Homemade chocolate ganache is a very simple 3 ingredient recipe with endless uses. For the best tasting ganache, I recommend using semi-sweet chocolate, but you can also try milk or dark chocolate for a different flavor.
I put chocolate ganache on pretty much every dessert I made.
Do you know what ganache (guh-nosh) is? It’s a rich, creamy melted chocolate that you can pour on top of cheesecake (hides the cracks), cakes (it’s tastier than frosting), cookies (because, why not?), tarts, and your fingers. It’s smooth when it’s warm, pours for a nice drizzle effect, but when it cools, it gets crispy if thin and hard when it’s thick.
Ganache is amazingly easy, too, so I whip it up every time I put baked goods in the oven.
In less than three minutes, I have made a small batch of ganache that will add some amazing to the deliciousness soon to come.
How to make chocolate ganache
It is VERY IMPORTANT that you NOT overheat the chocolate ganache. It is easy to ruin if you’re not careful. Be sure to heat in tiny increments of time. If your ganache becomes gritty or grainy or it softens and then gets hard again, you have burned it. You’ll have to throw it out and start over. There’s no recovering grainy chocolate.
Note – some people like to add flavored liquor to their ganache, and that does make it tasty. If you decide to go that route, use about 3 tablespoons of liquor and reduce the heavy cream to 5 tablespoons. Don’t heat the liquor in the microwave; add it at the end.
- Add the chocolate chips, butter, and heavy cream to a small, microwave safe bowl. Microwave it for 30 seconds, then remove from the microwave and stir well. It won’t be melted at first but stir it anyway.
- Continue heating the ganache in increments of 30 seconds, stirring thoroughly after each burst.
- The mixture will eventually become smooth and creamy. It may initially have some lumps from the chocolate chips. If that is the case, microwave it one last time for only 20 seconds, then stir again. It should be all smooth now.
- Stir in the liquor if you’re using it.
- If you are using the ganache as a drizzle, use it now while it is still hot and fully liquid.
- If you are using the ganache as a chocolate layer on top of a cheesecake, tart, or cupcakes, you probably want it to set up a bit. You can put it in the fridge or let it sit on the counter for about a half hour, and then it will be thick enough to spread without having all of it flow right off the top.
I like to serve my ganache on top of the following recipes:
- Chocolate Orange Cheesecake
- Gluten-Free Cheesecake That Everyone Will Love
- Chocolate Peppermint Cheesecake
- Chocolate Cherry Cheesecake
Easy Homemade Chocolate Ganache
Ingredients
- 6-8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup heavy cream see note below about adding flavored liquor
- 3 tablespoons butter
Instructions
- In a small, microwave-safe bowl, heat all the ingredients (except the liquor, if you're using any) in the microwave in 20-30 second increments. Heat it for 20-30 seconds, then stir it very well well with a fork. Heat it for another 20-30 seconds and stir well. It will get soft at first, but the chocolate chips will remain firm. Heat it for another 20-30 seconds and stir well. It will eventually become smooth and almost creamy - perhaps a little lumpy. You may need to heat it one more time, but error on the side of less time in the microwave. As soon as it becomes smooth and creamy, stop heating it!
- Stir in the liquor. The chocolate will be a little too runny to spread at this point, so let it sit on the counter (or in the fridge if you're in a hurry) until it has cooled and thickened enough to spread without flowing away like a river.
Notes
© 2014 – 2020, Tara Ziegmont. All rights reserved.
Catherine says
Just saying the word ganache makes my mouth water. Yum!
Jessica @EatSleepBe says
Yum. I’m coming over for ganache. You can put it on spinach for all I care!