Name: Chocolate Ganache
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 4 min
Total time: 10 min
Ingredients: 8 ounces bittersweet chocolate1 (finely chopped); 8 ounces heavy cream

Looking for the perfect chocolate filling, topping, and more for your favorite desserts? This Chocolate Ganache is just the thing!

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White bowl filled with chocolate ganache.

Looking for the perfect chocolate filling, topping, and more for your favorite desserts? This Chocolate Ganache recipe is just the thing!

Learn how to make this easy ganache recipe with just 2 ingredients – heavy cream and bittersweet dark chocolate – and 10 minutes with this step-by-step guide!

Chocolate Ganache is the perfect filling and topping for cakes, cupcakes, cookie sandwiches, and more! The best part is that it’s super simple to make and can take a basic recipe and make it indulgent and fancy!

Table of Contents

What Is Chocolate Ganache?

It is a classic French dessert recipe component that can be used as icing, filling, and frosting for baked goods.

Unlike a traditional Chocolate Frosting, it contains no added sugar but the taste is still very rich. It’s great for topping chocolate cakes and pastries!

What’s It Made With?

Chocolate: This is an obvious ingredient, but it’s important that you use high-quality chocolate. I prefer to use Ghirardelli Bittersweet Chocolate in most of my recipes. But Baker’s Bittersweet is a great option too!

Heavy Cream: For best results make sure to use a full-fat heavy cream. Half & Half or light cream just won’t do. However, heavy whipping cream is okay to use. And you can even use Cool Whip as seen in my Cool Whip Ganache.

Feel free to add a pinch of salt, 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract, or a 1/4 teaspoon of espresso powder to enhance the flavor of the ganache.

How To Make Chocolate Ganache

Chop Chocolate: Make sure to use a large sharp knife to cut the chocolate bars into fine pieces. Place the chocolate in a medium bowl.

Heat Cream: Heat the cream in a small saucepan just until simmering. Remove from heat and pour over the chocolate.

Cream being poured from a saucepan into a bowl of chopped chocolate

Let Set: Allow the chocolate and cream mixture to sit for 4 minutes. The hot cream will begin to melt the chocolate.

White bowl filled with chopped chocolate and heavy cream.

Whisk: After the 4 minutes have passed, stir together the chocolate and heavy cream until a rich chocolate ganache forms. Use right away for a softer texture or allow to cool slightly for a thicker texture.

Chocolate and cream being whisked into ganache in a white bowl.

How To Serve Chocolate Ganache:

Top cakes like my Cookie Dough Layer Cake and Flourless Chocolate Cake or use as a filling in Chocolate Cupcakes. It makes a great glaze for donuts and topping for ice cream too!

If you want to make Truffles or a Chocolate Tart, use a ratio of 2:1 Chocolate to Cream, for a thicker ganache consistency.

Ganache Shelf Life:

Chances are this ganache won’t last long once it’s made, but should you have some leftover or want to make it ahead of time, here’s how long it should last. Just note that it will not be spreadable after an hour or two.

Room Temperature: 2 Days
Refrigerator: 4 weeks

Whipped Chocolate Ganache Frosting

Start with a 1:1 ratio of chocolate to cream and prepare according to the recipe. Then chill in the fridge for 1 to 2 hours before whipping with a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment until light and fluffy.

Recipes To Make With Chocolate Ganache

Chocolate Ganache

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