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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I would like to use this recipe to glaze a cake for a party we’re having. Can I glaze it a day ahead? And if so, should I then refrigerate the cake or will it be okay at room temp until the party?
Hi Tacy, it is ok to glaze a cake the day before – I do it all the time :). Refrigeration depends on the cake – if it’s a dairy based frosting (cream cheese, whipped cream, etc), you would want to refrigerate the glazed cake but if it’s something like a buttercream frosting without chance of spoiling, you can leave it out at room temperature. 🙂 The ganache won’t spoil at room temperature overnight.
How long does it last in a jar refrigerated ?
Hi there, keep in mind that it will firm up if refrigerated. If you want to whip it up the next day into a whipped chocolate frosting, you can keep it at room temperature for a couple of days. You can store it in the refrigerator at least a week but again, it will harden.
Oh my, thank you for Ganache recipe you the best!!
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it.
This was my first attempt at making ganache and thankfully I picked the best recipe! Thank you so much for posting this. I will use it again and again!
Katherine, welcome to the site and thank you for sharing such a wonderful review 😬. I hope you’ll find many more favorites here.
If I gelatine to the recipe will it come shiny like a mirror glaze?
Hi Marie, I haven’t tried that so I can’t really say.
whipping cream is 35% is there a heavy version of the normal whipping cream?
Hi Judy, it should say heavy whipping cream on the package and have 36-40%.
I stumbled on to your recipe while looking for a simple chocolate ganache recipe. I have made it now several times and it always comes out perfect. My wife and kids love it on cakes & brownies. I just had to pay you compliments on this recipe. It is so simple to make and so delicious. Thank you so much.
Jose, you are very welcome and thank you for such a rave review! 😬.
Mine came out runny. What did I do wrong to get this effect? Can I fix it or what to do differently next time around?
Hi Jessica, did you add the chocolate by weight to make sure you added enough chocolate? Also, did you use heavy whipping cream rather than plain whipping cream?
I want to make a tart with a orange flavored pastry cream filling. May I pour the ganache on top of the cooled pastry cream?
It sounds like it could work as long as the pastry cream sets and isn’t too loose.
Will this recipe provide enough icing for a 9 x 9 one layer cake? I don’t want it to be too thin or too thick (I’m beginning to sound like Goldilocks – lol). Thank you.
Hi Goldilocks – um, I mean Hazel ;), it will cover a 9×9 one layer cake 🙂
I need a ganache to put into ready-made mini tart shells for my daughter’s school birthday treat. From your excellent photos, it seems like it would work. Do you feel that this set up well in the shells (sitting at room temperature)? Thanks very much!
Hi Stacey, I do think it would set up well but you would have to wait for it to thicken to the desired consistency.
Can I use this recipe to make truffles?
I already made it and have it in the refrigerator
Also for next time can I add any flavors?
Hi Cynthia, I think it may be too soft for truffles – they would be difficult to handle unless you rolled them in something else like nuts so the exterior is not sticky.
thank u so much for the PERFECT recipe!!!! made it today and simply superb!!!!
I’m so happy you loved it! Thanks for the awesome review 🙂
Hi, I wanted to make a white chocolate ganache will this recipe be fine for that?
Hi, I haven’t tried it with white chocolate chips but I imagine it might need slightly varying proportions and will probably set a little faster. Without testing it myself, I can’t say for sure.
This recipe turned out absolutely perfect for me!! I couldn’t believe how well it worked and how easy it was! I don’t usually have the best of luck when trying new recipes but this was amazing and it tasted fantastic too! I made a cookies and cream chocolate cake and poured the ganache over my buttercream frosting to make it look drippy and it was the perfect consistency! It was more than enough for my entire cake and I had so much left over. I let all of the extra just sit on my counter over night and the next morning it was still a great smooth texture for making hot cocoa or for adding to my coffee! I will definitely be using this recipe again!
Allison, I’m so happy to hear that ?. I just made this recipe the other day for my poppy seed cake and used leftovers for coffee as well ?.
My mother and I have tried and tried ti make gnash with no sucess! Your recipe was simple and turned out perfect!
I’m so happy you had success with my recipe! That’s wonderful! 🙂
I pinned the pink background ganache spoon picture. I liked the turquoise one too, but the pink complemented the chocolate without stealing attention away from it. (I’m an over-analyzer.)
Ha! I agree! And I love that you over analyzed. I am exactly the same way 🙂
I am going to make this for a wedding cake that is due tomorrow evening. The question I have is that it is only going to go on one side of the cake –
the cake is white buttercream on 1/2 and chocolate on the other 1/2. I am to cover the top and drizzle down the side of the cake on the chocolate side any suggestions on when and how to do it. If I cover it and drive the cake to the venue will it crack? Should I wait and do it at the venue?
That sounds like an interesting challenge to cover half the cake! Let me know how it goes :). You can pour the chocolate over ahead of time and it will not crack so it’s not necessary to do it at the venue.
Should I glaze the cake day of the event, or can I do it the evening before?
Juli, you can do it the evening before.
Don’t feel like such a nerd about the measurements. I have argued w/TSA about this exact thing (and why I should have to empty all of my 4 oz toothpaste into a 3 oz container when the volume is exactly the same)…because toothpaste is weight, not liquid. Sigh.