Chocolate Ganache
Posted Feb 13, 2023, Updated Feb 14, 2024
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It only takes 5 minutes to make this 5-ingredient chocolate ganache recipe! It is rich, chocolatey and silky smooth. Pour it over brownies or whip and and use it as a frosting for chocolate cake!
This chocolate ganache recipe is one of my favorites. I have made it often for many, many years because it’s easy and so delicious.
It only takes 5 ingredients and 5 minutes to make the best chocolate ganache ever. Pour it over brownies or bundt cake or your favorite desserts to make them next-level delicious.
Chocolate Ganache Recipe: Ingredients & Substitutions
- Heavy Cream. There are no substitutions for heavy cream in this recipe.
- Chopped Chocolate. You can make this recipe suit your tastes by using your favorite variety of chocolate, Dark, semisweet, milk, and even white chocolate all result in a delicious ganache!
- Honey. Light corn syrup can be used in place of honey.
How to Make Chocolate Ganache
Let’s walk through how to make ganache step-by-step, and don’t forget to watch the video.
First, warm the cream until it just begins to bubble around the edges in a small saucepan over medium heat – do not let it come to a full boil.
Then, turn off heat, but leave the saucepan on the warm burner, and add chocolate to the warm cream.
Whisk the chocolate until the mixture is smooth.
Then, remove the pan from the warm burner and whisk in the vanilla and sea salt.
Use as a Glaze
Let the ganache cool until it’s slightly thickened and close to room temperature.
Then pour it over a cake (like this chocolate cake or chocolate bundt cake, zucchini cake, etc.), a pan of brownies, etc.
Use as Frosting (thicker, firmer)
Transfer the ganache to a glass bowl and let it come to room temperature (this takes 1-2 hours), stirring every 15-30 minutes.
You can speed up the process by putting it in the refrigerator for 10-15 minutes, stirring every 3-5 minutes.
Once thick, use a standing mixer fitted with the wire whisk attachment or a handheld mixer and whip it until fluffy.
Then, spread or pipe it onto cakes or cupcakes (chocolate cupcakes, vanilla cupcakes).
Serve
Use as a glaze, frosting or filling for your favorites cakes and cupcakes, brownies, etc. Here are some great recipes that pair well with chocolate ganache recipe.
- Pour it onto this Chocolate cake or chocolate bundt cake.
- Slather it on this homemade yellow cake.
- Pipe it onto chocolate cupcakes or vanilla cupcakes.
- Spread it onto a pan of homemade brownies, or chocolate chip cookie bars.
Store
Store leftover ganache in an airtight container (I recommend a glass jar with a lid) in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Or freeze for up to 2 months.
Gently warm it to use to drizzle over your favorite desserts, or whip it in a standing mixer to use as a frosting.
Chocolate Ganache Recipe FAQS
You can make dark chocolate, milk chocolate or white chocolate ganache with this recipe.
In this recipe you can use dark chocolate, semisweet chocolate, milk chocolate, or white chocolate (only a high-quality white chocolate with “cocoa butter” listed as an ingredient).
The chocolate ganache hardens as it cools. So if you’d like it thicker/firmer chill it or let it cool at room temperature. If it’s too thin for your preferences, you can also add more chocolate.
It takes about 5 hours at room temperature, shorter in the refrigerator.
It doesn’t have to, but it is a good idea.
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Chocolate Ganache Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 8 ounces chocolate* chopped (semisweet, dark, milk or white chocolate)
- 1 teaspoon honey
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch sea salt
Instructions
- In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, warm the cream until it just begins to bubble around the edges. Let it bubble for about 1 minute, but do not let it boil (turn heat down slightly if necessary).
- Turn off heat, but leave the saucepan on the warm burner, and whisk in chocolate until the mixture in smooth.
- Then, remove the pan from the warm burner and whisk in the vanilla and sea salt.
- To use as a glaze:
- Let the ganache cool until it’s slightly thickened and close to room temperature, then pour it over a cake, a pan of brownies, etc.
- To use as a frosting (thicker, firmer)
- Transfer the ganache to an airtight container and chill until thickened.
- Once thick, use a standing mixer fitted with the wire whisk attachment or a handheld mixer and whip it until fluffy. Then spread or pipe it onto cakes or cupcakes.
Video
Notes
- The ganache thickens/hardens as it cools.
- This recipe makes enough to generously cover a 9×9” pan of brownies.
- Heavy Cream. There are no substitutions for heavy cream in this recipe.
- Chopped Chocolate. You can make this recipe suit your tastes by using your favorite variety of chocolate, Dark, semisweet, milk, and even white chocolate (only high-quality white chocolate with “cocoa butter” as an ingredient) all result in a delicious ganache!
- Honey. Light corn syrup can be used in place of honey.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
