How to Make Chocolate Ganache

Consider this your complete guide to all things chocolate ganache! In this post, you'll learn how to make ganache, my favorite tips and tricks, how to troubleshoot common problems, and a few of my favorite ways to use it, including how to make a whipped ganache frosting and stunning cake drip.

Chocolate ganache is one of my favorite kitchen staples and with good reason. This luxurious and oh-so-versatile mixture of chocolate and heavy cream is decadent, easy to make, highly customizable, and has an almost endless number of uses.

Want to learn how to make it? Grab your apron and let's go!

Uses for chocolate ganache

We love a versatile recipe, and ganache is one of my favorites. There are simply SO many ways to use it, but here are a few of my favorites:

• Filling for a pie or tart (this s'more tart is one of my favorites - the rich chocolate just goes so well with the meringue and graham cracker)
• Frosting or filling a layer cake
• Upgrading boxed brownies with a homemade frosting
• Frosting or filling cupcakes (if you haven't filled cupcakes yet, you're missing out!)
• Swirled into a cheesecake or spread across the top like the chocolate strawberry cheesecake below
• A chocolaty drip on a layer cake
• Filling pastries
• Layered in trifles
• Glazing donuts
• Making truffles

How to select your chocolate

Ganache can be made with various types of chocolate (including dark, milk, and white chocolate), but it's best to use high-quality bar chocolate such as Ghiradelli, Bakers, or Lindt. Avoid using chocolate chips as they contain additives that prevent them from melting consistently, which can affect the smoothness of the ganache.

Basic ganache ratios

Chocolate ganache is one of those recipes that just scales beautifully. And once you know the basic ratio, you can easily scale it up or down to fit your needs.

8 ounces of semi-sweet chocolate with 8 ounces of heavy cream will make about 1 ½ cups ganache or 3 cups whipped.

If you need help approximating how much you'll need, check out my guide to estimating frosting.

How to make chocolate ganache

First, cut up your chocolate.

The smaller you can get your pieces, the better they'll melt.

This is important because you want them to melt quickly and evenly so that you don't need to apply any additional heat and so that your ganache is smooth.

Second, heat up your heavy cream.

Pour your cream into a small pot and place over low-medium temperature.

Cook, stirring constantly, until it comes to a low simmer (it should be releasing steam and bubbling gently when you stop stirring).

Third, pour the hot cream over the chocolate.

Allow the mixture to sit for 2-3 minutes to give the chocolate time to melt.

Finally, stir smooth.

Using a spatula (a whisk will add air, which will create bubbles), stir the chocolate and cream until a smooth, glossy ganache forms.

What do I do if my chocolate didn't melt?
Sometimes, because the pieces of chocolate were too big or the cream wasn't hot enough, the chocolate won't melt all the way and you'll be left with a lumpy ganache.

You can fix it by placing the bowl over a pot of simmering water and stirring until smooth. Alternatively, you can microwave it using 15-second increments, but be careful not to overheat and cause the chocolate to seize.

Ganache drip for cakes

Ganache will be warm and runny immediately after you make it. Allow it to cool for 10-15 minutes (so that it's no longer hot) and you'll have the perfect consistency to create that signature drip that's so popular on layer cakes (you can see examples on my black forest cake - pictured below, banana split cake, and fudge sundae cake).

Start by frosting and chilling your cake. I chill my cakes for at least 20 minutes in the fridge before doing the drip; The cold frosting will slow down the ganache keeping it from running all the way down the sides and spilling over the edge of your dish/cake stand.

Pour some ganache on the top of your cake and work it to the sides using an offset spatula.

You can push it over the edge to create an organic drip, but I like a little more control so I pour the rest into a piping bag and pipe drips right on the edge. This allows you to not only control where the drips happen but how far down they'll go.

Refrigerate immediately to set the drip.

Chocolate ganache frosting

When allowed to cool at room temperature and set (it should have a peanut butter consistency), chocolate ganache makes an excellent frosting and filling.

To make the frosting, cover your newly made chocolate ganache with a piece of plastic wrap pressed against the surface (this will prevent a skin from forming). Cool to room temperature, give a final stir, and spread with an offset spatula or load into a piping bag and frost with a decorative tip.

How much chocolate ganache do you need to cover a cake? Check out my handy frosting guide for frosting estimates by size, shape, and number of layers.

Whipped ganache frosting

Arguably my favorite kind of ganache frosting is a whipped one, like the one on my chocolate coffee cake.

A whipped ganache frosting is fluffy and similar in consistency to chocolate mousse. And it'll make double the amount of frosting.

To make it, cool the ganache as instructed in the previous section, then whip it on medium-high until stiff peaks form (about 2-3 minutes).

Troubleshooting

• Chocolate didn't melt/ganache isn't smooth: If your ganache isn't smooth, it's likely the chocolate didn't melt completely. And if it didn't melt, it just needs a little more heat. Place your bowl of ganache over a pot of simmering water and stirring regularly, heat until the ganache can be stirred smooth.
• Ganache split: Does your ganache have oily streaks in it? This means it's split. To fix a split ganache, stir in a tablespoon of warm cream. Keep adding a tablespoon at a time until it comes together.
• Won't set: If the ganache isn't setting, it's likely that it hasn't had enough time to cool or that it was too thin to begin with. If you're sure you've let it cool to room temperature, you can add some melted chocolate to thicken it up. You'll need to reheat the ganache if it's cooled completely before adding the melted chocolate.
• Ganache is grainy: Graininess can be a sign that the cream was too hot when it was added to the chocolate. If this happens, reheat the whole thing over a pot of simmering water, stirring until it stirs smooth.
• Ganache is too hard: If your ganache has set too hard, it may be that it was exposed to too cold an environment or that it has too much chocolate. If your kitchen is particularly cool, try heating the ganache in the microwave using 15-second bursts until you get the right consistency. For a ganache with too much chocolate, try adding more warm cream, one tablespoon at a time, until you get the consistency you want.

Frequently asked questions

Storage

Chocolate ganache and treats covered/frosted with it (assuming they're not otherwise egg or dairy-rich) can be stored at room temperature for up to 2 days.

Ganache can also be refrigerated for up to a week or frozen for up to 3 months. To thaw, set the ganache on your counter and allow it to come to room temperature or warm using 15-second bursts in the microwave (but be careful not to overheat).

More baking basics

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