🍫 How to Make Ganache
Dark • Milk • White Chocolate
2 Ingredients. Endless possibilities: drip, glaze, frosting, or filling.
💡 Ganache 101
🎯 What is Ganache?
A smooth emulsion of chocolate + cream used for cakes, truffles, glazes, and more.
😬 But beware...
Ganache is easy until it isn’t:
Too hot? It splits.
Stir too fast? It seizes.
Wrong ratios? It's either soup or fudge.
🛒 Ingredients
| 🧾 Item | ✅ Use This | ❌ Avoid This |
|---|---|---|
| 🍫 Chocolate | Couverture: Callebaut, Valrhona, Guittard | Compound or baking chips |
| 🥛 Cream | Heavy whipping / Double cream (35%+ fat) | Low-fat or light cream |
🧪 Optional: You can use water instead of cream (👀 yes, really), but results vary.
🔎 Ganache Pro Tip:
Use weight, not volume. 100g of chopped bar ≠ 100g of chips.
⚖️ Ratios – Choose Your Texture
📌 Use the ratio chocolate : cream by weight, not cups or spoons.
🍰 Firm Filling / Frosting
| Chocolate | Ratio |
|---|---|
| Dark 🍫 | 2 : 1 |
| Milk 🍼🍫 | 2.5 : 1 |
| White ⚪🍫 | 3.5 : 1 |
💧 Soft Filling / Drip / Whipped
| Chocolate | Ratio |
|---|---|
| Dark 🍫 | 1 : 1 |
| Milk 🍼🍫 | 2 : 1 |
| White ⚪🍫 | 3 : 1 |
🌀 Whipped Ganache
📌 Chill, then whip with a mixer.
🍦 Texture: Fluffy, mousse-like
🎂 Best for: Piping, layers
🎨 Color: Becomes paler when whipped
🖤 Example: Whipped Milk Ganache on Almond Cake
🔥 Step-by-Step: Hot Cream Method
🥣 Step 1 – Chop Chocolate
🔪 Finely chop and place in a heatproof bowl.
🔥 Step 2 – Heat Cream
Simmer cream until just bubbling around the edges (DO NOT boil).
💧 Step 3 – Pour
Pour hot cream evenly over chocolate.
🛑 Step 4 – Cover & Wait
Cover bowl with plastic wrap. Rest 2 minutes.
🥄 Step 5 – Stir Gently
Start stirring from the center in slow, circular motions. Keep going until silky smooth.
🎯 Fix grainy bits: Set bowl over simmering water and stir.
🌬️ Step 6 – Set
Cover with plastic wrap (touching surface). Let cool and thicken at room temp.
⚡ Microwave Method (Use with caution)
-
Add chopped chocolate + cream to glass bowl
-
Microwave 20 sec → stir
-
Repeat in 10-sec bursts until smooth
⚠️ Easy to overheat. Watch closely!
🧯 How to Fix Split Ganache
👎 Signs: Oily, lumpy, gritty
🎯 Causes:
-
Overheated cream
-
Stirring too soon or too much
-
Added butter (excess fat)
🛠️ Fixes:
-
Warm gently over steam and whisk
-
Add a teaspoon of warm milk while whisking
-
Use an immersion blender to re-emulsify
✅ Do’s & ❌ Don’ts
✅ Use high-fat cream
✅ Chop chocolate very finely
✅ Stir gently with a spatula
✅ Use metal or glass bowls
✅ Let it rest before stirring
✅ Store airtight at room temp
❌ Don’t boil the cream
❌ Don’t use butter
❌ Don’t stir while cooling
❌ Don’t refrigerate unless you’re storing long-term
❌ Don’t use a whisk (introduces air)
❓Ganache FAQs
🎨 Color it?
Use gel or powder colors in white ganache after mixing.
🌿 Flavor it?
Infuse cream with tea, herbs, or citrus zest. Or stir in liqueurs or extracts after combining.
🥶 Storage:
-
Room temp: 2 days
-
Fridge: 2 weeks
-
Freezer: 3+ months
(Always bring to room temp before using)
🧈 Butter?
Nope. It increases splitting risk. Stick to chocolate + cream.
🧪 Recipes & Ratios
✨ Firm Filling/Frosting
| Type | Chocolate | Cream |
|---|---|---|
| Dark | 600g | 300g |
| Milk | 650g | 260g |
| White | 700g | 200g |
💧 Drip/Soft Filling/Whipped
| Type | Chocolate | Cream |
|---|---|---|
| Dark | 2 oz | 2 oz |
| Milk | 3 oz | 1.5 oz |
| White | 3 oz | 1 oz |
📝 Scale up as needed for more volume.
🎂 Use & Application
🍥 For Filling / Frosting:
Let ganache set overnight at room temp.
💧 For Drip or Glaze:
Cool overnight → microwave 3–5 sec to soften before use.
📌 Final Tip
The better the chocolate, the better the ganache.
Less is more: two ingredients, endless elegance.