Joanne Chang’s Chocolate Ganache Recipe

Joanne Chang is a Boston-based pastry chef and the co-owner of Flour Bakery. The award-winning pastry chef has a degree with honors in applied mathematics and economics from Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Passionate about baking since her college days, Joanne left her consulting job to work in restaurants, eventually opening Flour Bakery in 2000. Since then, she expanded the bakery to eight more locations, opened a Taiwanese-inspired restaurant, won a reality TV cooking competition and a James Beard Award, and wrote five cookbooks.

Despite her long list of accolades, Joanne still delights in the alchemy of baking: simple ingredients that, when combined with the right techniques, transform into something magical. Learn to bake like a pro with Joanne Chang.

Chocolate ganache is a sweet spread consisting of any type of chocolate (including dark, milk, or white chocolate) and heavy whipping cream. Dark chocolate ganache is a popular choice for pastry chefs who need to frost or fill cakes and candies. This mixture of warm cream and small pieces of melted chocolate has a pourable consistency, making for a great dessert sauce. When refrigerated, ganache thickens to a solid, fudge-like texture ideal for chocolate truffles.

Chocolate ganache is delicious on its own, but it’s also the foundation for many other sweets. Here are five easy ways to use ganache in your baking.

1. 1. In candies: Ganache is a popular filling for many confections—including bonbons in tempered chocolate shells—but the classic chocolate truffle is the easiest way to use it. To make chocolate truffles, simply cool the ganache until it’s firm, roll it into tablespoon-sized spheres, and coat the spheres in cocoa powder. Alternatively, cover wafers or nougat in ganache to make homemade chocolate bars.
2. 2. In chocolate mousse: Combine hot ganache with gelatin, let it cool, and use it as chocolate mousse to fill a cake or enjoy on its own.
3. 3. As chocolate sauce: Pour warm chocolate ganache over vanilla ice cream, profiteroles, or cream puffs.
4. 4. In chocolate tarts: Chocolate ganache is the perfect filling for a French chocolate tart surrounded by the classic buttery tart shell.
5. 5. As frosting: Pour still-warm warm chocolate ganache over brownies, cakes, and cupcakes for a luxurious frosting that will harden as it cools. Alternatively, whipped ganache makes for a light yet decadent frosting.

Making ganache is about as simple as it gets. However, you’ll experience the best result by following these tips to make chocolate ganache.

1. 1. Use bittersweet chocolate. The best type of chocolate to balance the richness of the hot, heavy cream is bittersweet, 62–70 percent cacao. Use high-quality chocolate to allow the caliber of the ingredients to shine through.
2. 2. Alter the ratio. Once you’re comfortable with a basic ganache recipe, alter the ingredient proportions for variations in texture. Use less cream than chocolate for a thicker ganache. Alternatively, use less chocolate for a thinner mixture. Always give your warm cream enough time to melt your chocolate before mixing to avoid a grainy texture.
3. 3. Cool your treats before coating. If you’re using chocolate ganache frosting to coat a layer cake or cookie, give them ample time to cool before covering them in the ganache. Coating this spreadable mixture over ingredients that are still warm will interfere with the setting process.
4. 4. Store in an airtight container. Make chocolate ganache up to 2 weeks ahead of time. It will keep well in an airtight container in the refrigerator.