How to Make Chocolate Ganache
This rich, creamy, delicious chocolate sauce makes almost any dessert feel extra special. Best of all, you only need chocolate and cream to make chocolate ganache, and once you learn how easy it is, you’ll find plenty of reasons to keep a batch on hand.
What is chocolate ganache?
Chocolate ganache is a mixture of chocolate and heavy cream. The ratio of chocolate to cream determines how thick or thin the ganache will be.
More cream creates a thinner sauce that is perfect for pouring and drizzling. More chocolate creates a thicker ganache that can be used as a frosting or filling.
Create different textures:
The best part is you can make it warm and pourable, firm and pipeable, scoopable, moldable, and whipped.
Pour it over cakes, brownies, ice cream, or cheesecake.
Let it cool and thicken for a spreadable frosting.
Chill it to whip it into frosting.
Best of all, the beauty of ganache is how simple it is. There is no complicated technique or long list of ingredients. The key is using good-quality chocolate and heating the heavy cream just until it is hot, then letting the chocolate melt into it.
Chocolate with warmed heavy cream… let it sit a few minutes, then whisk smooth.
Whipped into a Frosting, the perfect item to fill cookies, pastries, and cakes.
Want more to make with it? Add cream cheese… oh yeah, it’s yummy! It’s an incredible frosting or filling.
Now turn it into a silky smooth and creamy lighter frosting with the addition of cream cheese. Make sure the cream cheese is room temperature, or there will be lumps. This is decadent and lighter in color and super creamy.
It has a shiny look and silky smooth richness that is undeniably gorgeous.
Ways to use chocolate ganache
- Truffles: Chill ganache until it’s firm and able to be scooped, roll into balls, and coat in cocoa powder, chopped nuts, or melted chocolate.
- Dipped Treats: Dip fresh strawberries, banana slices, pretzels, or marshmallows into warm ganache.
- Filled Pastries: Pipe smooth ganache into cream puffs, or use it to fill cookies and macarons.
- Dessert Sauce: Thin out warm ganache with a little extra cream or milk to drizzle over ice cream, pancakes, or waffles.
- Hot Chocolate: Stir a spoonful directly into hot milk for a rich chocolate drink.
Chocolate and Peanut Butter are a winning combo. Bake up a fresh batch of Peanut Butter Cut Out Cookies to dip into the ganache, then top with chopped peanuts.
Thick but still pipeable, it doesn’t matter what shape cookie you’re making, ganache is thick and rich and can be piped to make sandwich cookies.
Once you see how easy this is, you’ll want to put ganache with so many things.
I love heart cookies… these filled spritz cookies are perfect, and chocolate ganache and butter cookies are a dynamic duo!
Can I make chocolate ganache using chocolate chips?
- Yes, you can. I use 60% Ghirardelli chocolate chips with no issues, but some chocolate chips won’t melt easily; they are made not to melt easily, so try a small batch before using all your chocolate chips to be sure you love the result.
- Use chocolate bars, blocks, or callets to make chocolate ganache if you have trouble with chips because lots of chips have emulsifiers in them, which keep them from melting at low temperatures.
- If you use chocolate chips to make your ganache, the cream will need to be very hot in order to melt the chocolate chips.
Tips for making ganache
Use chocolate that you enjoy eating. Since there are only a couple of ingredients, the flavor of the chocolate really comes through.
Don’t boil the cream. You want it hot enough to melt the chocolate, but bringing it to a full boil can affect the texture.
The key is to let the chocolate and cream sit together for a few minutes before stirring. This gives the chocolate time to soften and makes it easier to create a smooth ganache.
If your ganache is too thick, stir in a little warm cream until you reach the consistency you want. If it is too thin, allow it to cool for a while, and it will thicken as it sits.
Chocolate ganache is one of those simple recipes worth keeping in your kitchen basics collection.
Chocolate Chip Pancake Bundt Cake
Once you make it, you’ll find plenty of desserts that are even better with a little chocolate ganache poured, drizzled, spread, or dipped on top.
How to Make Chocolate Ganache
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup heavy cream *use more cream if you want it thinner
- 1/2 cup chocolate chips I used 60% cacao Ghirardelli chips
Instructions
- This portion worked well to slather on the cake when it was still soft and at room temperature, before it set up firm.
- In the note area below, there are additional proportions that can be used for frosting, truffles, and filling for cookies.
- Heat the heavy cream until it's hot (not boiling).
- Place chocolate in a heatproof bowl.
- Pour the heated cream over the top of the chocolate and allow it to sit for a few minutes.
- Then begin to slowly mix or whisk the cream and softened chocolate together until thick and silky smooth.
Notes
Example: 8 ounces chocolate to 4 ounces heavy whipping cream. This thick, fudge-like ganache is what you will use to make truffles and firm piping that will not spread between cookies