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 think i stirred it too soon will it thicken?
Hi Monica, it should still thicken fine. Make sure you stir until all of the chocolate chips are fully dissolved and the mixture is completely smooth.
made it i did add a teaspoon of butter it makes it shiny !!! at first bitter as it cooled it was (AWESOME) 5 star
I’m glad you enjoy the recipe so much Pauline! Thanks for sharing your great review!
Can I add any foavorings like vanilla extract or some alcohol
Hi Chris, I haven’t tried that but I think a splash of vanilla would be nice, just don’t overdo it or it will take longer to thicken up.
Can I use milk chocolate morsels?
Hi Mike, I haven’t tried, but I think it would work. 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.
I am going to try this very soon. I looked at maybe 20 different ganache recipe and your mesasurments are the easiest. I am making my son a Mickey Mouse cake for his first birthday with fondant. I am a beginner so I am really worried.
I hope you love it! If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out! I’m sure it will turn out fantastic!
Tried this recipe and had perfect results.Now it’s my go to recipe for my chocolate cake.Easy to make too.
I’m happy to hear that! Thanks for sharing your great review!
Hi, I’ve been looking at different recipes for making eclairs and was wondering if this would work well for dipping the top of the eclair?
Kelly, this recipe should work fine for that and I love your idea 😀.
Hi, want to try this recipe.
I have Amul fresh cream so will this help in making the ganache?.
I will be baking my cake today morning but I need to take my cake Tom morning for my friends, so when do I make the ganache and pour it over the cake,?.
If I make the ganache today itself and pour it over the cake, do I need to refigerate the cake until tomorrow morning?
Or do I keep it on counter top until next day…will the ganache be runny or firm?
Please, waiting for your reply…
Hi, I’m not sure what Amul fresh cream is. You want it to have a fat content of about 35-36% to work properly. If the remaining ingredients of the cake are not perishable, it is ok to leave it at room temperature overnight. The ganache will not be runny.
Does it work with half n half unstead if heavy cream?
Hi Kate, 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. https://natashaskitchen.com/wp-admin/edit-comments.php?comment_status=moderated#comments-form
It was the perfect ganache for a cake. I made 1.5 of the recipe using milk chocolate. I waited until it reached 70 F for thicker consistency to fully cover a the cake. It was perfect and really came out amazingly velvetty.Thank you so much!
You’re welcome! I’m glad you love the recipe! Thanks for sharing your great review with other readers!
So this is my first time making ganache and it was easy, I will be making it more often. Next time I want to whip it up.
I’m glad to hear that Pauline! Thanks so much for sharing 🙂
Could i use white chocklate? I have never made ganache and i am looking to use food colouring to achieve yellow colour.
Hi Gerda, I haven’t tried this with white chocolate so I can’t provide specific advice – you might google some white chocolate ganache recipes for info on how to properly incorporate the white chocolate.
Hi Natasha. I’m thinking of pouring a thin layer of this over a cake that is already butter creamed. Is that a good idea?
Hi Adriana, this should work fine over a cake frosted with buttercream.
Follow the same recipe, however, when I iced the cake it gets hard. Maybe I let it stand for a long time? My target is to use for piping.
Hi Ver, the longer the ganache sits, the firmer it becomes. If you let it sit long enough, you can spread it with a knife and it goes on like a frosting rather than a glaze if you wait, like on this cake for example.
This turned out beautifully – thank you for the clear guidelines! It was plenty to coat a 8-inch double layer cake on top and all sides. The finish was smooth and the texture was gorgeous. And it was delicious!
My pleasure Christin! I’m happy to hear you love the recipe! Thanks for sharing your excellent review!
Is the texture hard on the outside and creamy under? Trying to find a velvety chocolate icing that sets like a thin layer of hard fudge on the outside.
Can we add sugar to ganache?
Hi Anj, I’ve never thought it needed sugar and come to think of it, I’ve never seen it done before. You might experiment with milk chocolate which is sweeter before adding sugar.
I made half the quantity as my cake was small. The ganache came out just perfect and I was so excited 🙂
I’m so happy to hear that!! Thank you for the awesome review. I’m excited that you got excited!! 🙂
Looks & sounds YUMMY! I actualy have a question though. I am making a birthday bundt cake today, but like the idea of having that extra to put a spoon dollop in my lattes so I would like to use the whole 12 oz bag.
Just need clarity on the ratios though. For the 8oz recipe it shows 8oz chocolate to 1-1/3 cups cream.
I calculate this to equal 1/3 cup of cream to every 2oz of chocolate.
But
The 12 oz recipe shows
12oz chocolate to only 1-1/2 cups cream….? Is there a reason why only 1-1/2 cups cream & not 2 cups of cream?
6 parts of (2oz) chocolate =(12oz) to
6 parts of (1/3c) cream = 6/3rds cp
& 6ea of 1/3cups = 2 cups… no?
Or does the ratio chemistry alter
the larger the recipe gets?
HI Willow, for the 8 oz chocolate, use 1 cup heavy whipping cream. I meant that 8 oz of chocolate was equal to 1 1/2 cups chocolate when measuring chocolate chips in a dry ingredients measuring cup. So the measurements are basically 4 oz chocolate for 1/2 cup of heavy whipping cream which means 12 oz of chocolate would be 1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream.
Omg! Made this with half and half as I was out of heavy cream and it turned out AMAZING! I had to dip cinnamon graham crackers in it after frosting four raspberry cheesecakes because it was such an incredible experience!
That sounds amazing! I’m so glad you enjoy the recipe! Thanks for sharing your wonderful review!
Hi Natasha! I want to pour the ganache over mini cakes to decorate them but no to cover all the cakes. I want the ganache to be quite firm. I have to pour it more liquid or I have to let it stand more time? Thank you
Hi Laura, if you want to cover mini cakes like a frosting where you spread with a spatula, let the ganache sit at room temperature longer and it will firm up.
Hi Natasha, the first time I did this, it was perfect! The past two times, it’s been too runny! Is it because of the heavy va normal whipping cream? I don’t know what I did differently, but maybe that’s it? Thanks!
Hi Malini, heavy whipping cream has a higher fat content and works best for this recipe. If all else was the same, it’s very likely the regular whipping cream was the culprit.
Thank you! Also, can you make whipped ganache from these ratios? If so, how long and at what speed do you recommend whipping it?
Hi Malini, I have let it cool completely to room temperature and thicken before whipping it into a whipped chocolate ganache and it worked well. You can also spread it on a cake as a chocolate frosting once it thickens up a bit more like we did on this cake. It looks and tastes lovely 🙂
It was PERFECT!!!
Great, I’m so glad to hear that! Thanks for sharing!
Loved it. Well written and easy to follow. Thanks
You’re welcome Rose! I’m so glad you enjoy the recipe! Thanks for sharing your review!