Ganache is a wonderful dessert combination of chocolate and heavy cream that can be made three different ways for three different results!
I made ganache to go on top of some brownies that I made, and ending up not liking the brownies, but loving the ganache on top! Of course, what’s not to love….its’ chocolate and cream cooked together. There’s just no way to go wrong with ingredients like that! During the process I had to look up how to make ganache, so I thought I would write up a little post on how to make ganache for you guys! (this post has been updated from 2009)
How To Make Chocolate Ganache
Ganache can be used instead of an icing, as a glaze drizzled over top of a cake, or even whipped to produce a lighter colored and fluffier product to work with. What it comes down to is that it’s so incredibly rich and ten times better tasting than icing! First, place your chocolate into a bowl large enough for it and the heavy cream.
- Heat the cream until very hot but not boiling!
- Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and let it melt together for 5-10 minu
- Stir until smooth and use!
I have been known to heat the cream and then throw the chocolate into the pot to save dishes as you can see in the photo below lol. Anything to save washing dishes!
Types of Chocolate to Use in Ganache
The chocolate that you use is up to you. I know that purists will tell you to weigh your chocolate, to never use chocolate chips, and while they are right that using the best chocolate yields the best results, how many of us have gourmet solid chocolate laying around the house? Not me, I would have snacked on it! A lot of recipes call for baking chocolate but I actually find that excellent quality chocolate chips BEAT baking chocolate when it comes to taste! The only bonus to the baking chocolate is that it is pre-weighed, which means that you can use the weight measurements instead.I prefer the approachable, beginners way to make ganache, which is with what you have in your pantry! The keys to the chocolate chips are:
- It has to be real chocolate that is NOT baking chips! You must use real chocolate! Read the packages, some can be very deceiving when it comes to packages, you must read closely to make sure it’s real chocolate!
- Chocolate that tastes good when you snack on it by itself. If it doesn’t taste good from the package, it won’t make a good chocolate ganache.
- You can use semi-sweet or semi-dark chocolate. Milk chocolate can act up!
The 3 Types of Chocolate Ganache & The Proper Ratios of Chocolate to Cream
- Soft icing ganache that you can beat or a liquid, pour-able glaze. To make this ganache into icing you will cool it completely and then beat it with your mixing beaters/paddle until light and fluffy. CREAM TO CHOCOLATE RATIO: 1:2 – one part chocolate to two parts cream. (1 cup of chocolate chips and two cups of cream). If you want to weigh this and measure this in ounces, you use 8 ounces chocolate and 16 ounces of heavy whipping cream.
- Thick cake filling or a heavy glaze ganache. This is a thicker ganache that you can use as a cake filling or as a really heavy glaze. CREAM TO CHOCOLATE RATIO:1:1 ratio of cream and chocolate, so it’s equal parts chocolate and cream. (1 cup chocolate chips to 1 cup heavy cream). If you want to weigh this and measure this in ounces, you use 8 ounces chocolate and 8 ounces of heavy whipping cream.
- Solid, thick ganache that will harden up somewhat that you can use to make solid chocolate truffles. CREAM TO CHOCOLATE RATIO: 2:1, two parts chocolate to one part cream. (2 cups of chocolate chips and one cup of cream). If you want to weigh this and measure this in ounces, you use 16 ounces chocolate and 8 ounces heavy whipping cream.
Freezing Leftover Chocolate Ganache
You can adjust this recipe to your needs as you see fit it divides in half perfectly! I make a large batch of course as I find that the half batch won’t ice a large cake, or fill a cake with enough leftover to ice it. My truffle batch also makes around 40 decent sized truffles, making it worth your while to make a mess! You can freeze not only the leftover ganache in a closed airtight container, you can also freeze the truffles ganache! To freeze the truffles, place them on a baking sheet and freeze them in one layer. Then remove them and place them in an airtight container, with a layer of waxed paper or parchment paper between single layers so that they don’t stick.
I first used this ganache on brownies that were way too cakey for my liking. I DO have the ultimate brownie recipe! I finally just left out all leavening agents, used the melted butter technique, barely mixed and I had the fudgiest, awesomest brownies EVER! Even the cocoa tin recipe failed me, in fact, I think these cake like monstrosities below WERE the cocoa tin ones. Blech.
I fed these to the ladies at my old work.Those gals will eat anything chocolate.
MORE Chocolate Recipes for the Chocolate Lovers:
- Chocolate Avocado Bundt Cake – luxuriously rich and decadent!
- Chocolate Buttercream Frosting : This is in my cookbook, and it’s a reader favourite!
- Chocolate Rum Balls – we couldn’t stop eating these last Christmas!
- Chocolate Banana Bread – the kids love this one!
Happy baking! Hope this helps my fellow chocolate lovers!
How To Make Ganache
Ingredients
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
How to Make 1:2 Ratio Pouring Or Soft Icing Ganache
- In a small saucepan heat the milk until it’s hot, not boiling. Remove and mix the chocolate into the cream. Let it sit together until soft, then whisk until the ingredients are combined completely. You can also microwave the cream, just make sure to not over heat it!
- If you are pouring the ganache, cool slightly and then pour over your chosen dessert. You can pour this while hot on ice cream or hot desserts, but if you are looking for a mirrored look on a cake, wait until it is fully cooled (but not thickened!) and then pour. It won’t soak into the cake/cupcake it it’s cooled down.
- If you want to whip the ganache, wait until it’s cooled and thickened, then whip it and use for frosting.
How to Make 1:1 Ratio Cake Filling or Heavy Glaze Ganache
- In a small saucepan,heat the milk until it’s hot, not boiling. Remove and mix the chocolate into the cream. Let it sit together until soft, then stir until they are combined completely. You can also microwave the cream, just make sure to not over heat it!
- If you want to use this as a heavy pouring ganache you will have to pour it when it’s still warm.
- If you want to use this as a cake filling you can let it cool down and thicken, then use between the layers in a cake. You CAN also whip this one as well for a really thick icing!
How to Make 2:1 Ratio Solid Chocolate Truffles Ganache
- In a small saucepan,heat the milk until it’s hot, not boiling. Remove and mix the chocolate into the cream. Let it sit together until soft, then stir until they area combined completely.
- To make the truffles, you will have to refrigerate the ganache, stirring every so often so that it thickens evenly and use when completely cooled and thickened. I find it the easiest to work with when it’s harder.
- To make the truffles you can mix in some flavouring before it cools down, then form them into balls. You can then roll them in nuts, chocolate or whatever you want!
Notes
Nutrition
Karlynn
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Dan says
for those lactose intolerant, can you substitute heavy whipping cream with coconut cream? Or is there a better substitute? Love your recipes, thank you for sharing them weekly!
Karlynn says
Glad you liked it!
theghostoftrees says
This was perfect for making truffles, thank you!
dawn says
yes, all about the ganache. fabulous!