This recipe for chocolate ganache is an easy-to-make, delicious frosting that can be used for various purposes such as cakes, glazes, dips, and truffles. It is made with just two ingredients: chocolate and cream, and has numerous practical uses as a dip, frosting, filling, and topping. To make chocolate ganache, measure out the chocolate and chop it into fine pieces to melt more easily. Place the chocolate in a medium heatproof bowl and heat the cream on it.
For white chocolate ganache, use three parts chocolate to one part cream. In warmer weather, you may need to adjust the ratio of cream to chocolate. A 2:1 ratio is needed for dark or semisweet chocolate and one part cream, so twice as much chocolate as cream. When it firms up at room temperature, it is a 1:1 ratio.
When making homemade ganache, use a 1:1 ratio of cream to chocolate. For milk and dark chocolate, use a 2:1 ratio, while for white chocolate, use a 3:1 ratio. Whip the ganache on high for 2 minutes until it changes to a pale brown color and becomes fluffier. Smear or pipe the ganache onto cakes and enjoy the delicious and silky texture.
📹 Chocolate Ganache Recipe | All My Tips and Tricks!
This rich, silky Chocolate Ganache is beyond easy to make and perfect for chocolate glazes, filling cakes, and even making …
What is the basic formula for ganache?
Chocolate ganache is a versatile dessert topping made from a simple, two-ingredient recipe. It is a thick, pourable glaze that can be used as a shiny glaze on cakes and cupcakes, piped for filling pastries, or whipped for creating airy, rich ganache. The recipe requires a 1:1 ratio of chocolate to heavy cream, making it easy to make and versatile. It can be scaled up to fit larger baking needs and is perfect for adding a touch of elegance to desserts. The recipe is easy to make, requires only two ingredients, and can be used in various ways, such as as a shiny glaze on cakes, piping on pastries, or creating airy, rich whipped ganache.
How to make ganache for covering a cake?
To make the ganache, melt the chocolate in a bowl over simmering water or heat double cream in a pan. Stir in chopped chocolate pieces and butter until melted and combined. Once the buttercreamed cake is firm, remove it from the fridge and place it on a wire rack over greaseproof paper. Pour the ganache over the cake, filling it up and flowing over the sides. Use a spatula to create a soft ripple look, as the top layer doesn’t need to be perfectly flat. This messy play is a fun and messy way to enjoy the cake.
What are the three types of ganache?
Ganache is a versatile dessert glaze made from three main types of chocolate: dark, milk, and white. The process of making each type remains the same, but the taste is influenced by the chocolate’s flavor and any additional flavors added. Ganache can be used as an icing, sauce, or filling in chocolate-and-cream pastry. Its density makes it ideal for desserts requiring a spreadable glaze. The taste of ganache varies based on the type of chocolate used. Dark chocolate produces a rich, bitter taste, while milk chocolate is creamy and sweet. White chocolate ganache is also sweet and buttery.
What is the secret of good ganache?
The optimal ganache is produced using premium chocolate and whipping cream with a high fat content, such as 36. This results in a ganache with an intense flavor and smooth texture. The versatility of this ingredient is evidenced by its use in a multitude of confectionary applications, including macaroons, pralines, tortes, desserts, tortes and cakes decoration, doughnut and muffin filling, and chocolate truffle filling.
Why is my chocolate ganache not smooth on my cake?
The milk fix is a simple and effective method for fixing a broken ganache. It involves heating up ¼ cup of skim or low-fat milk to simmer and drizzling it into the ganache while whisking with a balloon whisk. This is ideal for ganache used as a glaze or covering over a cake. Melt and stir is another hack, especially for grainy ganache that has cooled down. Place the ganache in a saucepan over the lowest heat and stir it gently with a balloon whisk. By the time all the ganache has melted, it will have completely come together again.
Add more chocolate if the ganache is still warm, but it may make it stiffer. If the ganache will be used underneath fondant or truffles, a stiffer ganache won’t be a problem. Heat 2 Tbsp of cream until it begins to steam slightly, then whisk the broken ganache into the cream until everything is incorporated, smooth, and glossy.
Blending or whisking is another technique recommended for combining fat and water, but it has not been successful for me. The ganache often smooths out initially, but as it sets again, it may end up with a grainy texture.
For more posts on chocolate ganache, check out Crafty Baking – Ganache, Kara’s Couture Cakes – How to Save a Broken Ganache, and Tales from the Chocolate Shop – Rescuing a Split Ganache.
Can you put ganache straight on cake?
The recipe indicates that the warm ganache should be poured over the cake either immediately or after a period of 1-2 hours at room temperature, during which time the ganache may be allowed to rest.
How to decorate chocolate cake with ganache?
The final layer of frosting is applied to the cake after it has chilled in the fridge. Apply generous dollops of frosting on the sides and top of the cake, smoothing them out with an offset spatula. Even out the frosting with a cake scraper to create a smooth finish of whipped chocolate ganache. Chill the cake for 30 minutes.
Next, make the chocolate ganache drip. Add chopped chocolate to a bowl and heat cream in a small sauce pan over medium heat. Pour the cream over the chocolate and stir until combined. Allow the ganache to cool slightly, about 5 minutes, then transfer it to a piping bag. Squeeze the ganache around the top edges of the cake, ensuring it is the right temperature and consistency. Test the drip on the back side of the cake to ensure it doesn’t go all the way to the bottom.
Squeeze the ganache on the top of the cake and smooth it out with an offset spatula or a back of the spoon. Turn the cake turntable as you go to create a swirl pattern. Chill the cake in the fridge for 15 minutes or until the ganache has set.
Finally, decorate the cake with chocolate covered and sliced strawberries if desired. Serve the cake and enjoy the delicious and delicious treat.
Does ganache harden on cake?
As the ganache cools, it will thicken and harden to a stable fudge-like consistency. It will never reach a rock hard point but will completely firm up once cooled. The time it takes to set depends on the surface being spread. It typically takes about two hours from taking it off the stovetop to completely set. Use the ganache before it sets completely, pouring it over cheesecake, dripping it over chocolate cake, or spreading it on petit fours layers. To expedite the setting up process, place the ganache in the refrigerator. While it can be left out for several days, it is recommended to keep it in the refrigerator in warm or humid climates.
Will ganache harden on cakes?
The longer the ganache is allowed to rest, the thicker it will become, taking on a consistency more akin to frosting or mousse. However, it will not harden.
How long do you leave ganache before putting on cake?
Prior to pouring the ganache over a chilled cake, it is recommended that the ganache be allowed to cool for a period of approximately fifteen minutes. In order to prepare the frosting, it is necessary to allow the mixture to cool completely, then cover it and refrigerate it for two hours. This process will result in the formation of a mousse-like texture. The ganache may then be spread, piped, or whipped using an electric mixer.
📹 Chocolate Ganache Recipe & Chocolate Drip Cake Tutorial – simple, delicious, and beautiful!
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Hi John! Congratulations on tthe first of many cookbooks! I was wondering where you get your cupcake liners? The ones I’ve gotten both at the store and online just don’t fit in my standard sized cupcake tray. It’s just so weird. Yours looks so perfect in the tray. BTW love the new kitchen and the farm obviously. Your garden is just amazing. Thank you so much! Oh and please please make a vegan cupcake or cake recipe!!!
Hi John, very informative. Thanks so much. I was just wondering if you knew how to make the chocolate icing that’s on a ring ding! LoL. You know, it’s shiny and thin and almost cracks when you bite into it. I’ve always wanted to learn how to make that but alas, I can’t seem to do it. You’re such an educated baker, I thought you might be able to figure it out. Or better yet, would you make homemade ring dings?! Thank you for your consideration. 👍👍
Thanks so much for this! Last semester or so I made a chocolate ganache for the first time. I took a cooking class as an elective. I was so surprised at how easy it was to make and how delicious it was but I forgot the recipe. I trust you so I’m definitely going to use this recipe going forward! Cant wait for your book!
Yes for whipped ganache frosting! I’ll search and see if you already did that since this article is a year old. I make ganache with half-&-half instead of cream to cut down on the fat a little while still having SOME of the taste and creaminess. Your articles are great! I like to watch them even if I’m not going to make the item/s you’re demonstrating. Thanks!
Appreciate the nice article but really, I’m not sure why so many skimp on the actual Chocolate during these recipes. The actual ganache preparation is super-easy. But you really need the utmost Best Quality of the Good Stuff. So, not Callebaut or Guillerme / other random brand: use internationally renowned Chef’s choice brands like Valrhona or Zotter. It will cost more: but personally for me, you can’t compromise the Chocolate in a chocolate ganache.
A very important thing is the percentage of cocoa your chocolate has! The more cocoa it has, the more cream you need or the ganache will break. For a 63% chocolate for example you are better off with a 1:1 ratio, while with a 50% chocolate a 2:1 ratio is better. And it is better to use a scale. More precise :). A cup of chocolate is different to a cup of cream.
For me, it’s more than worth it to buy 5.5 lbs of Callebaut 70-30 70% chocolate callets (chips); it’s high fat, so it doesn’t break easily, it is far better than most of the chocolate bars that I can buy in local stores and I don’t have to chop it up. It’s so good, in fact, that when I want a quick chocolate pick-me-up, I just sneak a small handful of callets to eat straight up. Yes, it’s 3x more expensive than the chocolate chips I can buy at a grocery store (including Ghirardellis, the best locally available) but it is easily 100x better quality. If I’m going to make and eat something with chocolate in it, I want chocolate that satisfies my palate.
My SIL has a recipe for a fudge frosting. That recipe hates me. I’ve never been able to make it work and I’ve been cooking for 65 years! I would love to try your whipped ganache frosting because that darned fudge frosting just isn’t going to happen. lol Thanks for the water tip, I might give it a try although I usually have cream on hand.
I have done ganache many times, and i have had the grainy texture happen to me! (I was doing a double boil with a big pot and a little bowl so i happened to get water into my mixture) so i tried fixing it with cooking oil, i didnt have butter or coconut oil in my house but had sunflower seed oil so i tried it and it worked wonders, i was so impressed my 12 yo self felt like a chef lmao What i really need John to do is a tutorial on how to whip cream, i have NEVER been able to whip cream decently, cause it doesnt form bubbles it just straight up separes the milk solids from the liquid i have tried freezing the bowl, whipping the cream when the cream itself is cold, doing both at the same time, i have tried doing it on room temperature, and even whipping a ganache cause i saw you could whip it and make it like a mousse but still didn’t work (at least this time it didnt separate, it just melted) I need help, i cant keep buying pre whipped cream for recipes, is way too expensive
I like this idea I’m going to try to make it inside of lava chocolate cake. Worth it chocolate mixture will be inside the cake instead of like the Bundt cake for the center of the cake is filled with this chocolate mixture and then it overflows the Bundt cake I’m going to make it a round cake and cut out center circle and fill it full. Then I’ll put the top on and use the leftover to ice the cake. I think it will work I’m going to make a trial run first!
I tried to make a chocolate ganache, the recipe said 600ml cream and 200g of chocolate, it did not set, 1 day later its still not set, WHAT did I do wrong, if anything, I followed this particular recipe but it failed, the liquid is yummy but not ganache at all. Any tips to making it better next time?