for the great review, Carla!!