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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Worked perfectly for my flourless chocolate cake with raspberry filling. I eventually needed the 12-12 amount to glaze the cake, but made 1/2 first & let if firm up to do the edge to hold the filling. Added the rest of the cream & chocolate to the remaining ganche over heat and then did pour over glaze.
Nice, thanks for sharing that with us, Jo!
Hello! I’m planning on making this tomorrow for some macarons.
However, I do plan to whip the ganache afterwards.
Now, my question is if I can place the ganache (once its room temp) in the fridge to firm up more and then whip it? Or just keep it at room temp?.
My macarons will need to mature in the fridge with the filling to enhance the flavoring. So I’m just worried about ruining it somehow.
Hi Cece! To make ganache frosting it is best to refrigerate the ganach before you whip it.
I find that semi-sweet chocolate is too bitter for me. I’d like to use milk chocolate, but are the ratios of cream the same?
I haven’t tested that to advise. I think that’s alright but you’ll have to experiment on that one.
I hate the ganache it is to liquidly and the chocolate cake is to mushy
Which of my chocolate cake recipes did you use? I’d be happy to help troubleshoot. Regarding the ganache, it hardens after it sits but stays spreadable at room temperature. I poured it over my cake roll and refrigerated it to let it set completely. If your ganache is not thickening up then I would look over the recipe again to see what you missed.
Add 2 Tbsp of corn syrup to ease the bitterness. I have this same recipe but mine calls for the corn syrup and it does not effect the consistency
Easy & versatile! I covered a s’more cake, then went back and frosted it after the ganache had firmed up. Great!
Thank you for the great review, Lynn! 🙂
Made this for a peanut butter cheesecake, and it turned out perfect! And so easy! Thanks for the recipe!
That’s fantastic! You’re welcome, I hope you’ll love all the recipes that you will try.
Hi Natasha, I love chocolate ganache, but till now I’ve not found a baking chocolate brand that I like. The semi dark ones I’ve tried have all had a slight sour aftertaste for some reason. Can you recommend a brand you really like? Thank you!
Hi Nina, I use the big bags of Nestlé chocolate chips from Costco, but Ghiradelli will work well also.
Hi Natasha, im using 8×12 rectangular pan, can you suggest the ratio for my ganache?
Hi Ching, I haven’t tried making the exact amount for a 8×12 pan, but if you want more ganache, use the full 12 oz bag and 12 oz (1 1/2 cups) of whipping cream.
Thank you Natasha I made your ganache for my cake and it was so good and very easy. My family just loved it.
That’s great! I’m happy it was enjoyed.
I accidentally made this with half-and-half instead of heavy whipping cream, so thus it didn’t thicken very well. However, I wanted to write this review to let everyone know that a spoonful of this in a glass of milk makes a wonderful chocolate milk! No more Hershey’s syrup!
Thank you for your review, Rebecca. I hope you still enjoyed it and please try it with half and half next time.
Hi Natasha,
I LOVE your recipes and detailed instructions. Will this be enough ganache for a 3-layer, 8-inch cake?
Thank you!
Hi Jennifer, this will cover one 9×9 one layer cake. You may need to make 2-3 times the recipe for a triple layer.
Thanks for this recipe. It was so easy to do and it poured easily over my Swiss roll.👍
You’re welcome, Joan. Good to know that you enjoyed it!
Natasha- these past few days alone, I’ve made trubochki, a yule log cake, ganache, meringue mushrooms, medovnik and baklava. Everything has turned out perfectly so far. Btw, the yule log cake works great with gluten-free flour (any biskvit cake at that). Thank you so much for all your work!
I meant to say- I’ve made it all using your recipes! (Delirious from non-stop baking…lol)
Wow that is so impressive! Way to bake! I hope you ost pictures somewhere and tag me so I can see all your beautiful creations. Merry Christmas Lena!
I’ve made this several times and it’s always perfect! I’m wondering if you can substitute dark chocolate chips for the semi-sweet and if it would taste okay? Thanks!
One of our readers shared this “I tried this ganache with dark chocolate chips n it turned out amazing.” Hope that helps!
I want to pour the ganache over cookies and then mail them. What ratio do you suggest? Do you think it will work because I don’t want a chocolate mess in the box.
Hi Kammie, this works great over cookies! I haven’t shipped them to advise on them getting messy or not. I wish I could be more helpful!
Can I use this in a truffle centerlet it harden and cover in chocolate.?
Hi Victory, I haven’t tested that to advise, but I think it could work. If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe.
Can a cake covered with this Ganache be frozen for later use?
Hi Michelle! This is a stable ganache and freezes well so I think it would work. When we freeze the ganache we let it thaw in the refrigerator. Also, the ganache should only be frozen once. Do not re-freeze. I hope that helps.
This is perfect! I was making a cake that called for ganache that said NOT to use chocolate chips, but it was all I had… I made a test cake for this upcoming Thanksgiving and figured since it was just a test cake, I’d just use the semi-sweet mini chocolate chips I had instead of run to the store to get a bar. It’s perfect! I’m not even going to bother with the bar chocolate for the cake for Thanksgiving!
That’s so great it worked out! Thank you so much for sharing that with me.
Thank you- this was Wonderful… looked like it wasn’t going to work— then suddenly, the dark chocolate color develops!!! So cool!
I’m so glad it worked out!
I drizzled the ganache over the top of whipped cream-filled cream puffs. SO GOOD!
Glad you enjoyed it, Claudia!
Hi there! I tried your chocolate ganache & I loved it….I just want to know if should I put it in the fridge after pouring the ganache? Thanks for the great recipe you shared
Hi Evelyn, yes, you can refrigerate after pouring. I poured it over my cake roll and refrigerated it to let it set completely.
Natash, I let this sit in the fridge for about a half hour and then whipped it using my wisk attachment on my stand mixer. The fluffiest icing ever. I had to work quickly because it started to set up. I love it because it is not overly sweet.
That’s so great, Willa! This frosting is so good, and I’m so glad it worked out, and you enjoyed it! p.s. I, too, don’t love overly sweet recipes, and I found this had a perfect balance! Thank you for your great feedback!
Hi there Natasha, can I use this recipe as a chocolate drip for a chocolate cake.
Hi Ayesh, yes, you can use this for a drip cake. It will be plenty for a drip cake.
Thank you very much Natasha
You’re welcome!