Chocolate Ganache Recipe

I get it. Ganache can look easy — two ingredients, melt and stir. But you’ve seen it break, or seize, or stay grainy. You need a ganache recipe that doesn’t leave you guessing. You want to know how to make ganache that pours smooth, spreads clean, or scoops firm.

In this guide, you’ll get exactly that.

You’ll learn how to make ganache with the right texture for what you need — glaze, frosting, or truffle base — and you’ll know why it works. This isn’t just a recipe. This is my method, my notes, and what I’ve learned after years of late-night baking sessions.

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Start With the Right Chocolate and Why It Matters

I use a dark chocolate bar, not chips. The kind you chop yourself. The texture difference is real.

Chips have added stabilizers. They resist melting. That makes them great for cookies but frustrating for ganache. Chop the bar fine — no chunks. The smaller the pieces, the smoother your ganache.

For me, 60–70% cocoa is ideal. Less than that, and it’s too sweet. More, and it needs extra cream to stay soft.

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The Cream Needs to Be Hot — But Never Boiling

This is where many go wrong.

I heat the cream until it steams and starts to bubble around the edges — then I pull it immediately. A boil will break it. You’re not making whipped cream or pudding. You’re warming it just enough to melt the chocolate without cooking it.

Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and do nothing.

Yes, nothing. Let it sit.

Four minutes. No poking. No stirring. Just trust that the heat is doing its work.

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Stirring Ganache Is About Rhythm, Not Speed

Start from the middle. Small circles. Let the chocolate and cream come together naturally. Then widen your strokes.

Once it’s mostly smooth, you can stir faster. But never whip it. This isn’t frosting — yet. You want shine. That happens when the emulsion holds. Too much air ruins that.

I always add a tablespoon of unsalted butter at the end. It makes the ganache silkier. Sometimes I add a splash of vanilla if the chocolate is too bitter. Optional, but worth trying.

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How You Cool It Determines Its Use

For pouring ganache — like over a Chocolate Pie or a cake — use it warm. It flows easily and self-levels.

For spreading ganache — like a glaze or frosting over Chocolate Zucchini Bread — wait until it reaches peanut butter consistency at room temp.

For truffle filling — let it chill. I mean fully cold. Scoopable. Then roll. Sometimes I coat mine in crushed Chocolate Covered Pretzels for crunch.

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Store It Like This and It Stays Smooth

Ganache keeps well.

I store it in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Before using again, I let it come to room temp. If it stiffens too much, a few seconds in the microwave — 50% power — brings it back. Stir gently.

Freezing? It works. I’ve frozen ganache in an airtight container for up to a month. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then stir until smooth. Don’t rush the defrosting. Sudden heat can split it.

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Serving Ideas That Go Beyond Frosting

You can do more than just spoon it over cake.

I sometimes dip fruit into warm ganache as a quick dessert. Strawberries, banana slices, even pear.

Other times I swirl it into oatmeal in the morning or drizzle over pancakes. My favorite? I spread it on toast with sea salt.

And when there’s just a tablespoon left, I eat it cold from the jar with a spoon. No shame here.

If you’re making cupcakes or brownies, use this Chocolate Frosting instead for a thicker, whipped look — and save the ganache for dramatic drips or fillings.

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Save This for Later and Let Me Know How Yours Turned Out

Pin this post to your Chocolate Desserts board — trust me, you’ll want to come back to it.

And tell me in the comments how your ganache turned out. Did you add butter? Chill it for truffles? I read every one and love hearing how you made it yours.

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