A staple recipe for chocolate ganache, made with just dark chocolate and cream. This silky ganache is perfect for topping cakes, filling tarts, or added to sweets like millionaire's shortbread. It's a recipe every baker should know and only needs two simple ingredients!
Use your ganache to fill butterfly cupcakes for a less-sweet twist, make an elegant chocolate tart with sweet shortcrust, or add a drip to chocolate layer cake or chocolate coconut cake.
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Ingredients
While you only need two ingredients, they need to be specific! See below for tips.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Chocolate: this must be dark chocolate between 50-60%. We prefer dark chocolate couverture but a chopped chocolate bar works too. Regular chocolate chips have stabilizers added and aren't ideal for ganache.
- Cream: this might be called heavy cream where you live, but it should be right around 35% fat. A couple percentage points more or less is fine but milk or coffee cream won't work. If you want a dairy-free option, make Alex's vegan chocolate ganache instead.
Use the JUMP TO RECIPE button at the top, or scroll to the bottom of the post to see the printable recipe card with full ingredient measurements and complete instructions.
How to Make Ganache
Step 1: measure out the chocolate and add it to a heat-safe bowl.
Step 2: heat the cream until steaming, but not boiling.
Step 3: pour the cream over the chocolate and let it rest undisturbed for 5 minutes before mixing.
Step 4: whisk until very smooth and glossy.
Top Tips
- Keep your chocolate off the heat: if you melt the chocolate directly, rather than with the hot cream, you are more likely to burn the chocolate and ruin the flavour.
- Use the right chocolate: for the best results, use a chocolate that's within the 50-60% range. Any darker and the ganache will need more cream for the right texture, and any lighter and it won't set properly.
- Cool before use: if you try to add hot ganache to a cake or other bake, it'll either soak in to the cake or melt the frosting. Let it cool to room temperature first.
Recipe Notes
This ganache will harden to a spoon-able texture when refrigerated, but isn't quite right to make truffles - for that, use a specific truffle recipe.
If you want to make whipped chocolate ganache, it must be chilled overnight in the fridge before beating with an electric mixer until smooth and fluffy.
How to Store
Storage: keep in a sealed container for up to a week in the fridge. It will harden into a soft fudge-like texture when chilled, so if you want to make a drip, bring it back up to room temperature first.
Freezing: transfer cooled ganache to an airtight container and freeze for up to a month. Thaw in the fridge before use. If it separates, give it a quick whisk or beat briefly with an electric mixer.
FAQ
Why is my ganache not hardening?
If your ganache stays very runny, even when chilled, it's either due to too much added cream or because the chocolate wasn't dark enough. You can gently reheat over a double boiler with a little more dark chocolate to thicken.
How long does it take for ganache to harden?
It takes several hours for chocolate ganache to set, between 4-6 hours depending on the temperature of your home and refrigerator. Give it a little more time if the weather is very warm.
Can you over whip ganache?
Just like whipped cream, it is possible to over whip ganache. If that happens, and your whipped ganache becomes grainy, simply reheat over a double boiler and start again.
Why add butter to ganache?
Butter is added to some chocolate ganache recipes to add a slightly creamier texture, but it isn't necessary.
If you make this Chocolate Ganache recipe or any other baking basics on the Baked Collective, please take a moment to rate the recipe and leave a comment below. It’s such a help to others who want to try the recipe. For more baking, follow along on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube.
Chocolate Ganache
Equipment
- Measuring cups and spoons or a digital kitchen scale
- Heat-proof bowl
- Saucepan
- Whisk
Instructions
- Place couverture chocolate directly in a medium-sized heatproof bowl. If you use a chocolate bar, chop it finely before adding it to the bowl.8 ounces dark chocolate
- Heat cream in a small saucepan on the stove or in a heatproof vessel in the microwave until steamy.1 cup 35% whipping cream
- Pour the hot cream over the chocolate. Wait for 5 minutes. Whisk until smooth and creamy. Cool to room temperature before using as a drip or for a tart, or refrigerate before whipping or using as filling.