Recently I blogged about my Chocolate and Red Wine cupcakes – a true wonder food if ever there was one! I topped those divine little creations with my yummy-scrummy-in-my-tummy chocolate ganache that I have used many times before, on my sublime Animal Print cupcakes or these elegant Zen Garden cupcakes, for example.
Really – the ganache is a must for all discerning chocolate-lovers – a creation that is both melt-in-the-mouth and pleasing on the eye.
Even better – it is very straightforward to make. Just use the best dark chocolate you can find for a simply delicious, indulgent topping.
Lindy’s Dark Chocolate Ganache Recipe
200g/7oz dark chocolate
200ml/7floz cream
1. Melt the chocolate and cream together in a bowl over a saucepan of gently simmering water, stirring occasionally to combine. Alternatively, use a microwave on low power, stirring thoroughly every 20 seconds or so. Be careful, however, as the chocolate can burn quickly and easily in the microwave!
2. The ganache can be used warm once it has thickened slightly and is of pouring consistency, or it can be left to cool so that it can be spread with a palette knife. Alternatively, once completely cool, it can be whisked to give a lighter texture.
(For a white chocolate ganache, use 200g/7oz of white chocolate and 80ml/2 & 3/4 fl oz cream – N.B. there is a typo with the quantities published in my cake decorating bible!)
As ever …
Happy and Beautiful Baking
Lindy 🙂
Gwen Tennant says
Hi Lindy, thank you very much for this ganache recipe, just one question please, does it matter whether you use single or double cream? Many thanks Gwen
Lindy Smith says
I always use double cream Gwen
Lindy
Gillian Robinson says
Hi Lindy,
Thanks so much for this. I was just wondering does the cocoa content of the chocolate matter? Does it need to be high, i.e over 70% or so?
Thanks so much! :o)
June Benson says
Hi Lindy
Can this ganache be used to cover a chocolate cake before fondant is used to cover, in other words instead of buttercream? Or would it be too soft?
Thanks and thanks for everything, all you tips etc., they’re fab!!
June :))
Lindy Smith says
Hi June
Let is cool to a spreadable consistency then it will be perfect 🙂
Katy Stewart says
Hi.
I was thinking of using a chocolate ganache recipe with your chocoate mudcake recipe, but wondered how long the ganache would last due to the cream? I am due to make a wedding cake in a few months. Would ganache be ok, or should I use buttercream? Could I make the cake and fill with ganache the night before?
Can I use ganache with chocolate cigarillos?
Many thanks in advance.
Jane says
Hello Gillian,
The higher the cocoa content the better the taste! Try using 70% or more.
Jane
Lindys Team says
Hi Katy
You could fill the cake with ganache the night before. Chocolate cigarillos can be used with chocolate ganache.
Good luck with your cake
Zoe
Thea Morris says
Hello
I need to make a white chocolate ganache as I am using white cigarillos. Above you have said use 600g white chocolate. What size cake will this amount cover? I am making 11″, 9″ and 7″ square cakes. Also, what type of white chocolate should I use – cooking white chocolate or normal eating white chocolate?
Many thanks
Thea
Thea Morris says
Actually perhaps I could get a bit more advice. I need to make a wedding cake similar to the following, except I shall be using white cigarillos on a chocolate cake:
http://www.maisiefantaisie.co.uk/cakepopup/raspberrycurlweddingcake.jpg
Should I use white chocolate ganache to cover the cake, or could I use chocolate buttercream or normal buttercream?
Which would you recommend? Do I prepare each cake individually and then went they have set, then stack them.
Many thanks in advance.
Thea
Jane says
Hello Lindsey,
I’d say 2-3 days if you kept it cool.
Jane
Jane says
Hello Thea,
The amounts in this recipe were just for the cupcakes. I think it will cover an 8″ cake, so you would need to make a few more batches for your stacked cake. I use white eating chocolate, but good quality, you can usually find it in the same place as the high percentage cocoa chocolate.
Jane
Amber says
Hello,
Can dark chocolate ganache be made in advance and kept in a pot overnight, ready to put on a cake in the morning? If so, what would I need to do to bring it back to the right consistency?
Thank you,
Amber
Sian says
Hi Thea
What a good looking cake!! We think you could use either a white chocolate ganache or white chocloate buttercream so that the colour matches!We think it would be easier to put the cigarillos on the base layer then add the second tier and put the cigarillos on, then the third! Otherwise it may prove trick to handle the cakes to stack them and you could end up breaking some of the cigarillos.
Good luck with, and let us see a photo of how the Cake turns out, we’d love to see it!!
Fiona
Lindys Team says
Hi Amber
It can be made in advance and kept in pot in the fridge overnight. How you then get it back to the right consitency will depend on how you want to use it. If you want to pour it for a glossy finish, we would recommend heating it in the microwave for second(s) at a time, if you want to use it like buttercream and spread it, we would allow it to return to room temperature. Lindy always makes hers and uses it the same day!
Fiona
lauren says
Hi, I’m new to using ganache. If I fill & cover using this ganache, then cover with fondant, how long can this cake be left out at room temperature? I need to make a rather large cake for next saturday & this won’t fit in my fridge.
Lindys Team says
Hi Lauren
Thanks for your query about using ganache. If you can’t keep it in the fridge, do you have somewhere that is cooler than room temperature to store it? Maybe an unheated utility room or garage. If so, it would last probably up to a week as the sugarpaste would seal it in. If you leave it at room temperature then it wouldn’t last that long.
You should keep it in a cardboard box not an airtight container.
Good luck.
Susie
hannah says
Hi Lindy & Team
I hope you can help. I have been looking for a chocolate ganache recipe for my daughter’s birthday cake. She loves peppa pig, a current kid cartoon character, I am going to make a character but I want to sit her on a muddy puddle and I thought ganache would be a nice idea, It looks as if your yummy cakes are ganache disc. My question is do you think I will be able to manipulate the ganache into a puddle shape?
Strange request I know but any advice you give me would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
Lindys Team says
Hi Hannah
The ganache gets thicker when it cools and therefore would be easier to make into a puddle. We do have a paint splat sugarcraft cutter which looks a bit like a puddle which may be of use. Here is a link to it on our online shop:-http://www.lindyscakes.co.uk/shop/Paint-Splat-Sugarcraft-Cutter-Lindy-s.html
Kind Regards
Zoe
hannah says
Hi Zoe
Thank you so much for coming back to me about the chocolate puddle. I had a look at the paint splat and it looks great, although I would prefer a larger puddle. I have a egg mould which is similar so I might be able to use that as a base and adapt. Worst case I will get to eat a few trial runs! ;o)
Mary noonan says
Hi Lindy, I attempted to make your white chocolate ganache from your Cupcake Celebration book and same recipe in your Cake Decorating Bible but think your measurements are wrong …. Please advise… Loving your books though….
Lindy Smith says
Hi Mary
I am afraid there is a typo with the quanities for the white chocolate ganache, the correct quanities are those in this blog post ie 200g/7oz of white chocolate and 80ml/2 & 3/4 fl oz cream.
Happy Baking
Lindy
Lynne says
I have tried a few different recipes for ganache, but find this one to be the worst yet. After making the ganache this morning, I noticed it had begun to separate, so split it in two & heated one lot while cooling the other. there is so much fat swimming over the chocolate, it is just going to split again.
Please help???
Lindys Team says
Hi Lynne
It sounds like you may have overheated the ganache. You could try adding some cold cream and whisking to rectify the splitting.
Lindy always microwaves her ganache and never has a problem.
Hope this helps and good luck!
Zoe
Karen Poole says
Hi Lindy,
Great recipe!! Many thanks. I have just one question, did I need to store ganache filled or covered cakes in the fridge due to the milk content, or are they ok left at room temp. If so how long/ many days will it last for?
Many thanks
Karen x
Lindys Team says
Hi Karen
It would be adviseable to store your ganache or the cakes in the fridge, in this hot weather especially. It should last as long as the sell by date on the cream.
Lindy’s Team