Easy Chocolate Ganache Recipe
Published December 17, 2021. This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
This simple-to-make 2-ingredients chocolate ganache makes for the perfect topping, frosting, filling, or dipper for all your sweet treats.
A perfect sweet after an amazing main course can just make the entire eating experience that much better. Try serving this chocolate ganache over the top of my Sour Cream Bundt Cake or Pound Cake.
Chocolate ganache is a rich icing or filling that is classically made of semi-sweet chocolate whipping cream that is heated and stirred together until the chocolate has melted. The mixture can be slightly cooled and then poured over the tops of cakes or tortes.
It’s often cooled even more to room temperature to be used as frosting or filling in an assortment of desserts. You can also chill it completely so that you can roll it to make things like chocolate truffles. However it is that you chose to use it, it’s a very tasty, sweet treat for you and your guests. You
Ingredients for Chocolate Ganache
- Chocolate: A good quality chocolate that comes in the form of bars, blocks, or chips. You will find all of these in the baking aisle.
- Cream: Heavy whipping or whipping cream must be used to make ganache.
Which Chocolate to Use
Whether you are using dark, milk, semi-sweet, bitter, or white chocolate, all are acceptable, although some of those require a little more work than others. You must use high-quality chocolate from a reputable baking brand as it will not only be easy to work with, but will also taste better and richer. I recommend using dark or semi-sweet chocolate chips or bars to start until you get the hang of working with it.
How to Make a Chocolate Ganache from Scratch
Follow along with these very easy procedures to make chocolate ganache from scratch:
- Roughly chop the chocolate into ¼” chunks.
- Add the chocolate and cream to a heat safe bowl.
- Place the bowl over a medium-size pot half filled with water simmering over low heat.
- Stir occasionally until the chocolate is completely melted.
What to Use Chocolate Ganache On
Depending on the stage of ganache, you can use it on an assortment of sweet items. Here are a few things to try it on:
- Cake Topping
- Cupcakes Frosting
- Dipping
- Filling
Make-Ahead And Storage
Make-Ahead: If you are pouring this ganache over a cake or other dessert, then use it immediately. To use it as a frosting on cupcakes let it sit covered at room temperature for up to 2 hours or until cooled and malleable.
How to Store: Cover and keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days
How to Soften: Place on the counter at room temperature for 2-3 hours or until softened. If needing to use to pour over a cake, reheat in a heat-safe bowl over a medium-size pot half-filled with water at a low simmer until melted. Be sure to move the chocolate around using a rubber spatula.
chef notes + tips
- It is best to use baking chocolate that is less than 60% cocoa.
- The higher cocoa percentage, the harder it is to work with.
- Chopped-up chocolate bars and blocks will melt better and faster than chips.
- Be sure to use a ration of 4:1 when using white chocolate to cream.
- Milk chocolate can be used at a ratio of 3:1 chocolate to cream.
- Make sure water from the double boiler does not get into the bowl of chocolate or it can seize.
- If you do not have a double-boiler, simply heat up the cream in a small size pot over medium-low heat just until simmering (small bubbles are forming around the outside of the pot), then pour it over the chocolate in a heat safe bowl and mix until combined.
- If the cream is too hot and sits too long over the double boiler it can cause the chocolate to be gritty.
More Sweets Recipes
Be sure to follow me on Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, and Pinterest, and if you’ve had a chance to make this then definitely drop me a comment and a rating below.
Easy Chocolate Ganache Recipe
Ingredients
- 8 ounces dipping, melting, bar, or good semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 cup of heavy whipping cream
Instructions
- Fill a medium size pot with water until it is half full. Place on the stove top and heat at low to medium until it is lightly simmering.
- Add the ingredients to a medium-size heat safe bowl and place it on top of the simmering pot of water to make a double boiler.
- Stir often until the chocolate is completely melted into the heavy cream.
- Slightly cool until it is warm and pour over cakes or tortes.
- Cool for 1 to 2 hours to room temperature to use as frosting or filling.
- Cool in the refrigerator until you can roll it, to make truffles.
- You can also whip the ganache in a stand mixer with the whisk attachment on high speed once it is completely cooled in the refrigerator. It will be doubled in volume in the mixer and have medium-stiff peaks when it is ready to use, which takes about 3-5 minutes.