Ganache
Cooking Skills: Chocolate 1
Chapter 3 · Ganache
Skill goal
Make ganache at different ratios and use it as a drink, a sauce, a filling and a glaze.
Shopping list for this chapter
The basics
Ganache is chocolate and hot cream stirred together into a smooth emulsion. It is one of the most useful things in chocolate cooking: the same mixture is a hot chocolate, a sauce, a glaze, a filling or a truffle centre, and the only thing that changes is the ratio of chocolate to cream.
The method
- Chop the chocolate finely, so the cream melts it all without extra heat.
- Heat the cream until it steams, not until it boils.
- Pour, wait, then stir: leave the hot cream on the chocolate for a minute or two, then stir slowly from the middle.
- Stir slowly, to avoid air bubbles, and stop when smooth and glossy.
- Choose the ratio for the job (see the table), and use more chocolate for milk or white.
| Use | Dark chocolate : cream (by weight) | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Hot chocolate | About 1 : 4 with milk | Rich, drinkable |
| Sauce and glaze | 1 : 1 | Pourable, glossy, thickens as it cools |
| Whipped filling | 1 : 2 (chill and whip) | Light, soft, mousse-like |
| Truffles | 2 : 1 | Firm, rollable (Cooking Skills: Chocolate 1, chapter 4) |
These ratios are for dark chocolate (about 70%). Milk and white chocolate contain more sugar and milk and set more softly, so use about a third more chocolate for the same set.
Hot cream, splitting and keeping
Hot cream: cream heated to steaming is hotter than it looks and burns skin. Heat it in a small pan over a medium heat until it just starts to steam at the edges, don't let it boil over, keep the handle turned in and pour with care.Splitting: if a ganache looks oily or grainy, the cream was too hot or it was stirred too hard. Whisk in a tablespoon of warm milk or cream, a spoonful at a time, until it is smooth and glossy again.
Keeping: ganache is made with cream, so keep it covered in the fridge and use it within about 5 days (general guidance). Bring it back to a spreadable or pourable state gently: warm in short microwave bursts, stirring, or stand at room temperature. Don't leave cream-based sweets out for more than a couple of hours.
Try it
Level 1 · Start here
Rich hot chocolate
The simplest ganache is a hot chocolate: real chocolate melted into hot milk. Pour the hot milk over finely chopped chocolate, wait a moment, then whisk smooth. It is far richer than a cocoa drink.
Ingredients (1 portion)
- 60 g dark chocolate (about 70%), finely chopped
- 250 ml whole milk
- 1 tsp caster sugar, or to taste
- 1 pinch salt
- Put the chopped chocolate, sugar and salt in a mug or heatproof jug.
- Heat the milk in a small pan until it is steaming and just starts to bubble at the edges. Pour about a third over the chocolate and leave for 1 minute.
- Whisk until smooth, then stir in the rest of the milk. Taste and add sugar if you like.
Hot milk, caffeine and allergens
Hot cream: cream heated to steaming is hotter than it looks and burns skin. Heat it in a small pan over a medium heat until it just starts to steam at the edges, don't let it boil over, keep the handle turned in and pour with care.Caffeine: dark chocolate and cocoa contain some caffeine, more in higher-cocoa chocolate. Offer smaller portions to children and avoid dark chocolate drinks late in the evening if you are sensitive.
Allergens: chocolate contains milk (except some dark), and often soy (lecithin) and sometimes nuts or traces of them: check the label and the 'may contain' line. Cream, butter and many coatings are dairy, and cookies and biscuits contain wheat and often egg. Dairy-free dark chocolate and coconut cream can replace the dairy in many recipes, but the texture changes.
Level 1 · Sauce
Pourable chocolate ganache (sauce)
Equal weights of chocolate and cream make a smooth, glossy sauce that thickens as it cools. Pour it over ice cream, cake or fruit.
Ingredients (6 portions)
- 150 g dark chocolate (about 70%), finely chopped
- 150 ml double cream
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Put the chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Heat the cream until it just starts to steam at the edges (don't let it boil).
- Pour the hot cream over the chocolate, covering it all, and leave for 2 minutes without stirring.
- Stir slowly from the centre outwards until completely smooth and glossy. Stir in the vanilla. Serve warm, or cool for a thicker sauce.
Hot cream, splitting and keeping
Hot cream: cream heated to steaming is hotter than it looks and burns skin. Heat it in a small pan over a medium heat until it just starts to steam at the edges, don't let it boil over, keep the handle turned in and pour with care.Splitting: if a ganache looks oily or grainy, the cream was too hot or it was stirred too hard. Whisk in a tablespoon of warm milk or cream, a spoonful at a time, until it is smooth and glossy again.
Keeping: ganache is made with cream, so keep it covered in the fridge and use it within about 5 days (general guidance). Bring it back to a spreadable or pourable state gently: warm in short microwave bursts, stirring, or stand at room temperature. Don't leave cream-based sweets out for more than a couple of hours.
Allergens: chocolate contains milk (except some dark), and often soy (lecithin) and sometimes nuts or traces of them: check the label and the 'may contain' line. Cream, butter and many coatings are dairy, and cookies and biscuits contain wheat and often egg. Dairy-free dark chocolate and coconut cream can replace the dairy in many recipes, but the texture changes.
Level 2 · Whipped
Whipped ganache (filling)
Twice as much cream as chocolate gives a ganache that sets softly when chilled and whips up light, like a chocolate mousse. Use it to fill and top cakes, cupcakes and tarts.
Ingredients (8 portions)
- 150 g dark chocolate (about 70%), finely chopped
- 300 ml double cream
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Make the ganache with the chocolate and half of the cream (heated), as for the sauce, and stir until smooth. Stir in the rest of the cold cream and the vanilla.
- Cool, cover and chill for at least 4 hours until very cold and thick.
- Whisk with an electric whisk for 1 to 2 minutes, only until it holds soft peaks. Use at once.
Hot cream, whipping and keeping
Hot cream: cream heated to steaming is hotter than it looks and burns skin. Heat it in a small pan over a medium heat until it just starts to steam at the edges, don't let it boil over, keep the handle turned in and pour with care.Whipping ganache: chill it completely first (at least 4 hours) and whisk only until it holds soft peaks. Whisked too long, it turns grainy and stiff, like butter.
Keeping: ganache is made with cream, so keep it covered in the fridge and use it within about 5 days (general guidance). Bring it back to a spreadable or pourable state gently: warm in short microwave bursts, stirring, or stand at room temperature. Don't leave cream-based sweets out for more than a couple of hours.
Level 3 · Glaze
Glossy ganache glaze
A mirror-shiny glaze for cakes and brownies. Golden syrup keeps it glossy and butter makes it soft to cut. The trick is to pour it at the right temperature: too hot and it runs, too cold and it sets in lumps.
Ingredients (8 portions)
- 150 g dark chocolate (about 70%), finely chopped
- 150 ml double cream
- 1 tbsp golden syrup (for shine)
- 15 g butter, at room temperature
- Make the ganache with the chocolate, cream and golden syrup, stirring until smooth. Stir in the butter until melted.
- Let it cool for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it is thick but still pourable.
- Pour onto the centre of a completely cooled cake, tilt gently to cover the top, and leave to set for at least 30 minutes. Don't touch it.
Hot cream, glaze temperature and dairy-free
Hot cream: cream heated to steaming is hotter than it looks and burns skin. Heat it in a small pan over a medium heat until it just starts to steam at the edges, don't let it boil over, keep the handle turned in and pour with care.Glaze temperature: use the glaze when it is just warm and thickly pourable (about 35°C). Hot glaze runs off and melts the cake. A cooled cake gives a clean finish.
Dairy-free swap: full-fat coconut cream (the thick part from a chilled tin) and dairy-free dark chocolate make a good ganache, with a coconut flavour. The set is a little softer.
Keeping: ganache is made with cream, so keep it covered in the fridge and use it within about 5 days (general guidance). Bring it back to a spreadable or pourable state gently: warm in short microwave bursts, stirring, or stand at room temperature. Don't leave cream-based sweets out for more than a couple of hours.
Experiments
Experiment
Ratio
1:1, 1:2 and 2:1.
- Make three small ganaches with 50 g of chocolate and 25, 50 and 100 ml of cream. Chill each and compare the texture.
Look for: The first (more chocolate) is firm and fudgy; the middle is a soft, spoonable set; the last is soft and almost liquid. This is why ratio is the whole recipe.
Experiment
Cream hot or warm
Steaming or boiling.
- Pour cream that has just started to steam over chocolate, and cream that has boiled hard over another batch.
Look for: The steaming cream gives a smooth, glossy ganache. The boiled cream can make it oily and grainy. Stop heating at steaming.
Experiment
Stirring speed
Slow or fast.
- Stir one batch slowly from the centre and whisk another fast.
Look for: The slow batch is glossy and smooth; the fast one is full of air bubbles and less shiny. Slow, steady stirring is best.
Experiment
Resting time
Wait 2 minutes or stir at once.
- Stir one batch straight away and leave another to rest for 2 minutes before stirring.
Look for: The rested batch melts evenly with no lumps; the immediately stirred one can have unmelted bits. Patience is a skill.
Tasting notes
| What I tried | Method or amount | What I saw | What I thought | Will I do it again? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rich hot chocolate | ||||
| Pourable ganache | ||||
| Whipped ganache | ||||
| Ganache glaze | ||||
| Ratio | ||||
| Cream hot or warm | ||||
| Stirring speed | ||||
| Resting time |
Troubleshooting
| Problem | Likely cause | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Oily, grainy ganache | Cream too hot, or overstirred | Whisk in a spoon of warm milk |
| Ganache too thin | Too much cream, or not cooled | Cool it; or melt in more chocolate |
| Ganache too thick | Too much chocolate | Stir in a spoon of warm cream |
| Whipped ganache stiff and grainy | Whisked too long | Whisk only to soft peaks; melt gently and start again |
| Glaze runs off the cake | Glaze too hot, or cake not cool | Cool the glaze and the cake |
| Lumps of chocolate | Chunks too big, or not rested | Chop finely and rest before stirring |
Hot cream, dairy and allergens
Hot cream: cream heated to steaming is hotter than it looks and burns skin. Heat it in a small pan over a medium heat until it just starts to steam at the edges, don't let it boil over, keep the handle turned in and pour with care.Dairy-free swap: full-fat coconut cream (the thick part from a chilled tin) and dairy-free dark chocolate make a good ganache, with a coconut flavour. The set is a little softer.
Allergens: chocolate contains milk (except some dark), and often soy (lecithin) and sometimes nuts or traces of them: check the label and the 'may contain' line. Cream, butter and many coatings are dairy, and cookies and biscuits contain wheat and often egg. Dairy-free dark chocolate and coconut cream can replace the dairy in many recipes, but the texture changes.
Checkpoint: can you do this now?
- I can make a ganache by pouring hot cream over chopped chocolate.
- I know which ratio suits a sauce, a filling and a truffle.
- I heat cream to steaming and not to boiling.
- I can rescue a split ganache.
- I can glaze a cake at the right temperature.
Next chapter
Cooking Skills: Chocolate 1, chapter 4 is Truffles and Simple Sweets: rolling and coating ganache and making fudge.