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
Filed Under
Amazing. I made it today to pour over a Boston Creme pie for Father’s Day. I added a TBL of butter, about 1/2 teaspoon of instant expresso granules and a teaspoon of vanilla. SO delicious
Sounds awesome! So great to hear that you enjoyed this recipe, Jacquelyjn. Thank you for sharing your feedback with us
did you add those to the cream alone or after the chocolate was in there?
So happy to have found this comment! Ive been looking at dozens of recipes to make the perfect Boston Cream Pie for my husbands first father’s day. I’d settled on this recipe hoping it’s work for my pie. Now I know it will.
Hi, thank you for this recipe. Is it possible to pour this ganache over chocolate whipped cream on a cake?
Hi Dayelis, yes, that should work, but be sure your ganache is completely at room temperature.
Nestle chocolate chips or ghirardelli chips, which has a better ganache taste in your opinion?
Hi Cindy, I use the big bags of Nestlé chocolate chips from Costco, but both will work well.
What speed should I whip it on?
Hi Amy, if turning it into a whipped chocolate frosting, I would whip on medium/high speed.
Hey Natasha! Am I able to whip this?
Hi Amy, yes, you sure can! It can be whipped into frosting once it cools.
Hello Natasha! Thank you for sharing your tips on a ganache glaze. I prefer ganache glazed cakes as I do not like thick fudgy frostings. Does your version, or is there a way to keep the glaze soft and glossy? I’m looking for just slightly firmer than a pudding.
Hi Vonnie, that may work! The longer you cook it the hard it will get.
Can you use fresh cream instead of whipping cream for the chocolate ganache?
Hi Melissa, I’m not sure what fresh cream is. You want it to have a fat content of about 35-36% to work properly.
Hi Natasha,
My maths and conversion skills are bad so how many grams of choc would i need? I live in the uk so its harder to find choc in ounces. sorry if this is a dumb question.
Thank You.
Hi Rose, thanks for your question. It is a good question as measurements are very important for a recipe to be successful. I usually use this Ingredient Weight Chart as a reference. I hope that helps!
Hi Natasha, this is Anitha here, Why does ganache seize when poured over acake, is it bcoz its warm?? .does it have to cool down completely?? .and also 1 cup of heavy cream is equal to how many Grams.
Hi Anitha, if you pour the ganache over a cold cake, it will firm up.The ganache firms up as it cools so it is normal if you are pouring it over a chilled cake. Also, 1 cup is 240ml or about 240 grams.
Do you think I can use half n half instead
Hi Keanna, half and half doesn’t have enough fat in it and is not quite the right consistency. It will not form a ganache properly using the same proportions. You might google to see if there is a half and half version – it might possibly work but you would probably have to change proportions.
Hi Natasha,
I was planning to decorate my berry cake. Will drip it around the cake. Do i need to put my cake in the fridge before i use the ganache. My frosting is whip cream. Do you think it will melt my frosting?
Hi Bella, it’s usually best to have it set and get chilled to help the chocolate set.
Hi! I was planning on using this to top a cheesecake, then place raspberries on top of that. I plan to spread the thickened ganache on a chilled cheesecake. Then chill again. Would that work best? Thanks!!
Hi Carol, I haven’t tried that method, but it sounds delicious. I would love to know how you like it trying this.
Hello Natasha. I really love all your recipes. Been trying since I found you in FB. Can I use this chocolate ganache with your chocolate cake as its frosting?
Hi Hazel, that should work fine. I hope you love it!
I am making a tsunami cake for my daughters birthday so did a pre-run. The ganache looked and tasted amazing. I used mini chocolate chips and found it set up immediately after whisking and even then was too thick. My sister suggested adding a small amount of coconut oil to loosen it up. Or maybe I should have used more heavy cream. Or should I use regular chocolate chips? Please help!
Hi Renee, make sure the proportions are the same as written in the recipe. Also, regular chocolate chips will take a little longer to melt, and make sure you are using the same amount by weight. Since mini chocolate chips are smaller, you’ll probably get more chocolate by weight when measuring in a measuring cup.
I made this Ganache to glaze a Neapolitan Bundt Cake, and it was a smash hit! Super easy, foolproof and tastes like a chocolate dream. Thank you Natasha!
You are very welcome, Mary. Thank you for sharing!
I love all Natasha recipes. They easy and delicious. I follow her when need good recipes.
Thank you for that wonderful compliment!
Perfection! First try and everything worked perfectly. I checked mine for consistency with spoon as suggested during the 15 min rest time before pouring, and found it was ready to pour at 7-8 min. Did a first pour then, and a second pour at 15 min for a nice smooth finish. These cake pieces will form the sheep face & ears for my son’s 2nd birthday Sean the Sheep cake. Thanks for this perfect recipie!
That sounds so cute! Happy birthday to your son!
Hi Natasha!
How many cupcakes will one batch cover? 🙂
Hi, I estimate about 18-24 cupcakes.
Can you use milk chocolate chips instead of semi sweet?
Hi Linda, Several of my readers have reported good results using milk chocolate chips. It may take slightly longer for it to thicken up than semi-sweet but I think it would work.
Excellent recipe. I’ve never made this type of icing, this recipe was simple and turned out perfect. Thank you I love your recipes 🥰
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it!