How to Make Chocolate Ganache

Just two ingredients to make chocolate ganache

1. Chocolate. Use any kind of chocolate you like to make ganache - semisweet chocolate, bittersweet chocolate, milk chocolate, or white chocolate. If you opt for milk chocolate or white chocolate, you'll want to use a bit less cream because milk and white chocolate are softer than semisweet and bittersweet chocolate. (See recipe notes.)
2. Heavy cream or whipping cream. (Heavy cream has a slightly higher fat content than whipping cream, but the difference is negligible.) Don't try and substitute milk or half-and-half for the cream which will give you hot chocolate, not ganache. However, if you want to make dairy-free ganache, you can substitute full-fat coconut milk from a can. *See the recipe notes below for more information.

Optional ingredient: Salt.

I always add a pinch of salt to chocolate ganache because salt makes everything taste better. Salt balances the natural bitterness of chocolate and intensifies its flavor. It might sound counterintuitive, but if you want chocolate ganache to taste more chocolatey, add a pinch of salt.

Step-by-step photos and instructions

Chop the chocolate into small pieces. The smaller the pieces of chocolate, the better it will melt into the cream.

Scoop the chopped chocolate into a heat proof bowl.

Pour the heavy cream into a small saucepan and set it over medium-high heat. When the cream is just beginning to simmer (don't let it come to a full boil), remove it from the heat and pour it over the chocolate.

Let the chocolate and cream sit undisturbed for a few minutes to allow the chocolate to soften and begin to melt.

Using a spoon or rubber spatula, begin to stir the cream and chocolate together.

As you stir, the chocolate will melt into the cream. Keep stirring until the ganache is completely smooth.

That's it! At this point, you can add a pinch of salt or any other flavoring to the ganache and it's ready to use.

Tips, tricks, and troubleshooting

• Chop the chocolate into very small pieces. If the pieces of chocolate are too large, the heat from the cream might not be enough to melt them.
• What to do if the ganache isn't smooth because the chocolate hasn't melted completely: If the chocolate doesn't melt completely, you'll want to gently heat the mixture until it does. If the ganache is in a heat proof bowl, you can set the bowl over a small saucepan of simmering water. Alternatively, scoop the ganache into a small saucepan and set the small saucepan over a slightly larger pan of simmering water. You can also use a double boiler pot. Stir the ganache constantly as it heats until all the chocolate is melted.
• How to prevent chocolate from seizing: When chocolate seizes, it creates a mass of chocolate that will not melt, so this is a problem you want to avoid. Water causes chocolate to seize so be very, very careful to not allow even the tiniest drop of water to get into the chocolate.
• Use high-quality real chocolate. Chocolate ganache is 50% chocolate, so the quality of the chocolate really matters. My favorite kind of chocolate to use to make ganache is Lindt 70% Cocoa Chocolate Bars and Lindt Milk Chocolate Bars. Other good options are Ghirardelli Semisweet Chocolate and Cadbury Dark Chocolate Bars.
• To make whipped ganache: Whipped ganache is similar in consistency to chocolate buttercream! Allow the chocolate ganache to cool completely, then beat it with an electric mixer until it's light and fluffy.
• To pipe ganache: Ganache thickens and sets as it cools into a gorgeous consistency that's perfect for piping onto cupcakes or to create piped borders on decorated cakes.