Chocolate Ganache Frosting {2 Ingredients}

The best, fudgy, quick and easy chocolate ganache frosting recipe, homemade with 2 simple ingredients (chocolate and heavy cream). Perfect for spreading on cakes and piping cupcakes or even icing brownies and cookies.

I am so happy to finally add this recipe to my growing collection of Frostings and Fillings. It's so delicious that I can eat it by the spoonfuls. It's almost like you are eating fudge but in the form of icing.

These appears to be a misconception that one can make ganache frosting with cocoa powder and milk. Let me clear that up for you: That's NOT possible! That's actually Chocolate Buttercream Frosting and totally different than than this recipe, which is heavily dependent on ratios of heavy cream and chocolate.

How to make chocolate ganache frosting?

1. Prep chocolate- Shred it or use a sharp knife to roughly chop it up.
2. Heat heavy cream- It should be warm and not boiling hot.
3. Pour heavy cream on chocolate- Let it sit for a few minutes until chocolate starts melting.
4. Mix- Whisk it very gently until smooth.
5. Let it sit at room temperature- It will thicken as it cools.
6. Chill- For 15-20 minutes. This is optional but I recommend it, especially if you will be piping and want the frosting to hold its shape.
7. Enjoy! Pipe or spread on your desserts.

What is the difference between ganache and frosting?

Ganache is made with high quality chocolate and heavy whipping cream. Buttercream frosting, on the other hand, is made with butter, shortening, cocoa powder and powdered sugar. It can also be tinted with gel coloring and flavored with extracts.

How do you thicken ganache for piping?

First, use the correct ratio- 2:1 (16 oz. chocolate and 8 oz. heavy cream).

Secondly, use high quality semisweet chocolate or dark chocolate with a high cocoa % without any fillers and stabilizers.

Thirdly, allow the melted ganache to set at room temperature and then, chill in the fridge for 20 minutes to make it even thicker and firmer for piping.

If frosting is still not thick enough, you can chill for a little longer or you can mix in some more melted chocolate and then let it set again and use that.

Does ganache need to be refrigerated? Can it be frozen?

Since dairy (e.g. heavy cream) is used, leftovers must be refrigerated to prevent it from going bad.

Yes, it can be frozen in a sealed airtight container for up to 1 month.

What type of chocolate is best for ganache?

The main goal is to use the highest quality of chocolate you can find. Typically, it should have at least 53% cocoa. The higher the quality, the better the flavor and consistency. I highly recommend the following: Callebaut, Guittard or Ghriadelli. They are expensive but worth it!Avoid using basic chocolate candy bars and even some low-quality chocolate chips since they have fillers, stabilizers, shortenings (instead of cocoa butter) in their ingredient list that does not yield the best results.

How do you sweeten chocolate ganache?

You cannot add powdered sugar or granulated sugar because that will alter the smooth consistency of this icing and make it lumpy/ grainy. Your only option is to use milk chocolate, which is obviously sweeter than dark chocolate.

I have heard that you can dissolve some granulated sugar (1-2 tbsp) in heavy cream first and then use that in the recipe to add sweetness. However, I haven't tried this myself yet.

Semisweet or Dark chocolate ganache frosting

The best ratio for this is 2:1 (16 oz. chocolate and 8 oz. heavy cream).

When the ganache is first made, it will have a thinner consistency but as it cools, it become thicker and is perfect for spreading or piping. I prefer chilling in the fridge for 15-20 minutes to make it easier to pipe so that it holds its shape.

This frosting is also great to use in complicated tiered cakes or sculpted cakes, which require more stability.

Milk chocolate ganache frosting

The best ratio for this is 2.5:1 (20 oz. chocolate and 8 oz. heavy cream).

You need to use more chocolate to help it set because milk chocolate contains more sugar and other ingredients, making it less stable than semisweet or dark chocolate.

Whipped chocolate ganache frosting

The best ratio for this is equal parts or 1:1 (8 oz. chocolate and 8 oz. heavy cream).

When warm, this soft ganache is perfect for making ganache drip cakes and can also be used as a chocolate drizzle or chocolate glaze for cakes and cupcakes.

However, you can also chill it until firm in the fridge and then whip it to make a light, airy, fluffy chocolate frosting.

White chocolate ganache frosting

The best ratio for this is 3:1 (24 oz. chocolate and 8 oz. heavy cream).

You need to use a lot of chocolate to help this frosting set because white chocolate contains only cocoa butter and no cocoa and is very soft.

Tips and Techniques

• Heavy cream must be warm- It cannot be boiling hot or else the frosting will separate.
• Heavy cream vs. Milk- You must use heavy cream because it's thicker and has a higher fat content. Milk will not yield the same results and sometimes, it can even cause the chocolate to seize.
• Use high quality chocolate- Such as Callebaut, Guittard or Ghriadelli for best flavor and consistency.
• Chop chocolate into small pieces or shred it- This allows it to melt quickly and evenly.
• Why is my frosting grainy and oily? That usually happens when you mixed in heavy cream that was too hot, causing the fat in the chocolate to separate or split. To fix this, allow that grainy ganache to set and then, melt it again over a double boiler, while gently whisking until it comes together again.
• Why is my frosting lumpy? That usually happens when the chocolate did not melt fully. To fix this, melt it again in the microwave or double boiler, while gently whisking until smooth.
• How to thin frosting? Mix in a bit more warm heavy cream and also heat it in the microwave to thin it out.
• How to thicken frosting? Mix in a bit more melted chocolate and also chill it in the fridge until it's thickened to your desired consistency.
• Rule of thumb- The more heavy cream you add, the softer and thinner your ganache frosting will be at room temperature. Also, the more cocoa % in your chocolate, the thicker and more stable your frosting will be.

How to enjoy this frosting?

Pair it with these cupcakes:

• Best Chocolate Cupcakes
• Best Vanilla Cupcakes
• Oreo Cupcakes

Or you can spread it on these cakes:

• Best Vanilla Cake
• Chocolate Cake
• Chocolate Brownie Cake

Recipe

Until next time, tata my lovelies!