White Chocolate Ganache Recipe – Drip, glaze it, spread it.
Chocolate ganache is the most versatile frosting you can make but white chocolate ganache can be a bit fussier than regular ganache. Today, I share with you everything you need to know about making white chocolate ganache including a step by step video tutorial on how I make my white chocolate ganache.
White Chocolate Ganache Recipe, Best White Chocolate Ganache, How to use Ganache, Ganache for cake decorating
How many of you have experience seized white chocolate? and how many of you have experienced lumpy white chocolate? Well, my hand was both times? Yes, a very experienced white chocolate person here. When I say experience I mean I aced at burning white chocolate. Want to know why? I am impatient. Yes, I have no patience with white chocolate but over the years I have learned the hard way.
White Chocolate Ganache Recipe, Best White Chocolate Ganache, How to use Ganache, Ganache for cake decorating
Is White Chocolate not chocolate?
Many people say white chocolate is not real chocolate. I think it is! 45% of the cocoa butter used in good white chocolate comes from the cocoa pod. But while it had cocoa butter it really does not have any cocoa solids in there. White chocolate is basically a combination of cocoa butter, sugar, milk solids which should pretty much tell you why we say it’s so temperamental. A little extra heat and you will find that the cocoa butter can burn and render your white chocolate unusable.
Why am I telling you this? Well, one of the biggest challenges to melting white chocolate or making white chocolate ganache is in the heating process. It can easily seize, get lumpy or grainy when heating and scorches very easily.
The best way to heat white chocolate is a double boiler. We discussed double boiler in a separate thread already but the idea is to have a bowl of hot water on the bottom with smaller bowl nestled in the larger bowl. The water in the bottom bowl must not touch the top bowl. The ideas are to melt the chocolate with the steam from the bottom bowl. This steam is all it takes to melt chocolate. YUP!
White Chocolate Ganache Recipe, Best White Chocolate Ganache, How to use Ganache, Ganache for cake decorating
Cake Decorators Chocolate Ganache Recipe
Now, before you continue and I give you my white chocolate ganache recipe. Did you know that we cake decorators don’t use the same ratio as below for our cake decorating purposes? Well, it’s the same recipe but the ratio of chocolate to cream is different. I’ve explained more in detail when I shared my Cake Decorators Ganache recipe.
So, if you are looking to use Ganache for a novelty cake, wedding cake, or under fondant? Then you need to use my cake decorators ganache recipe for regular cakes, cupcakes and desserts this is perfect.
White Chocolate Ganache Recipe, Best White Chocolate Ganache, How to use Ganache, Ganache for cake decorating
Recipe White Chocolate Ganache – Just two ingredients (Save/Pin)
One of the simplest Frostings you can make for any dessert, cake, cupcakes are a ganache. You can use dark, semi-sweet, milk or white chocolate and you have a completely different product every single time. You can find regular dark chocolate ganache recipe and its uses here.
Tools
- Double Boiler or Microwave
- Bowl
- Spatulaor Wooden Spoon
- Cling wrap/ Plastic wrap
White Chocolate Ganache Recipe, Best White Chocolate Ganache, How to use Ganache, Ganache for cake
Ingredients
- Heavy Cream – 250 ml (1 cup)
- White Chocolate – 250 grams (8.8 oz)
Method
Hot cream method (see video)
- Place chocolate in a heatproof bowl – set aside
- Pour cream in a saucepan and bring to an almost boil but do not boil. (I heat it in the microwave for a minute)
- Next, pour hot cream over the chocolate.
- Cover and let sit for a minute
- Stir until smooth.
- Tip: the heat in the cream should be just enough to melt the chocolate, so keep stirring. For some reason, if you still have unmelted bits of chocolate, place the bowl over another bowl of hot water and stir till melted. A little heat is all it takes.
Microwave Ganache (see video below)
- Break the chocolate in a microwave safe bowl,
- Pour cream over the chocolate
- Place the bowl in the microwave for a min on high.
- Stir well until you have a smooth ganache
- If necessary – continue to heat in microwave at 30 sec intervals until you have a smooth mix.
Using Ganache
- Let the chocolate ganache cool to room temperature first.
- You can use it in this liquid form as a glaze or drizzle it over cakes and cupcakes.
- If you let it cool some more it gets firmer. Once firm you can use a spatula and apply it to the cake.
- Or put it in a piping bag and pipe some pretty swirls on cakes and cupcakes.
Storing Ganache covered cakes
Chocolate had a high content of fat and sugar which is why ganache can actually stay at room temperature for hours and not get ruined.
How to use this white chocolate ganache
- Ganache Drips – Fresh ganache in its liquid form works such a treat over drizzled cupcakes like the one below in the video.
- Ganache glaze – Again fresh ganache while still in its liquid form can be poured over your favorite dessert or cake for that chocolate glaze. If your ganache is a bit thick, add a tablespoon or two or corn syrup or vegetable oil – voila..it’s pouring consistency now.
- Ganache a cake – Let the fresh ganache set for a while and guess what happens the chocolate in it sets which makes it thicker and easy to spread – similar to peanut butter consistency. Now, you can spread it between layers of a cake and around the cake. Apply liberally to the cake, use a warm spatula to smooth it. If necessary chill it to let it set between spreading.
Tip – if you need to wrap a cake with ganache – do not use this recipe. Use my cake decorators ganache recipes instead. Trust me on this one, I’ve been a cake decorator for years. - Piped ganache – Whip the cooled ganache a little to add volume to the cream in the ganache. This also adds stability to the ganache which means you can put it in a piping bag and pipe amazing details to decorated cakes and cupcakes.
Tip/Trick: if you over whip your ganache? don’t worry too much – just add a tablespoon of milk and give it a good stir.. it should be smooth and creamy again.
10 Tips/Troubleshoot when making Chocolate Ganache
- Always chop chocolate finely or keep them to similar size pieces. That way the whole batch will melt evenly.
- Never let heavy whipping cream boil. You want the cream to be hot but not boiling. If necessary it’s better to place the ganache in the microwave for 30 seconds to get the last bit of unmelted chocolate.
- If you have one or two stubborn pieces of chocolate left in the ganache that won’t melt. It’s best to remove them, then to take a chance of overheating the whole batch and risking a split.
- Microwave ganache – often a culprit of overheated ganache. Depending on how big the batch is, start with 30 seconds then heat at increments of 1o secs stirring between every interval to distribute the heat evenly.
- Ganache has split or separated – this happens when the cocoa solids and fat don’t emulsify properly. Add a splash of milk and give it a good stir. Add another splash and stir again until you have a smooth ganache.
- If the chocolate looks lumpy, grainy means you have overheated the chocolate. Use a stick blender and give it a whiz. All should be well again.
- If you realize the ganache is split only after it has cooled. Add a little more chocolate to it. And reheat the melting process keeping a close watch, making sure to stir and encourage even distribution of heat. If necessary add more cream to maintain the ganache ratio you need.
- Never over mix chocolate ganache – this will incorporate too much air into the ganache but also can cause the ganache to split. Especially with white chocolate ganache keep stirring to a minimum once the chocolate is melted.
- Ganache is best made in a glass bowl when using a microwave and in a stainless steel when using a stove top. Never use plastic or aluminum for melting chocolate, the ganache will not have a shiny appearance.
- Place a plastic wrap/cling wrap directly over the ganache when letting it cool. This will prevent any crust from forming on top.
Don’t forget to save this recipe on Pinterest for later.
You can find a collection of my tutorials and recipes here on Pinterest.
White Chocolate Ganache Recipe, Best White Chocolate Ganache, How to use Ganache, Ganache for cake decorating
White Chocolate Ganache Video Tutorial - drips, glaze it, spread it
Ingredients
- 250 ml Heavy Cream (1 cup) 1 cup
- 250 grams White Chocolate (1 cup) 8.8 oz
Instructions
Hot Cream Method (see video)
- Place chocolate in a heatproof bowl - set aside
- Pour cream in a saucepan and bring to an almost boil but do not boil. (I heat it in the microwave for a minute)
- Next, pour hot cream over the chocolate.
- Cover and let sit for a minute
- Stir until smooth.
- Tip: the heat in the cream should be just enough to melt the chocolate, so keep stirring. For some reason, if you still have unmelted bits of chocolate, place the bowl over another bowl of hot water and stir till melted. A little heat is all it takes.
Microwave Method (I used this method in my dark chocolate ganache video)
- Break the chocolate in a microwave safe bowl,
- Pour cream over the chocolate
- Place the bowl in the microwave for a min on high.
- Stir well until you have a smooth ganache
- If necessary - continue to heat in microwave at 30 sec intervals until you have a smooth mix.
Using Ganache
- Let the chocolate ganache cool to room temperature first.
- You can use it in this liquid form as a glaze or drizzle it over cakes and cupcakes.
- If you let it cool some more it gets firmer. Once firm you can use a spatula and apply it to the cake.
- Or put it in a piping bag and pipe some pretty swirls on cakes and cupcakes.Storing Ganache covered cakes
- Chocolate had a high content of fat and sugar which is why ganache can actually stay at room temperature for hours and not get ruing.
Chef's Tips
How to use chocolate ganache
- Ganache Drips – Fresh ganache in its liquid form works such a treat over drizzled cupcakes like the one below in the video.
- Ganache glaze – Again fresh ganache while still in its liquid form can be poured over your favorite dessert or cake for that chocolate glaze. If your ganache is a bit thick, add a tablespoon or two or corn syrup or vegetable oil – voila..it’s pouring consistency now.
- Ganache a cake – Let the fresh ganache set for a while and guess what happens the chocolate in it sets which makes it thicker and easy to spread – similar to peanut butter consistency. Now, you can spread it between layers of a cake and around the cake. Apply liberally to the cake, use a warm spatula to smooth it. If necessary chill it to let it set between spreading.
Tip – if you need to wrap a cake with ganache – do not use this recipe. Use my cake decorators ganache recipes instead. Trust me on this one, I’ve been a cake decorator for years. - Piped ganache – Whip the cooled ganache a little to add volume to the cream in the ganache. This also adds stability to the ganache which means you can put it in a piping bag and pipe amazing details to decorated cakes and cupcakes.
Tip/Trick: if you over whip your ganache? don’t worry too much – just add a tablespoon of milk and give it a good stir.. it should be smooth and creamy again.
Nutrition Information
More Chocolate Ganache Recipes
- Classic White Chocolate Ganache video- here
- Classic Chocolate Ganache (dark) video – here
- Cake Decorators White Chocolate Ganache – here
- Cake Decorators Chocolate Ganache (Dark) – here
- Chocolate Ganache Cake Filling – here
- Chocolate Ganache Glaze and Drips – here
- How to ganache a Cake video – here
- How to get sharp edges on ganache cakes – here
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A collection of cake recipes by Veena Azmanov – Tried and Tested Cake Recipes
My mind is filled with visions of ganache and macarons. I’m learning so much and I’m dying to apply it. I really haven’t used a lot of melted white chocolate. What I do have two container of — is cocoa butter. I will have to find some way to use it. But getting back to the ganache — this is one challenge I have to master.
Thank you, Marisa. Oh you will have no problem with ganache – just follow the basics and you will be a pro..
I learned so many things about banking on your blog. You make it look so easy and delicious at the same time!
Thank you, so much Denise.
This looks so creamy. I know all about chocolate seizing….especially white chocolate. My kids always say white chocolate is not chocolate LOL!! I will have to give this method a try.
Absolutely, Gloria. White chocolate can be very fuzzy.
This is awesome Veena! My ganache sometimes splits or breaks and I’m at a loss of how to bring it back. Loving your tips and I cannot wait to try again especially with Thanksgiving around the corner.
Thank you, Jolina. Yes, often ganache can split. White chocolate is especially very temperamental. Glad you find this post useful
Love this recipe and all the notes you have shared.Thank you for always sharing your recipes and tutorials with such details. Made white chocolate ganache for the first time using this recipe
Thank you so much, Gwalior. So happy to hear you have success with this recipe. Thank you for coming back to write this feedback.
Great tips thank you – I finally managed to make white chocolate ganache without it splitting.. Thank you. I am so impatient like you. Something to learn for us both.
Thank you Michelle. ha..!! Absolutely, there is always something we can improve on. I do ty my best to be patient lol… but life gets the better of me.