Simply Glorious: Chocolate Ganache Recipe 3 Ways

by Alice Currah on August 18, 2009. Updated April 18, 2011

3wayganachecupcakes

As much as I love American fudge frosting, nothing beats the decadent, indulgent taste and texture of chocolate ganache.  Made of pure chocolate and heavy cream, ganache is a chocolate lovers best friend.  Its versatility as a glaze, decorative piping, and whipped cream answers the need for icing, frosting, and filling.

Below I have pictured 3 different ways to adorn cupcakes using the same recipe and batch I made yesterday.  As a glaze, you can easily pour ganache over cakes for a nice smooth finish.  If you are looking for a chocolate whipped filling, look no further.  Just whip the ganache as you would heavy cream, making sure your mixing bowl and beater are nice and cold.  And whatever you do, not put your ganache in the freezer with the hopes of whipping it.  It will not whip and have a curdly like texture.  For a thick frosting or decorative piping, allow the ganache to cool for a truffle like texture.  Anyway you decide to eat it, this ganache will satisfy your sweet tooth and chocolate cravings. Below are step by step photos to guide you. Enjoy!

 

Chocolate Ganache Recipe 3 Ways
Author: 
Recipe type: dessert
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 

Serves: 1.5 cups
 

Three different ways to use ganache as frosting, filling, and for piping.
Ingredients
  • 12 ounces chocolate, chopped into small pieces
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • optional 3 tablespoons flavored liqueor

Instructions
  1. Place chocolate pieces in a large bowl. Heat heavy cream on medium high until it comes to a boil. Remove from heat and immediately pour cream over chocolate and stir until completely mixed and glossy. Allow ganache to cool before pouring over cakes as a glaze. The longer you allow the ganache to cool, the thicker it will set. Typically I stick mine in the refrigerator so it is slightly cold before whipping. For piping or frosting, allow the ganache to completely cool and set up. When you are able to spoon the ganache and it can hold its texture, it is ready for piping.

guittardchocolatebark
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chocolateshavings
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choppedchocolate
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boiledcream
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pouredcream
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ganachestir
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ganachestir2
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ganachestir3
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ganachebowl
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glazedchocolate
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whippedchocolate
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pipedchocolate

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{ 281 comments… read them below or add one }

Deirdre March 23, 2013 at 6:36 pm

Thank you for this information. I wanted to do Boston Cream Cupcakes and wasn’t sure how I’d do the topping but now I know I can do piped ganache. They turned out awesome. A small note though: After you’ve piped most of a dozen, put the bag of ganache in the fridge for a bit or the last of it kind of sloshes out. Warm hands and all.

Reply

Alice Currah March 25, 2013 at 8:21 am

Hi Deidre,
Great reminder. When decorating any cake with frosting, the frosting starts to soften the longer you hold it from the heat of your hands. One way to combat “warm hands” is to to work in batches with less frosting.

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syah March 28, 2013 at 6:25 am

Hi. Do we need to add anything to the ganache for piped and whipped ones?

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Aleli April 1, 2013 at 12:47 pm

Hello. I am trying to make a really good ganache for salted caramel macarons. I have a recipe where I would pipe chocolate ganache around the edges of the cookie, then drop salted caramel in the middle. Salted caramel liquefies so easily. Will the ganache hold it in place? Thank You!

Reply

Alice Currah April 4, 2013 at 10:24 am

Hi Aleli,
This recipe will pipe but I’m more concerned about the heat from the caramel sauce. Your best bet is to to melt chocolate and pipe the chocolate on its own and let it harden. Then add your caramel which should not be hot. The chocolate should hold it in place fine.

Reply

Lauren Villanueva April 4, 2013 at 8:01 pm

What type of chocolate do you use?

Reply

giovanna April 17, 2013 at 2:03 am

Hi There, Great recipee! Do you melt the chocolate as well as melting the cream? or is it the heat from the cream that melts the chocolate? . . . from very new, novice, beginner baker.

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Meridith May 5, 2013 at 10:25 pm

The cream is plenty warm enough to melt your chocolate, especially if you chop it up pretty small. Good luck and happy baking!

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lisa April 20, 2013 at 6:07 pm

Hi I tried this and it taste close to a chocolate ganashe when ob the first form but in the others it taste like chocolate whip cream.

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marilyn April 25, 2013 at 11:33 pm

Want to add ganashe to brownies and thought I should add butter to make it glossy instead of dull. Have you ever made it adding butter. How much?

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Harper April 27, 2013 at 4:23 pm

I followed the recipe closely, but two hours later I still have a soupy mess that will not frost a cake without running off. It looks nothing like the frosting in the “How to Frost a Cake” tutorial that links to this recipe. I’ve even put it in the fridge for an hour and still not spoonable. Any suggestions?

Reply

sam May 3, 2013 at 3:21 am

can you use light thickened cream in a chocolate ganache? because i accidentally bought light thickened cream instead D’:

Reply

sam May 3, 2013 at 3:22 am

how much is 12 ounces in grams?

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Meridith May 5, 2013 at 10:28 pm

This is an amazingly easy recipe. I use it often and in all three variations. Thank you so much!

Reply

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