Chocolate Ganache Recipe (2024)

By Julia Moskin

Chocolate Ganache Recipe (1)

Total Time
5 minutes
Rating
5(638)
Notes
Read community notes

Ganache is the French term for the luscious combination of chocolate and cream, and it makes a strategic addition to any dessert playbook. When it’s hot and pourable, it’s a classic companion to ice cream. Warm, you can pour or pipe it over a cake, cupcakes or cookies; it will set to a soft, rich glaze. Let it cool to room temperature and whip it in a mixer to make a fluffy frosting. Or chill it, then roll into balls and dust with cocoa powder to make truffles. This sauce has a slightly more adult flavor than the ice-cream-parlor standard; coffee will do that to a dessert. Leave it out if you prefer. Also note that bittersweet chocolate will deliver a stronger, sharper chocolate taste than semi-sweet.

Refrigerate leftovers in a jar; it will keep indefinitely. To rewarm, place the jar in a saucepan half-filled with simmering water, or uncover and heat in microwave at low heat.

Featured in: Chocolate Ganache, an Easygoing French Treat

Learn: How to Make Ice Cream

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Ingredients

Yield:About 1½ cups

  • 14ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, broken into pieces
  • 3tablespoons espresso, strong coffee or water
  • 1teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ¼cup sugar (confectioners’, granulated or light brown)
  • ¾cup heavy cream, preferably not ultrapasteurized
  • 1pinch coarse salt, more to taste

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Nutritional analysis per serving (10 servings)

273 calories; 19 grams fat; 11 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 6 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 31 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams dietary fiber; 27 grams sugars; 2 grams protein; 23 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Chocolate Ganache Recipe (2)

Preparation

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  1. Step

    1

    In a heavy saucepan, combine all ingredients and melt together over very low heat, stirring. (Alternatively, combine in a bowl and microwave at low heat for 2 minutes. Stir. Continue cooking in 30-second blasts, stirring in-between.)

  2. Step

    2

    Just before all the chocolate is melted, remove from heat and stir until chocolate melts and mixture comes together. It may appear curdled, but keep stirring or whisk vigorously; it will smooth out. If too thick to pour, whisk in hot water a tablespoon at a time. Taste for salt and adjust the seasoning.

Ratings

5

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638

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Private Notes

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Cooking Notes

Martha

I pulse the chocolate pieces to obtain finer pieces. The cream I just heat in the microwave until hot, but not boiling. Pour the hot cream over the rest of the chocolate, anything else you wish yo I handle the flavor. Let it sit for thirty seconds then process until smooth, usually less than a minute. Couldn't be easier. It has o many uses depending on how firm you let it get. Leftovers make fabulous truffles.

maricler

You may replace the cup of heavy cream with regular or low fat milk. Do not ever let it boil. Oh! And add a little bit of fresh chile serrano, thinly cut it.

Petaltown

Unsweetened cocoa works well also. 1/3 cup of it, 1/4 c sugar, 1/2 c water. Dash salt, dash vanilla. Cook only long enough to thoroughly combine. Super easy.

joan

i prefer this without the sugar. i'm a big fan of ganache used for both frosting and as a hot fudge sauce. it has a cleaner, less sugary taste than other chocolate sauces.

Diane

A trick I use when making an on the spot chocolate sauce for vanilla ice cream is to melt some chocolate chips and a little ice cream in the microwave and stir. It's an instantly pleasing chocolate sauce.

Marnie

A little almond extract takes this to new heights!

Deb Amlen

This is SO good. As it ages, the coffee flavor becomes a bit more pronounced and really adds depth to the ganache. I wanted to roll some up and make truffles, but it was gone before I had the chance! My family kept pouring it over ice cream.

Donna Harrison

I use 2-3 Tbs. agave syrup instead of sugar. I prefer the texture and the flavor.

drsteve

Use a good quality chocolate. We like Guittard.

Sandy

If I could give this 10 stars, I would. Used Ghirardelli bittersweet, and palm sugar. Yum!

Lucy Gorham

In a separate recipe on this site for chocolate sauce with a similar profile of ingredients, the suggestion for reheating is to store the sauce in a glass jar and put the jar in a pan of boiling water until the sauce melts to your desired consistency. I haven't tried it but worth a shot.

mjan

A teaspoon or so of espressor powder can easily replace the strong coffee or espresso itself.

India

I put this over Hagan Dazs raspberry sorbet for dessert Christmas Eve. We always have lobster stew and popovers, so dessert cannot be too heavy or rich. Just a bit of this drizzled over the sorbet is fabulous. On the side, I include 2-3 of those little frozen cream puffs, that come in large tubs - dust them with a bit of powdered sugar. Very festive looking and just perfect after a rich meal!

Susan

If you add a pat of butter when it is done, it will slide off the ice cream in the most delightful way.

Madeleine

pour heated cream over chocolate

Quinn

I followed a few other commenters, left out the sugar, and subbed the coffee for a tsp of espresso powder. It’s perfect and makes a bunch. I’m using about a third as topping for a cheesecake.

Good to fill raspberries with, makes a lot

Used semi sweet chocolate (no need for sugar), I added almond extract too. I used 2Tbs cold brew and 1 Tbs grand mariener, worked great in the microwave - super easy

Good to fill raspberries with, makes a lot

Delicious, I used 2 tbs cold brew and 1 tbs grand mariner, also added almond extract, doesn’t need powdered sugar, works well in microwave - just keep stirring

Bougeotte

Evaporated milk works just fine if you don't have cream. I chopped up all kinds of leftover chocolate, poured the hot milk on it to sit, added a tsp of orange liqueur, stirred it all smooth and poured that over the top of a cake. An unusually forgiving recipe.

notes for future baking 19 September 2022

Added 2 tsp each TJs strong Bourbon Whiskey Cointreau. Added 1/4 tsp Korean red pepper powder/flakes merlot sea salt and kosher salt (1 tsp total). Used semi sweet chocolate chunks TJs 6 oz cocoa powder, and a chocolate heart I had on hand. Planning on using over flourless chocolate cake with ganache and bourbon/whiskey flavored whip cream for Valentine’s Day dessert!

Lee S

So good! I made it early and refrigerated in a glass storage bowl. I happened to have a warm oven from making dinner so I put the uncovered bowl in the oven, now off, during dinner. Perfect temperature and no fuss for serving with vanilla ice cream and raspberries for dessert!

RudisHuman

1/3 c cocoa1/4 c sugar1/2 c water or milktsp vanillaDash salt

Sara

So easy and so yummy. I made some to frost a chocolate cherry cake. Now I have a jar of leftover ganache to spread on bread every morning. I used whole milk instead of cream, and it turned out just fine.

lesbiancook

This looks yummy… but I’ve always made chocolate ganache by heating up some cream, pouring it over an equal amount of chocolate, let sit and stir. I do really like the addition of espresso, but why bother with the powdered sugar?

marg

Nice depth of flavour with the added flavours. This lovely recipe has improved my usual chocolate and cream ganache. I just gently heat cream and coffee till bubbles appear and turn off before adding the chocolate then let it m let before stirring. Thanks

mariegilmore

Made this too top a cheesecake. Turned out great and super easy! Makes a lot of ganache

Penelope

Looks delicious

Jessica

Made it successfully with coconut milk subbing in for 2/3 of the whipping cream.

Christine Lupella

I made this without the sugar and it was divine.

Kristina

I made a half recipe to add as a thin top layer to a chocolate cheesecake and added a few more pinches of salt to taste. Delicious and easy. I used the double boiler method because I was afraid of burning the chocolate direct in a pot. I almost used straight up coffee grounds until my bf pointed out the "or water" part.

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Chocolate Ganache Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the basic formula for ganache? ›

For bittersweet or semisweet chocolate ganache, make ganache from 2 parts cream, 3 parts chocolate (by weight). For milk chocolate ganache, or for ganache made from flavored chips (white, butterscotch, etc.), use 1 part cream, 3 parts chocolate (by weight).

What is the secret of good ganache? ›

The best ganache is made from high-quality chocolate (we recommend Barima Artisanal chocolate) and whipping cream with a high fat content (preferably 36%). By selecting good quality ingredients, you will give your ganache an intense flavour and smooth texture.

What are the three types of ganache? ›

There are three primary types of ganache: dark chocolate, milk chocolate and white chocolate. The process for making each variety will not change, regardless of what chocolate you choose to use; however, the taste of your ganache will be affected by the flavor of the chocolate and any additional flavors you add.

Will chocolate ganache harden? ›

As it cools, your ganache will thicken and harden to a stable fudge-like consistency. It will never reach a point where it is rock hard (you'll always be able to smudge it if you apply enough pressure with your finger and it will always give to your teeth if you take a bite) but it will completely firm up once cooled.

What is the perfect ratio for ganache? ›

Use a ratio of 2:1 (8oz semi-sweet chocolate to 1/2 cup heavy cream). Chill the mixture until firm then scoop into balls.

What does adding butter to ganache do? ›

Cut up the butter, stir it into the mixture and blend. Note: Butter isn't essential but it gives your ganache a more melt-in-the mouth texture. Your ganache is now ready to use. You might have to let your ganache crystallize depending on what you want to do with it.

What is the ratio of chocolate to cream for ganache? ›

1:1 Ratio Ganache

Once cooled, the ganache can also be whipped until it's light and fluffy, to use as frosting. To make 1:1 chocolate ganache: Use 8 ounces of chocolate to 1 cup (8 ounces/236ml) of heavy cream.

Should I whip my ganache? ›

How to make ganache. After all the butter has been added, whip the mixture on high speed until fluffy (3 to 5 minutes), stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Use the frosting to immediately finish the cake or cupcakes of your choice; or store at room temperature, covered, for a few hours before using ...

Should ganache be refrigerated? ›

The general rule is that classic ganache may stay at room temperature for up to 2 days, then must be refrigerated. If you'd rather be safe (which I recommend), keep it refrigerated for all storage. Ganache can be frozen for up to 1 month. Thaw in the fridge then let come to room temperature before using.

Is heavy cream the same as whipping cream for ganache? ›

Heavy cream whips very nicely and holds its shape consistently for a long period of time. So this is the one you should use when making ice creams and cakes and even ganache. It is also used in gravies like Tikka masalas to give them thick and creamy feel.

What is the difference between chocolate frosting and chocolate ganache? ›

In contrast to icing, ganache contains cocoa solids, so it is usually thicker and heavier. However, its consistency is versatile – if you need a thinner ganache, you can simply add more cream to the mixture. Icing is less adaptable and tends to always have a fairly runny texture.

How much ganache to fill a 9 inch cake? ›

Dark Chocolate Ganache
RoundDark ChocolateDouble Cream
9"650g325ml
10"775g388ml
11"900g450ml
12"1025g513ml
3 more rows

Can you whip ganache too much? ›

Whipped ganache CAN get grainy if you whip it too much so don't over do it.

Why is my chocolate not melting in 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.

How to calculate ganache? ›

Dark chocolate ganache is a 2:1 ratio, which is 3 'parts' in total. To work out how much chocolate and cream you need, you just divide 1800g by 3, which is 600g, so that is how much cream you need (one 'part' cream) and you need twice as much chocolate (2 'parts' chocolate), so 600g times 2 is 1200g.

What is the structure of ganache? ›

Thus, ganache is a mix between an oil-in-water emulsion (cream), and a fat suspension (chocolate). In a chocolate and cream mix, cream is often considered as an aqueous phase, and chocolate a fat phase, so ganache is said to be an emulsion.

How to make chocolate formula? ›

To make chocolate, first melt ½ cup (110 g) of coconut oil in a saucepan over low heat. Then, add ½ cup (65 g) of cocoa powder and 2 tablespoons (42 g) of honey to the saucepan and mix everything together for 2 minutes. Next, turn the heat off and mix in ½ teaspoon (2 g) of vanilla extract.

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