Chocolate Ganache Recipe
Make this easy Chocolate Ganache recipe with just two ingredients. It’s silky smooth and fantastically chocolatey, plus extremely versatile – perfect for pouring, dipping, piping, whipping, and frosting!
Easy Chocolate Ganache Recipe
Whenever I need a quick, decadent chocolate glaze or frosting, I turn to this easy Chocolate Ganache recipe. Made with just 2 ingredients – cream and chocolate – this simple ganache is silky smooth and fantastically chocolatey. Plus it’s incredibly versatile. Drizzle it over decadent coffee drinks, spoon it over homemade ice cream, or add a quick glaze to cakes and cupcakes, and so much more!
Why You’ll Love This Homemade Chocolate Ganache
I can’t resist chocolate ganache – it’s thick and creamy-dreamy chocolate heaven! Here’s why you’ll love this recipe for chocolate ganache:
- 2 ingredients. You only need heavy cream and some good chocolate.
- Easy. Just heat the cream gently and pour it over the chopped chocolate. Then give it a quick whisk to bring it altogether.
- Adaptable. It’s easy to play around with different kinds of chocolate. Try semi-sweet chocolate, milk chocolate, or dark.
- Perfect for so many things. Add chocolate ganache to cupcakes (as a filling or a topper), turn it into a fluffy frosting, stir a spoonful into hot chocolate, or even incorporate it into a coffee drink or cocktail!
What You’ll Need
Here’s what you’ll need – just 2 ingredients – to make this chocolate ganache recipe. Scroll down to the printable recipe card at the end of this post for the exact ingredient amounts.
- Pure chocolate – The best chocolate to use in chocolate ganache is a pure chocolate baking bar, such as Ghirardelli. You can find these (usually packaged in a 4-ounce bar) in the baking aisle near the chocolate chips. Do not use chocolate chips, as they can impart a grainy texture – save them for a pan of chewy chocolate chip cookie bars! If you must use chocolate chips, I recommend Guittard or Ghirardelli brand chocolate chips because they are a higher chocolate quality.
- Heavy cream – Heavy whipping cream is key to the perfect ganache. Lower fat milks will not set properly.
Recipe Variations
Make this simple recipe as written, or try your hand at some adaptations. Check out some suggestions below:
- Different chocolates: Although I recommend semi-sweet chocolate for ganache, you could sub it for milk chocolate or dark chocolate. For white chocolate ganache, reduce the amount of cream to ¾ cup, as white chocolate is softer.
- Use dairy-free coconut milk: You can swap out the heavy cream for the same amount of full-fat coconut milk. Shake the can well before opening, or stir the open can to evenly mix. Bring to a simmer on the stovetop, whisking regularly, and incorporate into the recipe just like you would the heavy cream.
How to Make Chocolate Ganache
Follow these simple steps to make the perfect silky-smooth chocolate ganache. The detailed instructions are included in the recipe card lower down.
- Heat the cream. Bring the cream just to a simmer.
- Prep the chocolate. While the cream is warming up, chop the chocolate.
- Melt. Place the chopped chocolate in a bowl and pour the warm cream over the top.
- Rest. Let the chocolate and cream sit for 2 minutes.
- Stir. Stir the ganache with a spoon or rubber spatula until smooth.
- Use however you like!
- For a drip/drizzle ganache: Use while still warm and drip, drizzle, or spread it over cake, ice cream, etc.
- To pipe: Let ganache cool to room temperature, add it to a piping bag with a pastry tip, and use as desired.
- To make a whipped ganache: Let ganache sit at room temperature until cooled and solid, then transfer it to a stand mixer fit with the whisk attachment. Beat on medium speed until it’s fluffy and the color has lightened, about 5 minutes. Now it’s a whipped frosting consistency! Transfer it to a piping bag fit with a pastry tip and use as desired.
- To turn a solid ganache back into a drip ganache: Microwave it in 10 second intervals, stirring between each interval, until your desired consistency. Do this slowly and gently, so the chocolate doesn’t get overly melty.
Tips for Success
While this is a super easy recipe, there are a few best practices to ensure the smoothest, silkiest ganache. Check out my tips below to help you make it perfectly:
- Use good-quality chocolate. As noted, using a good brand of pure chocolate will make your ganache taste the best and have the best consistency.
- Finely chop the chocolate. Chocolate that is chopped finer will melt quicker in the warmed cream. Large chunks of chocolate will likely not melt completely.
- Use fresh cream. Make sure your cream is fresh, for the creamiest, best-tasting ganache.
- Heat the cream thoroughly. Make sure to heat the cream sufficiently, just to simmering, so that it completely melts the chocolate. (Take care to not let the cream boil.)
- Let it sit long enough. While it may be tempting to stir the chocolate into the hot cream to help it along, let the chocolate sit in the cream for at least 2 minutes so that it softens and melts gently, all on its own.
- Stay away from water. Do not let even one drop of water get incorporated into your ganache. Chocolate seizes when it comes into contact with water, and becomes a gritty mess. So make sure all of your equipment (bowls, measuring cups, spoons, etc.) is dry.
- Use whipped ganache right away. Keep in mind that whipped ganache dries out more quickly. So wait to whip the ganache until right before you’re ready to use it.
- Double the recipe. Want more ganache? No problem, you can double or triple the quantities in this recipe with no issues.
Ways to Use Chocolate Ganache
While you may find me dipping a spoon into a bowl of chocolate ganache for a quick hit of chocolate (amazing!!), there are so many ways to use ganache in desserts. The uses are virtually endless!Here are just a few suggestions to get you started:
- On ice cream. Chocolate ganache is a fabulous topping for scoops of ice cream. It would go especially well with peanut butter ice cream or salted caramel ice cream, or try peppermint ice cream. You could also drizzle it over ice cream pizza!
- Over coffee drinks. Drizzle chocolate ganache over a Mexican coffee to make the ultimate dessert drink, or top your mocha cookie crumble frappuccino. Ganache would also be yummy with a salted nut roll shot in addition to or instead of the caramel glass rim.
- Hot chocolate. Finish your mug of hot chocolate with whipped cream and a spoonful of chocolate ganache.
- As a dip. Serve warm chocolate ganache with fresh fruit for dipping. Strawberries and cut bananas are favorites at our house!
- A quick mousse. To make a simple chocolate mousse, fold whipped cream into room temperature ganache. (Whip 2 cups heavy cream and a little powdered sugar to stiff peaks, then fold 1 cup of the whipped cream into the ganache until evenly combined. Then gently fold in the rest of the whipped cream.)
- Decorate cakes and cupcakes. Pipe or spread it onto chocolate “wacky” cake cupcakes or marble cake, or use with this grasshopper cake instead of the fudge. Also use it as a drip ganache on top Oreo cheesecake bites. And the chocolate ganache cake in the photo above uses whipped ganache in the layers, plus drip ganache over the top!
- Over sweet breads. Drizzle or spread this over my favorite sour cream banana bread – YUM!
- As a filling. You can also use this ganache as a filling for tarts or cupcakes. Add it to my salted caramel mocha cupcake recipe for a special treat.
Proper Storage
Use chocolate ganache within a week of making it, or pop it in the freezer for a later time. Here’s how to store it properly:
- Fridge – Store any leftover ganache in an airtight container in the fridge for up to one week.
- Freezer – Place chocolate ganache in a freezer-safe container or sealable, freezer-safe bag and store it in the freezer for up to 2 months. Make sure to thaw the ganache completely in the fridge before you use it in a recipe.
More Frosting Recipes
- Easy Chocolate Buttercream
- Brownies with Mocha Buttercream
- Coconut Cupcakes with Fluffy Coconut Buttercream
- Banana Cake with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting
- Heart-Shaped Brownies with Fresh Raspberry Buttercream
Chocolate Ganache
Yield: 12
Make this easy Chocolate Ganache recipe with just two ingredients. It's silky smooth and fantastically chocolatey, plus extremely versatile – perfect for pouring, dipping, piping, whipping, and frosting!
Print
Ingredients
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 8 ounces good quality semi-sweet chocolate finely chopped
Instructions
- Add the heavy cream to a small saucepan set over medium heat. Bring the cream just to a simmer – do not let it boil.
- Add the chopped chocolate to a medium-size heatproof bowl and pour the warm cream over the top. Let sit for 2 minutes to soften the chocolate.
- After 2 minutes, stir the mixture with a spoon or rubber spatula until the ganache is smooth and fully combined.
- For a drip/drizzle ganache: simply pour it over cake or ice cream.
- To make a piped ganache: Let it sit at room temperature until cooled and solid, about 1-2 hours. Then transfer the ganache to a piping bag fit with a pastry tip and use as desired.
- For a whipped ganache: let it sit at room temperature until cooled and solid, about 1-2 hours. Then transfer the ganache to a stand mixer fit with the whisk attachment, and beat on medium speed until it is fluffy and the color has lightened, about 5 minutes. Transfer the ganache to a piping bag fit with a pastry tip and use as desired. Keep in mind that whipped ganache will dry out quickly so make sure to use it immediately or keep it covered tightly with plastic wrap.
- To turn a solid ganache back into a drip ganache: microwave it in 10 second intervals, stirring between each interval, until your desired consistency.
Notes
Storage: Store any leftover ganache in an airtight container in the fridge for up to one week.
Yield:
- Drip/drizzle ganache: about 1½ cups, enough to cover 1 dozen cupcakes.
- Piped ganache: This amount will cover 6 cupcakes with a light-medium amount of ganache. For 12 cupcakes, I recommend doubling the ganache.
- Whipped ganache for piping: You should have nearly 3 cups of whipped ganache, enough for 12 cupcakes.
Nutrition Information:
Serving: 2tablespoons Calories: 177kcal Carbohydrates: 10g Protein: 2g Fat: 14g Saturated Fat: 9g Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g Monounsaturated Fat: 4g Trans Fat: 0.01g Cholesterol: 24mg Sodium: 7mg Potassium: 126mg Fiber: 2g Sugar: 8g Vitamin A: 301IU Vitamin C: 0.1mg Calcium: 25mg Iron: 1mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated by Spoonacular. I am not a nutritionist and cannot guarantee accuracy. If your health depends on nutrition information, please calculate again with your own favorite calculator.
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