How to make the best silky smooth whipped chocolate ganache frosting with this easy recipe and my tips (+ video). It's perfect as a cake filling or to decorate all your chocolate cakes and cupcakes!
Jump to:
- What is a Whipped Ganache Frosting?
- Why you'll love this recipe
- Ingredients you need
- How to Make Whipped Chocolate Ganache Frosting
- Serving Suggestions
- Best Tips For Whipped Ganache
- Storage instruction
- Variations & Substitutions
- Questions & Ganache Troubleshooting
- More Chocolate Ganache Recipes
- Whipped Chocolate Ganache
What is a Whipped Ganache Frosting?
Whipped chocolate ganache is a delicious chocolate-based frosting recipe, widely used in pastry making to fill or decorate cakes, like a layer cake, chocolate cupcakes, tarts, pies, and even in French entremets, or a chocolate mousse cake.
It is mainly made of a mixture of melted chocolate and heavy cream but in a different ratio than the classic chocolate ganache recipe, whipped ganache ratio is higher, giving generally thicker and less unctuous in texture.
As its name suggests, this ganache is whipped with a hand mixer or a stand mixer to obtain a fluffy whipped chocolate frosting with an airy and light texture.
Why you'll love this recipe
More recipes for chocolate lovers: Give these a try, Chocolate birthday cake, chocolate ganache macarons and triple chocolate brownies.
Ingredients you need
You need these ingredients to make this whipped ganache frosting:
- Chocolate: Preferably use good quality chocolate, semi-sweet chocolate chips, chocolate bars, or dark bittersweet chocolate, Valhrona, Callebaut or Cacao Barry are the brands I prefer for professional pastries.
- Heavy Cream: Only room temperature heavy cream with at least 30% fat or heavy whipping cream with 35 % fat. One part is incorporated hot hot and the other part is incorporated cold.
How to Make Whipped Chocolate Ganache Frosting
Here are some quick visual instructions. Don't forget that full recipe instructions with exact ingredients can be found in the recipe card below!
- Place the chopped chocolate or chocolate chips in a large bowl.
- Melt it in a double boiler, placing the large bowl over a saucepan containing a little water over medium heat.
- Stir with a spatula or spoon until the chocolate is well melted.
- Place the heavy cream in a saucepan and heat over medium heat until simmering.
- Remove from heat and pour the hot cream over the melted chocolate in 2-3 batches (depending on the amount of ganache being made) and stir between each addition with a spatula or wooden spoon to obtain a smooth ganache without lumps.
- Add the other part of the cold cream to the ganache.
- Stir again with a spatula to incorporate it until you have a liquid ganache.
- Cover the warm ganache in contact with a plastic wrap and place in the fridge overnight (at least 6 hours).
Whip the ganache
- Place the cooled chocolate ganache in the mixing bowl of your hand mixer or your stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.
- Whip on medium speed for about 3 to 4 minutes until you have a smooth and fluffy ganache.
- Use the whipped ganache frosting immediately to frost or fill your cakes or place in the refrigerator until needed.
Serving Suggestions
- Chocolate Cake: Spread chocolate ganache between layers and over the top of this chocolate cake for a rich and indulgent frosting like this chocolate ganache cake.
- Cupcakes: Pipe whipped ganache onto chocolate cupcakes to create elegant and decadent swirls like these marble cupcakes.
- Profiteroles: Fill profiteroles (cream puffs) with chocolate ganache for a classic French dessert.
- Tarts: Use whipped chocolate ganache as a filling for chocolate tarts or tartlets, and garnish with fresh fruit or nuts.
- Chocolate Mousse: Layer whipped chocolate ganache with chocolate mousse in dessert cups for a double chocolate treat.
- Eclairs: Fill éclairs with whipped chocolate ganache frosting for a luxurious cream-filled pastry.
- Brownies: Spread chocolate whipped frosting on top of brownies for an extra layer of chocolatey goodness.
- Chocolate-Dipped Fruits: Dip strawberries, banana slices, or other fruits into whipped ganache for a decadent fondue-style dessert.
- Tiramisu: Layer whipped ganache with coffee-soaked ladyfingers and mascarpone cheese for a twist on the classic dessert.
Best Tips For Whipped Ganache
Secret tip
Use an electric mixer: rather than a stand mixer, which is often too powerful and whips the ganache too quickly, the ganache may slice and become grainy.
Storage instruction
In the fridge: store whipped ganache in an airtight container for 3-4 days to maintain its texture.
How to Freeze: Freezing whipped ganache is possible: portion, freeze on a baking sheet, transfer to a sealed bag, and label for up to 2-3 months of storage.
⚠️ However, please note that the texture may change upon thawing, and it won't whip back to the same light and airy consistency. It's recommended to use whipped ganache immediately for the best results instead of freezing if texture is important.
Variations & Substitutions
Questions & Ganache Troubleshooting
What is the difference between chocolate ganache and chocolate whipped cream?
Ganache is a mixture of melted chocolate and cream while chocolate whipped cream is usually a whipped cream flavored with cocoa powder.
Which chocolate to use for the ganache?
For best results and to have a ganache with a better hold, use preferably a quality baking chocolate rich in cocoa butter.
Why my whipped ganache is grainy?
This is the case if you have whipped it too fast or too long, but also if the chocolate has been heated too much.
How to fix a grainy ganache?
If your ganache is grainy then melt it in a double boiler until it is completely liquid then let it cool overnight in the fridge before whipping it again.
How to make whipped ganache more firmer?
For a firmer ganache, you can reduce the amount of cream, add gelatin, or replace some of the cream with mascarpone cheese.
Does whipped ganache set hard?
When cold, the ganache hardens a little and has a creamy texture, but it is not hard like a classic chocolate ganache because it contains more cream.
Can I use whipping cream for my ganache?
Yes, it is possible to use whipping cream as long as it has a minimum of 30% fat.
More Chocolate Ganache Recipes
I hope you love this Chocolate ganache frosting. If you make it, be sure to leave a comment and a rating so I know how you liked it. Happy Baking!
Print
Whipped Chocolate Ganache
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 12 portions
Description
Recipe of the smooth and fluffy whipped chocolate ganache frosting perfect for garnishing and decorating all your cakes.
Ingredients
- 200 g (7 oz) Baking chocolate
- 600 g heavy cream - full fat
Instructions
- Cut the baking chocolate into small pieces or chop it finely with a knife, then place it in a large bowl.
- Melt the chocolate in a double boiler in a saucepan with a little water over medium heat or use your microwave in 20 second increments until it is completely melted and smooth, then set aside. (be careful not to overheat it or it will burn)
- Place half of the full heavy cream in a saucepan and heat over medium heat until simmering then remove from heat.
- Pour the hot cream over the melted chocolate in 3 batches and mix after each addition with a flexible spatula or wooden spoon vigorously until you have a smooth, homogenous ganache (you can run a hand blender through the ganache to smooth it out)
- Then add the other half of the cold heavy cream and mix again to incorporate it.
- Cover and place in the fridge overnight (minimum 6 hours) until completely chilled.
- Transfer the cooled ganache to the bowl of a mixer or the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.
- Whip on medium speed for about 3 to 4 minutes until you have a smooth, firm ganache. (Be careful with the speed and watch the texture carefully to prevent it from graining)
- Use the whipped ganache immediately on your cakes.
Notes
Conservation: the ganache can be kept for about 2 days in the refrigerator under a plastic wrap. Once it has been whipped up, it is best to use it immediately as the air bubbles will escape and it will gradually lose its smooth texture.
You can replace half of the heavy cream incorporated cold by mascarpone by adding it when whipping the ganache.
You can flavor the ganache by infusing your flavor into the hot cream.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Category: Frosting, ganache,
- Cuisine: French
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 portions
- Calories: 277
- Sugar: 1.6 g
- Sodium: 17.5 mg
- Fat: 26.8 g
- Carbohydrates: 6.1 g
- Protein: 3.8 g
- Cholesterol: 56.8 mg
Hello
Can I use your ganache recipe to fill macarons? If so, would you recommend adding gelatin in what proportion? With my thanks
Hello, yes, it's possible to use chocolate ganache to fill macarons, and it's not necessary to use gelatine, as it's quite firm.
Can I freeze a cake filled and frosted with whipped Ganache, either made with whipping cream or mascarpone? Thank you.
Hi, yes it's possible to freeze a whipped ganache, even if it contains mascarpone cheese, as long as it is already filled in the cake.
Would the milk chocolate ganache recipe be enough to frost a two layer cake and fill it?
Hi, it will depend on the diameter of the cake, the best is to double the quantities because I don't think you will have enough for the outside and inside of a 6 inches / 15 cm cake.
Hello, I need to make a layer cake with a whipped dark chocolate ganache. Do you think I can make it and freeze it without the covering since it will be a mascarpone chantilly.
Or should I freeze the non-whipped ganache separately?
Thank you for your help.
Hello, yes, it's better to freeze the cake already filled with the whipped ganache, then let it defrost in the fridge and add your coating.
Hello I would like to know if I prepare my whipped ganache non whipped how long before I can prepare it thank you.
Hello, you can prepare it 2-3 days in advance, keep it in the fridge and whip it up on the day.
Hello,
i'd like to make some cupcakes and a chocolate ganache topping. once they're done, how can i keep them without the ganache running or softening?
thank you in advance
Hello,
I have a Kinder layer cake to make for Saturday and I wanted to know if it was possible to assemble my cake with ganache on Thursday and keep it in the fridge until Saturday.
Thanks for your clear info…first time I have seen the cold cream addition. Keen to try. I have many slab cakes to make for a wedding, can I cover and store the day before in the fridge without covering as I don’t have containers suitable….or can use cling wrap? Could be hot weather so may be unsuitable to leave out. Thanks
Hello, thank you for your message, yes you should always keep cakes with this ganache frosting in the fridge to avoid any risk of intoxication, you can cover them with plastic wrap and keep them in the fridge..