Easy Chocolate Ganache Recipe

An easy chocolate ganache recipe made with whipping cream and dark chocolate couverture. Ideal for rolling truffles, filling macarons and sandwich cookies, or frosting cakes and cupcakes.

Why Make This Easy Chocolate Ganache Recipe?

Ganache is one of the most versatile chocolate preparations. There are all kinds of ganaches, made with all kinds of chocolate, and used in all sorts of ways. I’ve turned white chocolate ganache into rosewater truffles and infused it with Earl Grey tea; slathered chocolate hazelnut ganache over a pan of Nutella Rice Krispie treats; filled bakery-style cookies with passionfruit ganache; layered pastel-tinted ganache into Easter blondies; and whisked puréed raspberries and ruby chocolate to make a vibrant pink frosting for Valentine’s treats.

Here, I’m sticking to the basics: just dark chocolate and whipping cream. I first learned this classic two-ingredient ganache preparation (made by pouring warm cream over finely chopped chocolate couverture and whisking until smooth and glossy) during my chocolatier studies at Ecole Chocolat, and later refined my technique while studying at Le Cordon Bleu.

With small adjustments in ratio or temperature, this basic chocolate ganache recipe works for everything from frosting cupcakes and brownies to creating a base for rolled truffles, or piping into sandwich cookies or French macarons.

You can also do what I do and sneak a spoonful straight from the bowl for snacking—no judgement, I swear!

Chocolate Ganache Recipe Ingredients

To make this easy chocolate ganache recipe, you’ll need just two ingredients:

• Whipping Cream – Whisked together with melted dark chocolate, whipping cream (or heavy cream in the US)  gives the ganache a smooth, creamy texture. Look for cream with a milkfat percentage around 35-36%.

• Dark Chocolate – Choose a good-quality dark chocolate couverture for this recipe, recipe than grocery store chocolate chips. My go-to is Callebaut 54.5% dark chocolate; couvertures by Valrhona, Guittard, or Cacao Barry would also good options for making dark chocolate ganache.

Ways to Use Dark Chocolate Ganache

Here are a few of my favorite ways to use dark chocolate ganache:

For filling: Whisk the chocolate and cream until very smooth, but still fluid enough to pipe. Scoop into a piping bag, then pipe into French macarons, sandwich cookies, or miniature tart shells.

For frosting: Whisk until thick and creamy, then apply to cakes, cupcakes, brownies, or Rice Krispie treats with a flexible rubber spatula or a  small stepped palette knife.

For truffles: After whisking, cover bowl with clingfilm/plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm enough to scoop, about 1 hour. With a 1-inch melon baller or cookie scoop, divide ganache into individual portions, then use your hands to roll each portion into a ball. Roll in unsweetened cocoa powder, crushed nuts, sprinkles, or powdered freeze-dried fruit.

Recipe Tips and Tricks

Melt the chocolate over a double boiler or bain-marie. (These hot water bath techniques offer better temperature control than melting the chocolate in a microwave.) See this post for tips on making a bain-marie.

Allow the ganache to sit in the bowl, at room temperature, until ready to use. Do not whisk the ganache until you are ready to spread or pipe. Whisking promotes crystallization, which will cause the ganache to thicken and set.

The longer you whisk, the creamier and thicker the ganache will become—I prefer a thinner, more pipeable ganache for macarons and a thicker, frosting-like consistency for brownies and cupcakes. For truffles, refrigerate the bowl for 1-2 hours, or until firm enough to scoop.

Make-Ahead and Storage Suggestions

For frosting and filling, make and pipe (or spread) the ganache immediately for best results.

For truffles, allow at least 1-2 hours for the ganache to firm up in the refrigerator before scooping.

Other chocolate ganache recipes you might enjoy:

Earl Grey and White Chocolate Ganache
Ruby Raspberry Ganache

And if you do make these, or any of my recipes, don’t forget to tag me @bastecutfold or use the hashtag #bastecutfold on Instagram. I always love to see what you’re making!

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