Easy Dark Chocolate Whipped Ganache Recipe
This Dark Chocolate Whipped Ganache recipe is not only incredibly delicious but also remarkably easy to prepare. Whether you're filling macarons, cakes, or topping tarts, this recipe is sure to impress!
I am offering this recipe for free to celebrate my Instagram account reaching 200,000 followers. This recipe is from my Whipped Ganache Mastery eBook, that sold +2,500 copy in 4 months only. It's all thanks to you! The eBook has 26 delicious and creative whipped ganache recipes. If you speak French, you can find the French version of the eBook here!
You can also find my most popular recipe here, the Free Vanilla Bean Whipped Ganache eBook that was downloaded by +90,000 professional and hobby bakers!
How to Use This Dark Chocolate Whipped Ganache
I use my dark chocolate whipped ganache solely for cake fillings, macaron fillings, choux/eclairs fillings tart piping, you can use them for your cake layers, cake jars and cake slices. I would not recommend using them to cover your cakes, as they are not as stable as buttercream, regular ganache, or fondant.
This dark chocolate whipped ganache is not advised for chocolate bonbons, even in its un-whipped form because of the high content in cream compared to a regular dark chocolate ganache.
What is a Whipped Ganache?
Whipped ganache is one of the staple recipes of French Pastry. It differs from the classic ganache by the addition of cold heavy/whipping cream to the chocolate and hot cream emulsion to obtain a soft, foamy ganache with a much lighter texture. The ganache is then put in the fridge overnight to set. After that, the ganache is whipped with an electric hand mixer or stand mixer, just like whipped cream.
At Sab Pastries, we only use this dark chocolate whipped ganache for our fillings because of its light and creamy texture which goes better as cake fillings. It's much better than buttercream in my opinion!
Dark chocolate whipped ganache is a crowd favorite, it has the perfect amount of sweetness and decadency!
Why the Cold Cream Addition?
When the heavy cream is heated, the fat molecules liquefy and lose their ability to trap the air bubbles. We need the fat here to trap the air bubble so the ganache can rise and increase in volume while its being whipped! An easier explanation is just that a cream that was not heated whips easily! This is the real recipe of a whipped ganache, the addition of cold cream is mandatory also because it helps cool down the ganache quickly.
What Kind of Chocolate to Use:
At Sab Pastries, we exclusively use couverture chocolate. Our favorite brand is Lindt Piccoli , known for its excellent taste and balanced sugar content (we are not sponsored, just being authentic about what we use). You can use any other type of couverture chocolate such as Valrhona, Callebaut, Cacao Barry, etc. The chocolate that has the closest taste to Lindt is Valrhona. You can also use premium baking chocolate chips and chocolate tablets. However, do not use low quality products like chocolate wafers!
This recipe is suitable for various percentage of cocoa in the dark chocolate. You can use semisweet chocolate, 40% to 75% dark chocolate. If you're planning on using a dark chocolate with a cocoa content higher than 75%, you increase the amount of cold whipping cream to 350 ml instead of 300 ml in the original recipe.
What Kind of Cream to Use:
It is mandatory to use a heavy/whipping cream that has at least 33% - 35% mg of fat content. We need the fat for the whipping process. Heavy cream and whipping are the same type of cream, I will use the terms interchangeably throughout the recipe.
A little precision about the terms used in this recipe:
Heavy/whipping cream to be heated refers to the cream that must be heated and mixed with the melted chocolate.
Cold heavy/whipping cream refers to the cream that will be added to the chocolate and hot cream emulsion to cool it down.
Where do I Get The Ingredients:
Utensil Needed:
I swear by precise recipes, baking is all about being precise with your measurements. That's why I love using my digital kitchen scale to ensure that everything is measured out correctly. You can never be too precise while baking!
Here are all the utensils needed for this amazing recipe:
Melting dark chocolate
You will see that contrary to popular ganache recipes, I start by melting the chocolate by itself. This is to ensure that the chocolate is fully melted. We will have everything under control, hence reducing risks of ruining the ganache.
Caution: the melting process for dark chocolate is very delicate, so be careful to not overheat, otherwise the chocolate will burn. For my dark chocolate whipped ganache, I melt my dark chocolate over a double boiler or bain-marie. I alway make sure that the water bath is not excessively boiling. I always use my silicone spatula to stir the chocolate so that the heat can be distributed evenly throughout the bowl.
If you start to feel like the chocolate is too hot, you can remove it from the bain-marie and let it rest. The heat in the bowl will melt the remaining chocolate while it rests. If your chocolate it still not fully melted after that, you can put the bowl back on the bain-marie.
The Melted Chocolate and Hot Cream Emulsion:
The first step of this dark chocolate whipped ganache recipe is the regular ganache. We make a regular dark chocolate ganache with a 1:1 ratio of dark chocolate to whipping cream. The steps of this process can be tricky if it's your first time making it. As you add the hot cream, the oil from the chocolate will start to separate from the mass, but don't worry, it's normal. As you add all of the cream and stir with your spatula, everything will come back together smoothly.
Step 1: Addition of one third of the hot cream to the melted chocolate
Step 2: Addition of the second third of the hot cream
Step 3: Addition of 3/3 of the hot cream to the emulsion, the ganache is ready!
Whipping a Dark Chocolate Ganache
The whipping part for a dark chocolate whipped ganache is a bit tricky, because the texture of the dark chocolate ganache before the mixer may seem curdled already. It's normal, as depending on the chocolate you use, your ganache may look like this. So when the mixer is on, pay close attention.
Whipping a dark chocolate ganache is very delicate as it will overwhip extremely fast. My tips is to make little stops to see when the ganache stop being runny and can make stiff/soft peaks. There is no set time to whip for, you will have to judge by yourself. As your ganache whips, it color will lighten. You will master the art of whipping ganaches the more you make it!
Be careful not to whip this dark chocolate ganache too fast (e.g. starting with your mixer set to the highest speed) or for too long when whipping it, otherwise it will have a grainy texture and will be ruined.
How to Troubleshoot Your Ganache:
Does your ganache have a runny consistency after setting in the fridge ? That’s the normal consistency of the ganache base, you should have no trouble whipping it. Think about whipped cream, the cream has a liquid consistency before being whipped.
Is your ganache too hard after the fridge ? That’s very uncommon as no matter how set your ganache base is, you should be able to insert a whisk in it and mix it to whip it. If it is too hard, leave it at room temp to soften a bit, but before whipping make sure that the ganache is still very cold.
You’ve been whipping your ganache but the consistency is not changing! This generally happens when the speed of your mixer is too slow. You should start mixing on low-medium speed and gradually increase the speed. We need power to make the ganache rise and change from a regular ganache to a whipped ganache. Make sure to use heavy cream that has at least 33% of fat and good quality chocolate. A light cream will not whip.
How long should one whip the ganache for? There is no set time, you have to carefully watch the consistency of your ganache change. You can make little stops while whipping to check the texture of the ganache. The more you make whipped ganaches, the better you will become at it. The time also varies from recipes to recipes.
You tried whipping your ganache but you got a grainy, curdled mixture! That means that you over-whipped, either too fast or for too long. This happens when you don’t stop the mixer at the right moment. The right moment is as soon as you see that your ganache has firmed up and can remain still on the whisk, without dripping like when you initially starter whipping. Remember to not leave your ganache unattended while the mixer is on. One second of inattention and you will have a grainy ganache.
How to save an over-whipped ganache? Put back the bowl that has your over-whipped ganache onto the bain-marie and gently reheat while stirring with your spatula. Once everything has melted down, cover with plastic wrap and let it set overnight in the fridge. After, the ganache has set, attempt to whip again. This time you will have the opportunity to learn from your errors and whip the ganache correctly.
Storing Tips:
Always keep the whipped ganache in the fridge anytime you are not immediately using it. The whipped ganache tends to melt as it comes to room temperature, but will be stable once in between cake layers.
Viral Ganache Scooping Videos
If you want a ganache that has the consistency of the pictures below, you will need to leave it for a minimum of 24h to 48h or even longer in the fridge to firmly set. HOWEVER... this consistency is not mandatory for your ganache to whip. After 3-6 hours in the fridge, your ganache should be already very cold and should whip with no problem!
When I am making big batches of ganaches I start my prep ahead of time, so I can make them 2 to 3 days before I need them. That’s how I get that consistency. Apart from that, my ganache consistency after the fridge is generally a little bit runny. Don’t worry if your ganache looks runny, it is very normal
Conclusion
In conclusion, whipped ganache is a delectable choice for filling macarons, cakes, and choux pastries. Its airy texture and rich flavor make it a delightful alternative to overly sweet and buttery buttercream. If you've enjoyed this recipe, I invite you to explore my Whipped Ganache Mastery eBook, featuring 26 mouthwatering whipped ganache recipes.
Don't forget to share this blog post on your favorite social media platforms to spread the love for this delicious treat among fellow foodies. The recipe card with the steps-by-steps details is below !
- 200 g Dark Chocolate (High quality or couverture chocolate prefered)
- 200 ml Whipping cream to be heated (Heavy/Whipping with minimum 33% or fat)
- 300 ml Cold whipping cream (Heavy/Whipping with minimum 33% or fat)
- 10 g Honey (optional)
- Step 1
Start by melting the dark chocolate in a bain-marie or in the microwave at low temperature and set aside. The bain-marie is suggested for a well-controlled melting process. However, make sure that the water in the saucepan does not excessively boil.
- Step 2
Heat the first part of the whipping cream in a saucepan, with the honey if you're using it, until the first simmers appear. The cream should be almost boiling but not excessively.
- Step 3
Pour a third of the hot cream over the melted dark chocolate and emulsify with a spatula and repeat the process with the remaining two thirds. You will see the oil from the chocolate separate, don't worry it will come back together once all the hot cream will be incorporated.
- Step 4
After having thoroughly incorporated the hot cream into the melted chocolate, add the cold cream and stir until smooth. Blend everything with an immersion blender for 1-2 mins to have a smooth texture.
- Step 5
Cover the ganache with plastic wrap (saran wrap) and let it set in the fridge for at least 3 hours, or preferably overnight. The ganache must be well cooled so that you can whip it.
- Step 6
Before whipping the ganache, place the whisk attachment and the bowl of your mixer (if you are using one) in the freezer for 5 minutes. This step is important because your utensils must be very cold for the ganache to whip easily.
- Step 7
Take out the ganache from the fridge and whip with an electric mixer or a stand mixer. Start at low and gradually increase to medium speed until the ganache texture starts to change. The whipped ganache should be able to remain still on your whisk.
Whipping a dark chocolate ganache is very delicate. There is no set time to whip for, you will have to judge by yourself. As your ganache whips, it color will lighten. Also note that, this ganache will overwhip extremely fast. Depending on the chocolate used, the texture of the dark chocolate ganache before whipping would look a bit curdled, don't worry about it! - Step 8
Your whipped ganache is ready to be used inside your layer cakes.
- This recipe yields about 700g of whipped ganache
- When you cover your ganache with plastic wrap, the plastic wrap needs to be touching the ganache itself. This is to avoid the formation of a skin on top of the ganache
- This recipe will enough for the following:
- Fill two 6inch cakes with 3 layers of filling
- Fill one 8inch cake with 3 layers of filling
- Fill 50 to 55 macarons
I am a passionate baker who, after spending years of dedicated work and intensive research into the intricate world of baking and cake decorating, took the plunge into teaching all of my knowledge and techniques. I develop recipes and help bakers master delicious recipes that elevate their sweets treats.
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