How to Make Chocolate Ganache (video)
Classic chocolate ganache – this pastry and dessert staple has been around forever and it’s not going away anytime soon! You can never go wrong with using it to garnish cakes, pastries, tarts, or filling pastries and desserts. My simple recipe for chocolate ganache glaze and chocolate ganache filling is super easy to make. Use the chocolate glaze for drip cakes and the chocolate filling for filling cakes, pastries and macarons!
This recipe is part of my ‘Back to Cake Basics’ series, where I share simple cake, frosting and filling recipes. Make sure to check out the entire collection!
My Chocolate Ganache Video Tutorial!
Watch my YouTube video recipe for step-by-step instructions for making chocolate ganache and chocolate filling! Want to receive new recipe notifications? Make sure to subscribe to my website emailing list and my YouTube channel and turn on notifications!
Ingredients for Chocolate Ganache
You’ll need just two ingredients for this easy recipe!
- Chocolate: use semi-sweet chocolate chips, dark baking chocolate or chocolate melts for this recipe. High quality chocolate will work best! It will melt more smoothly.
- Heavy Cream: high fat content cream will make the filling more thick.
- Shortening: this is a last resort ingredient only! Add a touch of shortening to your ganache if the chocolate isn’t melting smoothly.
Chocolate Glaze Vs. Chocolate Filling
In my video recipe, I wanted to share both a recipe for chocolate glaze and chocolate filling, or whipped chocolate ganache. They are both made with the same ingredients, just in different proportions. For the glaze, more cream is added to make it easier to pour and cover cakes or pastries. For the chocolate ganache filling, less cream is added to ensure a thicker filling that holds its shape. For best results, I recommend using high-quality baking chocolate chips to achieve an ideal and smooth glaze. I use Ghirardelli chips for most of my baking.
How To Make Chocolate Ganache
Smooth and silky chocolate glaze ganache is an elegant and easy finish to any cake, giving the cake eye-catching style! I use this recipe to garnish many, many of my cakes, like this incredible ‘Almond Roca Cake’ or my fruity ‘Strawberry Tuxedo Cake’. Here are a few tips for making the glaze perfectly every time:
- Heat the cream until it’s steaming but not boiling hot. Burnt cream will cause the glaze to be clumpy.
- Once you add the chocolate to the cream, let it stand for a few minutes, allowing it to melt.
- Let the glaze cool before pouring it over your cake or pastries. I usually let mine cool for 5 to 15 minutes, depending on how thick I want the glaze to be.
- To add extra shine to this glaze recipe, add 1 teaspoon of shortening along with the chocolate.
Use this glaze for any of my drip cakes, like this stunning ‘Neapolitan Cake’!
How To Make Chocolate Filling (Whipped Ganache)
I absolutely love how rich and creamy chocolate ganache is! It’s perfect for filling cakes, tarts and even macarons! This thicker ganache is made very similarly to the glaze, except with less cream and it’s chilled to thicken the mixture.
- When making the chocolate filling, do not over mix, as this can cause the fats in the chocolate and cream to separate.
- Whisk the chocolate in intervals: 5 minutes in the fridge, then mix. Or, simply place the ganache into the fridge to chill completely, then whisk it once to the desired consistency.
More Recipes!
Looking for more chocolate inspiration? Check out some of my other recipes you’re sure to enjoy from my ‘Back to Cake Basics’ series!
- Try my ‘Chocolate Buttercream’ recipe next! This rich buttercream is made with cocoa powder and melted chocolate!
- And, my ‘Best Chocolate Cake’ recipe is bound to be come a favorite!
- My ‘Ultimate Chocolate Sponge Cake’ is also delicious, fluffy and chocolate-y!
- Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting – rich, creamy and extra chocolatey frosting with butter, cream cheese, dark chocolate and cocoa powder!
Enjoyed this recipe? Save it for later to Pinterest!
Supplies/Tools
Need some supplies to make this recipe? You can get them here (Amazon affiliate links):
- I love using this set of nesting glass mixing bowls for food prep.
- I have at least 5 of these Pyrex measuring cups!
- These disposable pastry bags are a huge time saver and work so well for frosting and ganache.
- My handy, handheld KitchenAid mixer is great for when I don’t want to use my large mixer.
How to Make Chocolate Ganache (video)
Ingredients
For Chocolate Glaze:
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1/3 cup heavy cream
For Chocolate Filling:
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 cup heavy cream
Instructions
For Chocolate Ganache Glaze:
- For Chocolate Glaze: heat the heavy cream on the stove top or in a microwave-safe glass bowl/cup. Cream should be steaming hot but not boiling. Add the chocolate chips and allow the chips to sit for a few minutes, melting. Then, using a spoon, stir the chocolate and cream together until smooth.
- If not all of the chocolate chips melt, heat the glaze in microwave at 10-second intervals, stirring after each time. If glaze is too thick, add HOT heavy cream. Do not thin out the glaze with cold cream as this will cause the chocolate to seize! Allow the glaze to cool for a few minutes if it’s too hot, then pour over your cake, pouring from the center and spreading to the edges with a spatula. Alternatively, transfer the glaze into a pastry bag and drizzle down sides first, then fill center.
For Whipped Chocolate Ganache:
- For Chocolate Filling: heat the heavy cream on the stove top or in a microwave-safe glass bowl/cup. Cream should be steaming hot but not boiling. Add the chocolate chips and allow the chips to sit for a few minutes, melting. Using a whisk, blend the chocolate and cream together to form a thick chocolate sauce. Then place cream into the freezer/refrigerator at 5 minute intervals.
- Whisk the chocolate sauce after 5 minutes, refrigerate again, then switch over to a hand mixer. Whip the chocolate cream until it thickens, cooling again if necessary until the cream holds its shape. Be careful not to overmix the mixture or the cream can separate. This cream can also be piped and will hold its shape. Once cream is ready, use it for filling a cake, tart or cookies right away, then refrigerate. It will harden in the refrigerator.
Hi…u got talent. Ur cakes are just amaazzzinng!!
Im gonna bake a cake for my hubby bday day after tomorrow…i just wanted to.know if ican substitute the semi sweet choco chips by dark chocolate?? If so..how much of dark choco and heavy cream should i use?. Its hard to find the semi sweet choco chips here. Please help. Thanks…
Hi! Hope he enjoys the cake! You can definitely use dark chocolate chips, the ratio of chocolate to cream will be the same 🙂
Hi Tatyana,
Thanks for all of your great recipes. I am wondering if I can use this Chocolate Filling instead of your buttercream chocolate frosting when I am making a chocolate cake. I don’t like the hard texture of buttercream frosting; my cakes taste like an ice cream cake whenever I use buttercream frosting. Tnx
Hi! Yes, I love to use the whipped chocolate filling in place of buttercream. I’m not a big fan of buttercream myself and always looking for other frosting options! 🙂
Hi there! I have a couple of questions about the ganache…i am making a cake for my aunt’s birthday and i am making the cake at my house and traveling about 3 hrs to hers. Does the ganache filling need to be refrigerated if i make the cake and filling the day before? Also do you think i should wait to make tje glaze until I am there or do you think it will do well on the cake beforehand? Also how long do you usually heat the cream for? I know each stove/microwave is different i was just curious what the usual heating time was.
Hi! Once you have the ganache done, it would be completely fine for the 3 hour transfer time. And you can certainly make the ganache on site, too since it’s really simple to make 🙂 I heat the cream just until it’s steaming hot, but not boiling; about 1 minute in my microwave. You can also heat it on the stovetop for a more controlled heat.
Hi, thanks for all your great recipes. I would like to use the whipped ganache recipe for frosting a 10 inch cake.What quantity would I need? I made whipped ganache before but I found that once I whipped it, it went hard and didn’t have that nice fluffy texture like yours. When I made the ganache I refrigerated it for approx. 30 mins before whipping it – do you have any advice on how to keep it light & fluffy and stop it from going hard so fast? Also, would it be okay to use the chocolate glaze over the whipped ganache as a drip? Thanks so much for your help. Jane
Hi Jane! 🙂 Thanks for reaching out! For a 10-inch cake, I recommend doubling this recipe. Instead of placing it into the fridge for 30 minutes, try refrigerating in shorter increments, for 10 to 15 minutes, and whisk after each chill time. This way, you can keep it fluffier. And the chocolate ganache drip would be a great idea! Enjoy! 🙂