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Two ingredients, one bowl, and your microwave are all it takes to make silky chocolate ganache in about 5 minutes. Pour it warm as a glaze or drip, or let it set for piping, whipping, and truffles.
This chocolate ganache takes two ingredients, one bowl, and about 5 minutes in the microwave. Bittersweet chocolate and heavy cream melt together into a glossy, silky sauce you can pour over a cake while it’s warm, or let set into a thick, spreadable chocolate frosting.
I come from three generations of bakers, and ganache is one of those foundational recipes every baker should have down. This version skips the double boiler and the saucepan entirely.
One batch covers a lot of ground. Glaze a Chocolate Swiss Roll Cake, dip soft cut-out sugar cookies or strawberries, make a drip cake, or whip it into a fluffy chocolate frosting.
Recipe at a Glance
What it is: A glossy, 2-ingredient chocolate ganache made with bittersweet chocolate and heavy cream, melted together in the microwave.
Why it works: Short 20-second bursts with stirring in between give you control over the heat, and stopping while a few small pieces remain lets the warm cream finish the job.
Time: 3 minutes prep, 2 minutes in the microwave, 5 minutes total. Allow extra cooling time if you want it set for piping or whipping.
Make-ahead and storage: Refrigerate in an airtight container with plastic wrap pressed onto the surface for up to a week. Rewarm in short microwave bursts, stirring between each, until it reaches the consistency you need.
Serve with: Cakes, cupcakes, cookies, fresh or dried fruit, pretzels, marshmallows, and cake pops.
Two ways to use it: Warm and fluid for glazing, dipping, and drips. Cooled and set for piped frosting, whipped frosting, and truffles.
Chocolate swaps: Dark, bittersweet, or semisweet chocolate all work for a deep, intense chocolate flavor.
Ingredients for Chocolate Ganache
- Bittersweet chocolate bar: The key to making good ganache is good quality chocolate. Good quality chocolate has just a few ingredients, easily melts in your mouth, and has a shiny, glossy finish. It should ‘snap’ when you break it apart which is a sign of properly tempered chocolate. Dark or semisweet chocolate also works.
- Heavy cream: Gives ganache its silky, pourable texture. Keep a little extra on hand to thin it if needed.
How to Make Chocolate Ganache in the Microwave
1. Break up the chocolate. Break the chocolate into small, uniform pieces so they melt at the same pace.
2. Combine in one bowl. Add the chocolate to a microwave-safe bowl and pour in the heavy cream.
3. Microwave in short bursts. Microwave for 20 seconds, then stir thoroughly. Repeat 3 to 4 times, depending on your microwave. Short bursts keep the heat under control.
4. Finish by stirring. Once the chocolate has melted down to small pieces, stop microwaving and keep stirring. The warm cream melts the last bits, and keep stirring until you end up with a smooth, homogenous, silky chocolate sauce.
5. Check the consistency. The ganache should flow smoothly off your spoon or spatula with no unmelted pieces. For a thinner ganache, rewarm it briefly or stir in more heavy cream a teaspoon at a time.
Ganache Consistency Guide
Ganache thickens as it cools, so the same batch can do different jobs depending on its temperature.
| State | What It Looks Like | Use It For |
|---|---|---|
| Melted | Thin, silky, and still warm; flows smoothly off a spoon | Glazing cakes and pastries, dipping, drip cakes |
| Hardened | Solid, cold or room temperature | Piped frosting, whipped frosting, truffles |
Too thick? Warm it in the microwave 5 to 10 seconds at a time, stirring between each. If it’s still too thick, stir in heavy cream a teaspoon at a time.
Too thin? Let it cool at room temperature or in the fridge, and avoid stirring while it cools, since that can make it lumpy. If it’s still too thin once cooled, stir in small pieces of chopped chocolate, then rewarm in short bursts, stirring after each, until smooth.
Ways to Use Chocolate Ganache
Glaze a Cake
Set your cake on a wire rack over a baking sheet to catch the runoff. Make sure the ganache is easily pourable; if it has firmed up, warm it until it flows smoothly off a spoon. Test the consistency on a few scrap pieces of cake first, then pour the ganache over the cake in one go so it covers everything at once. This is how I finish my Chocolate Swiss Roll Cake.
Dip Cookies and Fruit
Dip strawberries for Valentine’s Day, other fresh or dried fruit, pretzels, cake pops, or marshmallows. It’s also a great coating for soft cut-out sugar cookies.
Make a Drip Cake
Transfer the ganache to a squeeze bottle, or use a small spoon to slowly pour it over the edge of the cake. Do a test drip first. If it’s too thick, warm it 5 seconds at a time in the microwave. If it’s too thin, let it firm up a bit at room temperature or in the fridge.
Roll Chocolate Truffles
Use this chocolate ganache recipe to make chocolate truffles. Truffles are essentially hardened chocolate ganache that’s then shaped into balls and rolled into different toppings.
Pipe it as Frosting
Once the ganache has completely cooled and set, transfer it to a pastry bag fitted with a piping tip. Use it as a thick, rich chocolate frosting for cupcakes, cakes, and other pastries.
Whip it into Fluffy Frosting
Let the ganache cool completely, then whip it on medium-high with a whisk attachment, using a stand mixer or a hand mixer, until it’s lighter and fluffy, about 3 to 4 minutes.
Storing and Reheating Ganache
Refrigerate leftover ganache in an airtight container with a piece of plastic wrap pressed onto the surface so it doesn’t dry out. Use it within a week.
To reheat, remove the plastic wrap and transfer the ganache to a microwave-safe bowl. Warm it 5 to 10 seconds at a time, stirring after each, until it reaches the consistency you need.
Frequently Asked Questions
Let it cool, either at room temperature or in the fridge; it thickens naturally as it cools. Don’t stir it while it cools, or it can turn lumpy. If it’s still too thin once cooled, stir in small pieces of chopped chocolate, then rewarm in 5 to 10 second bursts, stirring after each, until smooth and thicker.
Rewarm it briefly in the microwave, since it thickens as it cools. If it’s still too thick, stir in heavy cream a teaspoon at a time.
Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container with plastic wrap pressed onto the surface, and use within a week. Rewarm in short microwave bursts before using.
Ganache is a mixture of chocolate and cream. Traditional frosting is typically made with butter and powdered sugar. Ganache can be used as a frosting, but it’s less sweet and contains no butter or added sugar.
A good-quality bar with just a few ingredients, a glossy finish, and a clean snap. Dark, bittersweet, or semisweet chocolate gives the deepest, most intense chocolate flavor.
Once you’ve made this ganache, you’ll find a reason to keep making it: a glaze for a cake, a dip for strawberries, or a whipped frosting for cupcakes, all from the same two ingredients. If you’re looking for somewhere to start, try it on my Chocolate Swiss Roll Cake or drizzle it over giant flourless chocolate cookies for a double-chocolate treat.
If you make it, I’d love to hear how you used it. Leave a comment and a star rating below, and subscribe for new recipes and baking tips in your inbox. You can also find me on Pinterest and Instagram.
5-Minute Chocolate Ganache
Ingredients
- 4 oz bittersweet chocolate bar
- ½ cup heavy cream, Optional: additional 1 – 3 teaspoons depending on desired thinness
Instructions
- Break the chocolate into small, uniform pieces and add it to a microwave-safe bowl along with the heavy cream.
- Microwave for 20 seconds, then stir well. Depending on the strength of your microwave, you may need to repeat this 3 to 4 times.
- Once the chocolate has melted down to small pieces, stop microwaving and keep stirring until the ganache is smooth, homogeneous, and silky. It should flow smoothly off your spoon with no unmelted pieces.
- Use warm for glazing and dipping, or let it cool and set for frosting (see notes).
Notes
- Yield: Makes about ¾ cup of chocolate ganache.
- Chocolate: Use a good-quality dark, bittersweet, or semisweet chocolate bar for the best flavor and the smoothest texture.
- Glazing a cake: Make sure the ganache is easily pourable. Test it on scrap pieces of cake, then pour over the cake in one go to cover it all at once.
- Drip cakes: Use a squeeze bottle or small spoon and do a test drip first. Too thick? Warm 5 seconds at a time. Too thin? Let it firm up at room temperature or in the fridge.
- Piped frosting: Let the ganache cool completely at room temperature, then pipe with a pastry bag and tip.
- Whipped frosting: Once completely cool, whip on medium-high with a whisk attachment for 3 to 4 minutes, until light and fluffy.
- Thickening: Ganache firms as it cools. Let it cool in the fridge or at room temperature, without stirring. If it’s still too thin, stir in small pieces of chopped chocolate and rewarm in short bursts until smooth.
- Thinning: Rewarm 5 to 10 seconds at a time, stirring between each. If it’s still too thick, stir in heavy cream 1 teaspoon at a time.
- Storage: Refrigerate in an airtight container with plastic wrap pressed onto the surface. Use within a week.
- Reheating: Remove the plastic wrap and warm in a microwave-safe bowl 5 to 10 seconds at a time, stirring after each, until it reaches the consistency you need.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like this? Leave a comment below!
This recipe is so flexible and has many great uses. We have tried all of the variations now, and especially loved the whipped ganache! It is really simple to make, and looks so good (not to mention tastes incredible…)
SO many uses for this delicious ganache – this is the best recipe to have on hand!
This chocolate glaze was so rich in flavor and absolutely delicious. It came out so smooth!
I usually make my ganache the hard way, on stovetop in a double boiler. This microwave version is super easy and really quick, so much simpler than my usual method. 🙂
This is so helpful! Baking always intimidates me but this is simple and works for so many desserts.
I love the versatility of this ganache and how easy it is to make.
This was so great and so quick. So many different uses for this. I tried this on strawberries first but won’t be my last.