Use this as your complete guide for making homemade chocolate ganache. Chocolate ganache is a 2-ingredient recipe with virtually endless uses. For the best tasting ganache, I recommend using semi-sweet chocolate.
Chocolate ganache is a 1:1 mixture of chocolate and warm cream. Stirred until smooth, silky, and shiny, ganache is a staple in any baker’s kitchen. It’s not only easy and quick, it’s uniquely versatile. Chocolate ganache can be a filling, dip, spread, frosting, topping, or layer in a cake. The uses are virtually endless!
Uses for Chocolate Ganache
- Topping for chocolate cupcakes, cream-filled chocolate cupcakes, or no-bake cheesecake jars
- Filling for layer cakes
- As a frosting for chocolate peanut butter cake or dark chocolate mousse cake
- Swirl in chocolate marble banana Bundt cake
- Topping for homemade brownies, pound cake, vanilla cake, or ice cream
- Filling for chocolate hand pies
- Dip for strawberries and other fruit (serve with a bowl of whipped cream, too!)
- Topping for chocolate cake or flourless chocolate cake
- Frosting for chocolate raspberry cake (and you can even flavor it with raspberry liqueur)
- Layered in trifles
- Filling for no-bake s’mores cake
- Topping for homemade eclairs, crepes, angel food cake, and peanut butter pie
- Filling for orange butter cookies and striped fudge cookies
- Topping for marble loaf cake (with slightly reduced cream for a thicker ganache!)
- As a layer in peanut butter banana cream pie
- Filling inside of Easter cupcakes
Let’s dive into an in-depth chocolate ganache tutorial. If you don’t care to read through the tutorial, feel free to jump straight to the recipe below.
Chocolate Ganache Video Tutorial
2 Ingredients in Chocolate Ganache
- Heavy Cream or Heavy Whipping Cream: Do not use half-and-half, whole milk, or any other liquid because the ganache won’t set up properly. For a non-dairy alternative, use canned coconut milk. See recipe note.
- Pure Chocolate: You can use semi-sweet chocolate (recommended), bittersweet chocolate, milk chocolate, or white chocolate. See recipe note.
When making homemade ganache, you need a 1:1 ratio of cream to chocolate.
Did you know that chocolate ganache is the base for chocolate truffles? I actually use less cream when I make chocolate truffles because the 1:1 ratio is too thin and sticky. Instead of a 1:1 ratio, use 8 ounces of chocolate and 2/3 cup (160ml) cream for truffles.
Best Chocolate to Use in Chocolate Ganache
The best chocolate for chocolate ganache is a pure chocolate baking bar, such as Bakers or Ghirardelli brands. (Not sponsored, just a genuine customer!) These are typically sold in 4-ounce (113g) bars in the baking aisle near the chocolate chips. Do not use chocolate chips because they will not melt into the best ganache consistency—save them for chocolate chip cookies instead. If you absolutely must use chocolate chips, make sure they are higher-quality chocolate such as Ghirardelli or Guittard brand semi-sweet chocolate chips.
For traditional chocolate ganache, I recommend using semi-sweet chocolate. This is the most commonly found chocolate in the baking aisle. Semi-sweet chocolate contains 35–45% cacao and is usually sweeter than bittersweet or dark varieties and darker than milk chocolate and white chocolate. If you like it a little darker, bittersweet chocolate (60% cacao) also makes an excellent ganache.
TIP: The best tool for chopping chocolate is a large serrated knife. The grooves help chip away the hard chocolate bar texture.
How to Make Chocolate Ganache
- Place finely chopped chocolate into a heat-proof glass or metal bowl.
- Heat cream on the stovetop until just simmering. If it’s boiling, the cream is too hot and could separate or even burn the chocolate. Once you see little simmers around the edges, turn off the heat and immediately pour the warm cream over the chocolate.
- Let the 2 sit for a few minutes before stirring.
- Stir slowly until smooth.
After you stir the chocolate and warm cream together, use the ganache right away as a fruit dip or drizzle on top of cakes, cupcakes, pound cakes, ice cream, and more. But if you wait about 2 hours and let it cool completely, the ganache can be scooped with a spoon, spread onto desserts, or piped with piping tips.
Piped Chocolate Ganache
If you’re craving a pure chocolate topping for your desserts, choose chocolate ganache. Once it cools and sets, you can pipe it onto your favorites including chocolate cupcakes. Super intricate piping tips aren’t ideal. Wilton 1M piping tip or Ateco 844 piping tip are my favorites for piped chocolate ganache. I used Ateco 844 in these photos.
Whipped Ganache
Let’s take chocolate ganache 1 step further. Did you know that you can beat ganache into a whipped frosting consistency? Think of the whipped buttercream from this vanilla sheet cake, but not as sweet or heavy. Once the chocolate ganache cools completely, whip it on medium-high speed until light in color and fluffy in texture, about 4 minutes. Now you have a decadent mousse-like frosting without an onslaught of extra sugar. It’s REALLY good!
You can pipe the whipped ganache, too. I used Ateco 844 piping tip in this next photo.
These 2 Tricks Make Chocolate Ganache Even Easier
Here are my 2 super simple tricks that make ganache even easier to make.
- Chop the chocolate as fine as possible. The finer you chop the chocolate, the quicker it melts with the cream. If the chocolate is in large large chunks, it won’t fully melt. And if the chocolate is not melting, reference Troubleshooting Chocolate Ganache below.
- Pour the warm cream over the chopped chocolate and let it sit before stirring. After you pour the warm heavy cream over the chopped chocolate, let it sit for a few minutes. During this time, the chocolate will soften and begin to melt which means that you won’t need to over-stir it. I’d rather spend extra minutes doing nothing than extra minutes stirring chocolate that won’t melt. Wouldn’t you?!
Troubleshooting Chocolate Ganache
After writing an entire cookbook (Sally’s Candy Addiction) on chocolate and candy, I’ve seen it all when it comes to making chocolate ganache. Seized chocolate? Yep. Grainy ganache. Yep, that too. Here are 3 problems you could encounter and how to fix each.
- Chocolate Isn’t Melting: If the chocolate isn’t melting, it wasn’t chopped fine enough or the cream wasn’t warm enough. Chop the chocolate into very small pieces and warm the cream until it’s just simmering. The microwave doesn’t evenly warm cream like the stove does, so I always recommend the stove. If you’re left with chocolate chunks swimming in cream, do not microwave it. Instead, place the mixture into a double boiler OR place the (heat-proof!) glass bowl over a small saucepan of simmering water. Do not let the surface of the simmering water touch the bottom of the glass bowl. Stir the ganache constantly over the indirect heat until it’s smooth.
- Chocolate Seized: When chocolate seizes, it creates a gritty and solid mass of chocolate. Simply put, seized chocolate will not melt. Chocolate seizes when it comes into contact with water. Don’t let even a drop of water into the bowl! Here is a wonderful article on overheated and seized chocolate.
- Greasy or Grainy: Use a glass or metal bowl. A plastic bowl could melt or leave you with a dull or grainy ganache. Use real chocolate; cheap chocolate chips result in a grainy ganache. Use a spoon or small rubber spatula to stir the chocolate and warm cream together. Do not use a whisk. The whisk incorporates too much air into the delicate melting chocolate, which could cause the fat to separate and turn greasy.
How to Make Chocolate Ganache
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 3 minutes
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 1 and 1/2 cups
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Stirring
- Cuisine: American
Description
You only need 2 ingredients and a few minutes to make pure chocolate ganache. For ganache success, I encourage you to read the troubleshooting tips above and recipe notes below before beginning.
Ingredients
- two 4-ounce quality semi-sweet chocolate bars (113g each), finely chopped (see Note about using white chocolate)*
- 1 cup (8 ounces; 240ml) heavy cream or heavy whipping cream
Instructions
- Place chopped chocolate in a medium heat-proof bowl. Heat the cream in a small saucepan over medium heat until it begins to gently simmer. (Do not let it come to a rapid boil—that’s too hot!) Pour over chocolate, then let it sit for 2–3 minutes to gently soften the chocolate.
- With a metal spoon or small rubber spatula, very slowly stir until completely combined and chocolate has melted. The finer you chopped the chocolate, the quicker it will melt with the cream. If it’s not melting, do not microwave it. See Troubleshooting Chocolate Ganache in blog post above.
- Ganache can be ready to use as a drizzle or you can let it sit at room temperature to cool and thicken. It will fully cool within 2 hours. Refrigerating speeds this up, but the ganache will not cool evenly. Stir it a few times as it sets in the refrigerator so it remains even and smooth.
- Once completely cool and thick, the ganache can be piped with a piping tip or scooped with a spoon. You can also beat the cooled thickened ganache with a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment until light in color and texture, about 4 minutes on medium-high speed.
- Cover tightly and store ganache in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Once ganache cools completely, you can cover it tightly and freeze it for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator. To rewarm or thin out again, stir constantly over low heat on the stove in either (1) a double boiler or (2) in a heat-proof bowl placed over a pot of simmering water. Don’t let the bottom of the bowl touch the simmering water.
Notes
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Glass Mixing Bowl | Small Saucepan | Double Boiler | Rubber Spatula | Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand) if whipping the ganache
- Chocolate: Ganache will only set if the correct chocolate is used. You can use high-quality chocolate chips if needed (I prefer Ghirardelli or Guittard semi-sweet chocolate chips), but I recommend using pure chocolate baking bars, in either semi-sweet or bittersweet. You can find them right next to the chocolate chips in the baking aisle. They are sold in 4-ounce (113g) bars. I like Bakers or Ghirardelli brands. You can use other varieties of chocolate too, such as milk chocolate (aka German chocolate) or dark chocolate. If using white chocolate, reduce the cream to 2/3 cup (160ml). White chocolate is softer, so you need less cream.
- Halve or Double: You can easily halve or double this recipe. No matter how much ganache you are making, you always need equal parts chocolate and cream.
- Dairy-Free Alternative for Heavy Cream: Use full-fat canned coconut milk. Shake the can well before opening. Whisk on the stove as it heats and bring to a simmer. Measure 1 cup (8 ounces; 240ml). Use instead of warm heavy cream.
- Yield: Yields 1 and 1/2 cups liquid/drizzle/scoop-able ganache. This is enough to cover 1 dozen cupcakes. For piped cupcakes, you may want to double the ganache to ensure there is plenty for piping. If whipping the ganache, you’ll have close to 3 cups. This is enough for 1 dozen cupcakes.
If i halve the recipe, will it be enough to use as the filling only for a 9” double layer cake?
Hi Judith, this ganache recipe yields about 1.5 cups of liquid ganache. Half the recipe should work for a cake filling – we recommend letting it cool a bit and using buttercream to create a barrier around the edge of the cake to prevent ganache from spilling out. Hope you love it!
Thank you.
Hi Sally. Can I use unsweetened Ghirardelli 100% chocolate bars if I add powdered sugar to it? And if so, how much sugar?
Hi Susan, we don’t recommend adding sugar, as we fear the ganache will be too grainy. It’s best to use semi-sweet chocolate bars here if possible.
Thanks so much for getting back so quickly since I’m making this today! Took it back to grocery store and exchanged it for semi sweet.
Hi, How much ganache would I need for an 3 layer, 8 inch cake (thin layers, about an inch)? And if I wanted to frost the cake then put in the fridge until the next day would that be okay? (with whipped ganache!) Thanks
Hi Amna, this ganache recipe yields about 1.5 cups of liquid ganache or 3 cups of whipped ganache. It’s the perfect amount for a 2 layer, 8 inch cake so you’ll likely want to 1.5x or 2x the recipe. Yes, you can store the cake in the fridge untul ready to serve the next day. Hope this helps!
Will the ganache harden if drizzled over a bundt cake?
Thank you!
Hi Janice, it won’t harden completely, but the longer you allow it to cool it will set. Enjoy!
Hi! Could I use the ganache on a 9×13 cake (in the cake pan)? If I didn’t want to whip it, would I pour the warm ganache over a cooled cake? Thank you!!!!
Hi Joani, yes, you can absolutely use the ganache on a 9×13 cake. We’d recommend letting the ganache cool for a bit and then spreading it on the cake. Hope you enjoy it!
Can you use this ganache on a 14 layer cake
Hi Diane, absolutely. You can use the whipped ganache between layers, and use the regular ganache as a drip outside. Hope you enjoy it!
So simple and so good! I made a double batch with semi-sweet and dark chocolate, and reserved some to cover the top of the cake (your pistachio cake), along with drips along the sides, and whipped the rest and frosted the 2 layer cake. Absolutely perfect. Thank you!
Thank you Lexi ,for your feedback. Appreciate you answering my question.
Hi Sally, I’d like to use this recipe as a whipped ganache filling in macarons and add espresso flavor. How much espresso powder would you recommend I add so the flavor is there but not overpowering? Thanks!
Hi Marguerite! We would start with 1/2 tsp – 1 tsp. It may take some trial and error to get the flavor you’re going for. Let us know what you try!
CAN canned sweeten condensed milk be used in place of cream?
Hi Kevin! No, the ganache won’t set up properly with sweetened condensed milk.
Hi Sally ,
I’m making a Wine Bottle Cake, and I was planning on making a Ganache, using Wilton’s Dark Green candy melts to cover the bottle, can you advise me if , that would work out, I don’t want the drip Ganache, I want it to hold the firmness in shape, because I would use a clear glaze over it.
Please let me know which way to go.
Hi Ann, we can’t see why that wouldn’t work. If you don’t want it to drip, allow the ganache to cool a bit as it will thicken and make it more of a spreadable consistency.
Hi Sally i was just wondering can you save left over ganache
Definitely! See step 5 of the recipe for freezing and thawing instructions.
Hello, thanks for the very easy recipe! I need to cover a birthday cake with chocolate ganache icing. Which one is easier to spread, between the standard chocolate ganache and the whipped version (for the latter, does it need to cool before use)? Thank you
Hi Emanuela! Either will work for covering a cake – it just depends on what look you want: a smooth dark coating (regular ganache), or something that looks and spreads like buttercream (whipped ganache). You need to let the ganache cool before whipping, and if you’re going to use regular ganache, you can let it cool and thicken a bit before spreading. We would love to hear which method you end up using!
I want to make my chocolate ganache black. Can I add black food gel to the recipe??
Hi Ronnie, you can add black food coloring to your ganache. Have fun!
Great! Thank You!
I’m making more of a torte, using the ganache as the base for the nut crust bottom. Would you recommend this DPD of recipe?
Thx!
Can ganache be frozen and then brought back to room temp later on to use again?
Hi Kate! You bet – see step 5 for freezing instructions.
hello is this recipe good or macaron filling?
Absolutely! Chocolate ganache is a delicious macaron filling.
Okay, so first of all, LOVE THIS RECIPE, O MY WORD SOOO GOOD!!!!
So I made it the first time round, cause I made the Yule log and it tasted SO GOOD!!!
And then I made it again today to use as a filling in my cupcakes.
I used the whipped one but I made a mistake.
*WARNING*
Do NOT, let me repeat myself, DO NOT refrigerate the whipped chocolate ganache, it turns all doughy and yeah, bad idea.
Thankfully I added cream and got it to a pipeable consistency, but it was still grainy, which stank.
But that didn’t change the taste and it was still delicious and it tasted REALLY good before I made that mistake so yeah!
LOVE THIS RECIPE
Hey many cupcakes will be enuf for please thanks
Hi Samina, this recipe yields 1 and 1/2 cups liquid/drizzle/scoop-able ganache. This is enough to cover 1 dozen cupcakes. If whipping the ganache, you’ll have close to 3 cups. This is also enough for 1 dozen cupcakes.
I’ve made regular chocolate ganache with this recipe to great success but yesterday I made white chocolate ganache for the first time and it was quite yellow. Any suggestions for how to make it purely white?
If I am using the ganach as a filling, should I whip it or just spread the cooled ganach as is?
Hi Suzanne, you can really do either — regular ganache will be much thinner, while the whipped ganache would be more like a traditional frosting filling. Depends on the look and texture you are hoping for!
Can’t wait to try this on my Chocolate Fudge Kahlua Cake!
Thank you! Susan
Help, I just baked this and the layers raised on the sides but not in the middle! I will have to remake it for a birthday party tomorrow and don’t want to make the same mistake twice, what did I do wrong?
Hi Elizabeth, I’m unsure what cake recipe you’re referring to, but I’m happy to help! When cakes sink or deflate, they’re usually not completely cooked through. Or the leaveners (baking powder and soda) may have been close to expiration. Avoid opening and closing the oven door during bake time as well, which can also deflate the center of the baked cakes. We hope all of this helps!
I never realized how easy ganache was, and I now find an excuse to use it every time I bake. I’m going to make a batch later and whip it. I know you can add corn syrup for shine, but how will adding corn syrup affect the whip? Is it I’ll advised to add corn syrup since I’ll be whipping it?
Hi Savannah, We like to add corn syrup to keep the ganache silky and shiny, but that’s not necessary if you’re whipping it since the ganache changes color and consistency in the whipping process. However, it won’t hurt the whipped ganache if you add it.
I made the whipped semi-sweet Ganache. It is amazing and so light and fluffy! I want to make it with milk chocolate. How much milk chocolate baking bars and heavy cream do I use?
Thank you!
I see a comment about adding corn syrup, how much should be added?
Hi Elizabeth, 1-2 teaspoons of corn syrup adds a lovely shine to ganache.
Hi Sally,
I’ve never made a chocolate ganache before. Can you please give me an example of a chocolate baking bar I should buy? Also where to buy at?
Hi Alina! Happy to help. You’ll want pure, high quality baking chocolate bars. We often use Bakers or Ghirardelli brands. Pure chocolate is sold in 4 ounce bars in the baking aisle near the chocolate chips. Hope this is helpful!
Thank you so much! As a beginner baker, your blog has helped and inspired me! I used the whipped ganache as a filling for my cream puffs! It was a hit!
OMG thank you for these wonderful recipes and not to mention the easy to follow instructions! This was my first time making ganache. It turned out perfect. I used it for a giant doughnut I was making for my granddaughters birthday which I also used the recipe for the vanilla cake. Absolutely delish!
You will be my baking go to from now on! Thanks again!
Hey I’ve made chocolate ganache many times for my cakes n so…however, a few times the ganache doesn’t set…even when I’ve measured the ingredients well…it’s thick but it melts off when I put it on the cake(cake has been cooled completely) can you let me know how can I get this ganache to set nicely?
Hi Sancia! In order for the ganache to properly set, you’ll want to make sure you’re using heavy cream (around 36% fat) and good, quality chocolate baking bars. Using a lower fat cream or chocolate chips may not set as well. Also, it might help to let the ganache sit for a while before spreading on the cake. The longer it sits, the more it should set / harden. Hope this helps!
Can this ganache be used for piping decorations? I want to make some trees or maybe some bark and let it harden for a design on the black forest cake I just made (also your recipe). Thanks!
Hi Kandis, to pipe this follow the instructions in the post above for Whipped Ganache. Enjoy!
Is there any reason not to use a food processor to chop the chocolate bar?
Hi Laurie, a food processor really just chips tiny shreds off the chocolate– you really can’t achieve uniform chopped pieces. However, all processors are different and maybe you have the perfect one that will work!
Is the ratio the same for German Chocolate as for semi sweet? I’ve seen your comments about white chocolate ratios but I’m making a panache with Bakers German chocolate so want to be sure. Thanks!
Hi Laurie! German’s Sweet Chocolate is sweetened, so it’s not pure baking chocolate. We haven’t tested ganache with this particular chocolate so can’t say for sure. Let us know if you give it a try.
Hi Sally,
I’ve made your ganache recipe quite often and it always turns out great. I was wondering if I could scoop little balls of it and put it in the centre of bread dough and bake it. Does this recipe work for this? Thank you!
Hi Allison, We don’t recommend baking this ganache, but you can certainly fill your bread after it bakes. To scoop into balls you might want to try making these chocolate truffles, but again, I’m not confident they would be ok baked into bread. Alternatively, you can make chocolate swirled babka (see recipe notes for chocolate filling instead of Nutella). Let us know if you try anything!
I made this last night and used Bakers Choice semi-sweet morsels. It worked out fine from melting to setting. I will whip it and use as a filling. I believe the reason I was able to get away with using a lesser chocolate is that the morsels contain cocoa butter. Thank you for this recipe and thorough instructions.
I can hardly wait to get in the kitchen. This Easter, peanut butter chocolate pie is a new tradition for my daughter and I. Pies are my specialty. So here we go. Great instructions for beginners and tips for the pro’s. Also, awesome interaction with your audience. U GO Gurl!
Just Janet