This creamy milk chocolate ganache is the perfect way to elevate your desserts with its rich, velvety texture and indulgent flavor. Made with just two ingredients, this easy-to-make ganache comes together in minutes. There's endless ways to use it, as an icing, cake filling, brownie frosting, and more!
Milk chocolate ganache offers a smooth texture that's less sweet than traditional frostings, making it perfect for so many treats.
Like my strawberry ganache, pistachio ganache, raspberry ganache, and caramel ganache, it starts as a silky, pourable mixture and thickens into a luscious icing as it cools, making it ideal for drizzling over chocolate and vanilla cakes or spreading on a variety of pastries.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Like my espresso ganache, this milk chocolate ganache recipe is easy to make in the microwave with no special equipment.
- You only need 2 ingredients that can be found at any grocery store!
- You can customize the consistency easily! Warm it up to pour on chocolate cheesecake or use on drip cakes, or let it cool and harden to use in chocolate truffles or chocolate thumbprint cookies. You can also turn it into whipped ganache frosting for a chocolate ganache cake.
Ingredient Notes
- Milk chocolate- For this recipe, I used milk chocolate chips. You can also use chocolate chunks or a chopped chocolate bar. Make sure to use good quality chocolate for the best flavor and texture!
- Heavy whipping cream- Use heavy cream with at least 40% milk fat. We need that fat for a smooth emulsion! Don't substitute milk or half and half or the ganache will turn out runny.
Substitutions and Variations
- Milk chocolate substitute: If you don't have milk chocolate, semisweet chocolate is the best type of chocolate to use. I recommend semi-sweet chocolate chips. You can use bittersweet chocolate, but the ganache will turn out a lot thicker because it has more cocoa solids.
- Liqueur: Add an ounce of flavored liqueur like Grand Marnier, Bailey's, or coffee liqueur for an adult twist.
- Other flavorings: Add flavored extracts like vanilla, espresso powder, or warming spices for more flavor! Ganache is super versatile, so feel free to get creative.
Step by Step Instructions
Step 1: Add the milk chocolate chips to a shallow heat-safe bowl. Microwave for 30 seconds to soften the chocolate slightly.
Step 2: Pour heavy cream into a small bowl and microwave it for about 1 minute or until it's bubbling a little bit. Don't boil!
Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and let sit for 1 minute.
Step 3: Whisk until totally smooth. It will look like it's separating at first but comes together quickly!
Add a piece of plastic wrap touching the surface of the ganache to prevent a film or skin from forming.
Step 4: Chill in the fridge for 2 hours until it hardens to a peanut butter consistency. Once it has a thick, spreadable consistency, it's ready to use!
How to Make Whipped Ganache
Wait until the ganache is soft. It should be solid yet easy to squish with your fingers.
Whip with an electric hand mixer on medium-high speed until fluffy. Don't over-whip or it will separate and curdle. It should look like chocolate mousse!
Expert Tips
- Use the best quality chocolate. Since ganache only has 2 ingredients, it's important use the best chocolate you can find! Some of my favorite brands are Ghirardelli, Valrhona, and Guittard. Low-quality chocolate will melt unevenly and have a greasy mouthfeel.
- Don't overheat the chocolate. If you microwave the chocolate chips for too long, they can seize up and burn. It can also seize if the cream is too hot, so only microwave the cream for 1 minute or so.
- Pour the warm cream over the chocolate and let it sit before stirring. This softens the chocolate and makes it begin to melt, so you won't need to stir as much!
How to Use
Warm, loose ganache works perfectly as a shiny glaze or drip for cakes. To use it this way, first make sure your cakes are cool. Ganache sets faster on a chilled cake!
The ganache should be about 90ยฐF (32ยฐC) for this. I recommend spooning a test drip on the back of the cake to see how far it drips down. If it's too thick, microwave it at 5 second intervals until fluid. If it's too thin and travels too far down the cake, let it cool a little longer.
Once the consistency is right, you can spoon it on the sides of the top of cake and let it drip down before filling in the center. You can also transfer the ganache to a piping bag for more control.
As ganache cools, it firms up and becomes more solid. After 1-2 hours in the refrigerator, it will have a pliable texture like peanut butter. It's perfect for filling chocolate fudge cupcakes, piping between macaron shells, or layering on a no-bake chocolate cherry tart, chocolate pumpkin cheesecake, or chocolate mousse pie.
Frequently Asked Questions
If the ganache is runny, I recommend letting it chill in the fridge for 1-2 hours to see if it firms up. If that doesn't work, you probably used too much cream. Try gently reheating the ganache on the stove and adding more chocolate in a little at a time until thickened.
Chocolate seizes when it's overheated or if it comes in contact with water. Seized chocolate looks like a big grittyย mass that won't melt no matter what. Be careful heating the chocolate and also make sure your mixing bowl is totally dry. Unfortunately there's no way to save seized chocolate.
Your cream probably isn't warm enough! Microwave it for 1-2 minutes, just until the sides start simmering. Be careful not to overheat it though!
If this happens with your ganache, transfer the mixture to a small saucepan on the stove. Stir everything together on low heat until smooth and proceed as normal!
Greasy and grainy ganache usually have the same culprit: bad chocolate. Use real chocolate with minimal additives for the best results!
If you whisk your chocolate too vigorously, it can incorporate too much air. This makes the fat separate and get greasy. So whisk gently or use a rubber spatula to incorporate the chocolate and cream.
More Recipes with Ganache to Try
๐ Recipe
Creamy Milk Chocolate Ganache
Equipment
- 2 heatproof mixing bowls
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Ingredients
- 452 grams milk chocolate chips or chopped chocolate
- 226 grams heavy cream
Instructions
- Microwave the milk chocolate in a large heatproof bowl for 30-45 seconds to soften it slightly.452 grams milk chocolate chips
- Heat the heavy cream in a medium bowl in the microwave for 1 minute or until bubbling on the edges. Pour over the chocolate and let sit for 30 seconds.226 grams heavy cream
- Whisk the chocolate and cream gently until smooth and fully combined.
- To use as a glaze or for drip cakes, cool to 90ยฐF before using. For frosting or truffles, cover with plastic wrap touching the surface. Place in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours until it thickens to a soft, pliable consistency.
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