Ingredients
1:1 ratio ganache: for thick glazes, fillings, and frostings
- 8 ounces chocolate
- 1 cup (8 ounces) heavy cream
2:1 ratio ganache: for very thick, almost solid fudge-like ganache for truffles, tart fillings, etc.
- 8 ounces chocolate
- 1/2 cup (4 ounces) heavy cream
1:2 ratio ganache: for very thin, pourable ganache for dipping, ice cream, or whipping
- 4 ounces chocolate
- 1 cup (8 ounces) heavy cream
Directions
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Coarsely chop the chocolate with a serrated knife then transfer to a heatproof bowl.
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Pour the cream into a small saucepan set over medium-high heat and bring just to a boil. Pour over the chopped chocolate and let stand for 5 to 10 minutes to allow the hot cream to melt the chocolate and to allow the overall temperature to reduce, because emulsions form better at 90 to 110°F.
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Vigorously whisk the mixture in one direction until smooth and creamy. This may take a little while, just keep whisking. If using as a glaze, allow to cool for 15 minutes before pouring. If using for truffles, cover and chill for 1 hour, or until solid yet malleable, before scooping balls. If using as a frosting, allow to chill for 4 hours, or until almost solidified, before using.
Whipped Ganache
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To make whipped ganache, let a 1:2 ratio ganache chill in the fridge until thickened, about 1 hour. Whip with an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, slowly increasing the speed to medium-high. Whip until just light in color and fluffy in texture. Be careful not to overwhip which will lead to a grainy texture. If this happens, reheat the ganache in a double boiler then strain and start again.
hi there…i’m trying to use ganache as a filling for a sandwich cookie, but after just 5-10 minutes out of the fridge after I put it on the cookies, it started to melt and ooze out, which isn’t ideal for a stable sandwich cookie. Any tips? It was only 64 degrees in my kitchen….not that warm.
Hi Kathy! It sounds like your ganache ratio (chocolate to cream) may be off, and is returning to its semi-liquid/pourable state once out of the fridge. I recommend using Tessa’s “2:1 ratio ganache: for very thick, almost solid fudge-like ganache for truffles, tart fillings, etc.” as your filling as this should stay thick and fudgey, like the consistency of a truffle, for your filling. I hope that helps!
Hello, The recipe just says 8 oz chocolate, but it does not specify what type of chocolate. Can you provide some guidance on this? Thank you!
Hi Karen! Any good quality dark chocolate will be perfect. Semi-sweet, dark, bittersweet – any of these will be delicious, and it just comes down to how sweet you prefer your ganache. Hope that helps
Hi!
I was thinking of making a ganache to cover small ice cream cakes filled with a fruit curd.
Which ganache version should I make.
They’ll be re-frozen after adding the ganache and served after about 20 min out of the freezer. I want the ganache to be a thin shell.
Hi Mike! As mentioned in the post, the 1:2 Ratio will give you a nice pourable ganache. Make sure it’s not too hot when you pour it, or it’ll melt your ice cream and become transparent. The ganache will likely lose its shine when frozen, and it won’t be a ‘shell’, per se, as ganache doesn’t fully harden thanks to the cream. I recommend looking into tempering chocolate as this will give you a nice, shiny finish to your desserts, with a thin, crisp crust. Enjoy your desserts!
Hello, I am still unsure re wgt vs volume. I read your response to someone who asked this but I’m not clear. In the example for the thicker frosting, 1/2 or 4oz cream is clearly a volume measurement. Is the 8oz chocolate by wgt or is it 1 cup volume, 8oz.
Hi Den! This recipe is volume for the heavy cream and the chocolate is listed as weight. So, 1:1 ratio for thick glazes, fillings, and frostings is:
8 ounces chocolate (weight) + 1 cup (8 ounces) heavy cream (volume).
I hope that helps! 🙂
Hi, I have a question about what I have seen referred to as “broken” ganache. I made a recipe which called for a chocolate ganache and followed those instructions and it came out fine. the second time I made it, I believe I halved the recipe and it never emulsified– just separated with the layer of grease and even though I tried to add some chocolate I could never get it right. I expected that it was something about my halving the recipe that did it, though I really did think that I had the same ratio. Any other ideas about what might have been the problem? From reading this tutorial, it seems that there is more than one ratio that can work.
Thanks!
Hi Susan! Temperature plays a key role in making ganache. If your heavy cream gets too hot, it can cause your chocolate to separate, resulting in grainy ganache, or separated butter that won’t emulsify. This is especially important when using milk or white chocolate, as they will separate more easily – but it can still happen with darker chocolates, too. It’s so easy to overheat the cream if you step away from the stove for even a moment, or if you’re using a microwave to heat the cream – and especially if you’re trying the same technique and timing with half the amount of cream. Next time you give this a try (with whichever ratio you prefer, as Tessa outlines on this page), bring your cream just to a boil, before pulling it off the stove and pouring over your chopped chocolate. Allowing the cream to just get to the point of boiling, without allowing it to get any hotter than this, should prevent your ganache from splitting/breaking. Let us know how it goes! 🙂
The Ganache recipe calls for chocolate. What kind of chocolate?
Thanks Patsy
Hi Patsy! Any good quality dark chocolate will be perfect. Semi-sweet, dark, bittersweet – any of these will be great. Hope that helps 🙂
Hi – Are the ratios the same for white chocolate?
Hi Christina! As Tessa mentions in the article, “You can use milk or white chocolate, but note that since they contain much more milk than semisweet or bittersweet chocolate they can be more susceptible to heat damage. This means you must be very careful not to overheat. Additionally, the extra milk in these chocolates also makes for a softer ganache, so reduce the amount of cream used.” If you’re looking for a whipped white chocolate ganache, Tessa has one with this cake recipe here! 🙂
Very good read.
I’m having an issue. I made a brownie base and wanted a soft chocolate ganache that’s really smooth, soft and holds its shape after refrigerating so I can cut it into bars for dessert – the problem I have is that it sets hard even when I half the chocolate. Is it ganache I’m thinking of or some other chocolate name for what I’m trying to achieve. I want to work from the fridge so how do I get a soft truffle rich glossy chocolate topping that isn’t hard from the fridge?
Thank you
Scott
Hi Scott! Yes, what you’re describing does sound like a ganache! Your chocolate-to-cream ratio might still be a little too high. Try the ganache our Cosmic Brownies feature on top! Hopefully that will work better for you 🙂
Thank you!!!
Made the 1:1 ratio ganache! It turned out perfect!
I attempted to make the whipped ganache twice and both times it didn’t set! I’m experienced with ganache for glaze and frosting but i I wanted to try the whipped version. Sadly this didn’t recipe didn’t work out for me.
Sorry to hear you experienced issues, Riss, I’d love to help figure out what went wrong! How long did you let the 1:2 ratio ganache chill in the fridge for after melting the ingredients together? It sounds to me like your cream to chocolate ratio was off. If that’s the case, adding more chocolate to it should help thicken it up and help set.
You mentioned that almond milk/non-dairy milks won’t work as well, but I can attest that non-dairy creamers work wonderfully and taste so decadent! No need to kill cows or rip baby cows away from their mothers for ganache or scrumptious truffles!
Such a good post! Exactly what I needed (literally googled ‘different proportions of chocolate and cream in ganache’)
So glad you found this helpful!
Thanks for your recipes..it’s very helpful and easy to understand
I have also done 3:1 ratio to get a softer ganache for cake fillings (used as both whipped and just spread on cake) as I find the 2:1 ganache still too firm once the cake refrigerated (with a cream based filling the cake needs to be refrigerated).
I made the 2:1. 7oz dark chocolate squares and 1 of of mini semi sweet chips, added 2 TBSP of unsalted butter, 1/2 tsp vanilla. It worked perfectly atop my brownie vanilla ice cream cake. Got hardened perfectly after re-freezing and tastes delicious! Wish I could send a picture!
Yummy! Your ice cream cake sounds absolutely amazing, and hardened chocolate on ice cream tastes so good! Happy to hear the ganache worked perfectly 🙂
Doing it again this year for my subs birthday.
Yay! So happy to hear that, Lisa!! Happy birthday to your son 🙂
Thank you
Sons****
Hi there, thanks so much for this clear, easy breakdown of ratios/applications. A question re: white chocolate ganache, you wrote: “The extra milk in these chocolates also makes for a softer ganache, so reduce the amount of cream used.” If it’s going to be whipped and used as a frosting on a cake, which ratio would you use and how much would you reduce the cream by? Thanks so much for sharing your ideas and feedback.
Warm regards,
Shireen Carlson.
Petaluma, CA
Hi Shireen! Tessa actually has a recipe for a whipped white chocolate ganache, on a delicious vanilla poppyseed cake, all available here! I hope that helps 🙂 Happy baking!
My ganache turned out perfect! I did a 1:1 ratio to get a drizzle for my cupcakes. How long can the ganache be stored in the fridge? I saw it can be frozen for up to a month but not how long it keeps in the fridge.
Thanks for the recipe!
Wonderful!! It’ll store for over a week in the fridge…I would say as long as the cream is good for 🙂
The video link is broken. I thought it would answer my question, but since I can’t watch it, my question is, are you measuring the chocolate by weight or volume?
Hi Kat, whenever I note an ingredient in ounces, grams…etc., you can assume that I am measuring by weight as it is the most accurate method of measurement-most recipes from the U.S. use volume (cups, teaspoon, tablespoon); however, I only use those when measuring milk, water, or creams because there’s no air inside those ingredients. Hope that helped!
i havent made ganache before so im looking everywhere for the right metion and amounts
im looking at doing a 12″ cake, want to use it for filling and cover the cake.
would you know the amount i would need what method is best for both?
To make ganache for a layer cake filling or frosting, as discussed above, I recommend using equal parts chocolate and cream 🙂 The yield is 1
1/2-2 cups, depending on the ratio you choose. As for the amount, it really depends on how much frosting you want to have for your cake! You could always double the recipe to be sure you have plenty. Good luck!
This is my go to recipe for making whipped ganache for my devil’s food cake. I’ve used these directions several times and have never messed it up! The family loves this special treat! I do it just like the recipe calls for with my heavy whipping cream and chocolate at a 2:1 ratio. After cream and chocolate are combined it goes in the fridge to cool for 45-60 mins then whipped up. I generously put between 2 9″ rounds, then generously frost the top and sides! This is to die for cake and “frosting.” Careful though, just the thought makes me drool and gain 10 pounds! Thanks for this wonderful recipe!
Hi Tessa,
Can I freeze Gamache?
Thank you,
Brenda
Very helpful, thanks
You’re so welcome!
I want to make a choclate tart. However my family prefer milk chcolate. Would you use the 2:1 ratio and pour into the crust ?
Can I use cadbury’s mint chocolate bar for this recipe
I have a question…I was just at a restaurant that had a ganache torte with no crust and a salted caramel peanut butter cream on top. I would love to make this, it tasted like fudge and it was my favorite dessert ever!! Do you think I could do something like this with your 2:1 recipe?
First, very informative re: ganache ratio and purpose. Second, simple. Third, not too many ads to interfere with reader experience which I appreciate. Fourth, love hor the ganache video appears on the side. Great practicle tips with very little of my time invested wading though the information. Great images. Simple.
Thank you so much, Tessa! This is a post – 5 years old – that is definitely standing the test of time!
Cheers!
Valerie
Hi, I used a 1:2 ratio of chocolate to cream and attempted to make whipped ganache. I chilled it until it was completely cold, yet it never properly whipped into stiff peaks. It was unable to hold any peak and melted very fast. What did I do wrong?
Hi what kind of heavy cream? Is it ready to use cream? Is it ok? Cause it becomes sticky and difficult to have a very fine frosting on my cakes. Need help here. Thank you.
I’m not sure what’s ready to use cream, but heavy cream can also be found under the name of heavy whipping cream. If you can’t find that either, use any cream you have available with the fat percentage of over 30%(preferably 34 to 36%).
LOVE….10 stars
Lovely
Is there any reason you shouldn’t gently pre-melt the chocolate before making ganache?
The recipe of 1cup heavy cream & 4 Oz chocolate was only a big mess. I tried with a whisk & got nowhere, so put it in my Kitchen Aid stand mixer and whipped the holy heck out of it & still a sloppy soup. Wasted my ingredients & got no ganache.
This is very helpful
Hi,I’m planning to bake a chocolate cake using ganache plus topping cream.What ratio will you recommend?Thank you.
My go to for ganache! I’ve done all three including the whipped variation and they come out perfectly. I’ve looked back to this page for guidance more times than I can count, thank you so much!
I watched two of your videos. They are very good. Very clear and to the point. I am going to make ganache now that I see how easy it is.
How do i make chocolate ganache dry hard on covered cake like trimming the edge with sharp nife.
I tried mine sticking on my hands or is the starch could make it harden after coated on the cake?
Please help me here
Hi Rose! I’m sorry, I’m not sure I completely understand what you’re asking here. If you are trying to get your ganache to harden on your cake, chilling the cake in the fridge will do the trick, and then you can trim the edges once it’s set! I also recommend using a spatula like this one to apply the ganache to the cake! I hope that helps 🙂
I tried…but I have a question.
After it is applied on any of the cakes or cupcakes the ganache starts melting within few minutes. And it looses it’s frosting shape. What to do?
The picture for the thin, pourable ganache is swapped with the thick ganache, so the recipes dont match.
Just thought I’d let you know! 🙂