White chocolate pistachio ganache is easy to make with just 4 ingredients! It is creamy and decadent with a rich pistachio flavor, making a perfect filling for cakes, cupcakes, macarons, and more. It's flavored with pistachio cream!
Pistachio flavored desserts are having a moment on social media, so I knew I had to make a luscious pistachio ganache to add to my cakes and cupcakes. It's rich and creamy with a sweet, nutty taste that goes with so many different flavors.
Ganache is one of my favorite things to make because it's so versatile. You can use it as a creamy filling, whip it into a light and airy frosting that's less cloyingly sweet than buttercream, turn it into truffles, or drizzle it over everything.
Make sure to try this milk chocolate ganache, espresso ganache, and strawberry ganache too!
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- White chocolate ganache- Like this raspberry ganache and salted caramel ganache, the base of this recipe is creamy white chocolate. It has a mild flavor and soft structure that is perfect for a variety of ganache flavors.
- Nutty pistachio flavor- This ganache gets its flavor from pistachio cream. This is a type of pistachio filling made with pistachios, cream, and sugar. Using it makes this recipe easy since you don't have to worry about chopping pistachios or infusing the nuts with cream.
- No special equipment- All you need to make this ganache is a couple mixing bowls and a whisk or rubber spatula. No food processor or immersion blender required!
Key Ingredients
- White chocolate- Use high-quality white chocolate chips or a chopped white chocolate baking bar. I recommend Ghirardelli or Lindt! 100% white chocolate baking bars melt down more easily and smoothly, but chocolate chips work in a pinch. The ganache also hardens more because of the extra stabilizers in white chocolate chips.
- Heavy cream- Don't substitute half and half because it isn't thick enough.
- Pistachio cream- I used pistachio cream from the brand Luscioux that I found at World Market. It's made with pistachios, sugar, and milk. Pistachio paste or smooth pistachio butter (made with only ground pistachios) also work, but they create ganache that is less sweet since there's less added sugar.
- Almond extract- Adds a little more sweet, nutty flavor. A little goes a long way!
Optional Food Coloring
- Green food coloring-ย The natural color of the pistachio cream makes the ganache quite a bright green, but you can add a drop of neon green food coloring for a more vibrant color if desired.
How to Make It
Step 1: Microwave heavy cream in a heatproof bowl (or over medium heat in a saucepan) until the edges simmer. Then whisk in the pistachio cream.
Step 2: Pour the hot mixture over white chocolate in a large bowl. Let it sit, then add the almond extract and stir until smooth.
Step 3: Use immediately for drizzling! For a filling for cakes or cookies, press a piece of plastic wrap against the surface and let it come to room temperature. You should be able to scoop it into a piping bag without it losing its shape.
For harder ganache for truffles or candies, let it set in the fridge. If it gets too firm, you can thaw it on the counter for an hour.
Expert Tips
- Use a kitchen scale. For the best results, use a kitchen scale to weigh your ingredients in grams. It's the most accurate way to measure and helps ensure your recipes turn out just right every time.
- Microwave the chocolate. If you're using chocolate chips, microwave them for about 45 seconds in a large bowl before doing anything else. This gives the chocolate a head-start melting so it breaks down easier when the hot cream is added.
- Chill in the shallow bowl. Spreading ganache out helps it cool down and thicken faster than if it were in a deeper container.
Serving Suggestions
- Ganache drip- To use this pistachio ganache as a drizzle or to drip over a cake, make sure it's still warm and fluid. If it's too thick, heat in the microwave at 15 second intervals, stirring between each until it easily drips off the back of a spoon. Then drizzle over a chocolate pistachio cake or chocolate mascarpone cake!
- Whipped ganache- While the ganache is still spreadable, whip it on medium speed with a hand or stand mixer with the whisk attachment. It will become a light and fluffy frosting you can pipe on a pan of pistachio brownies, chocolate fudge cupcakes, or pistachio raspberry cupcakes.
- Filling- Scoop the ganache into a piping bag with a round tip and pipe the ganache into the center of pistachio macarons or cupcakes.
- Truffles- Let the ganache harden in the refrigerator, then roll it into balls and dip in white or dark chocolate.
- Dubai chocolate filling- While the ganache is warm and loose, mix with toasted kataifi pastry (shredded phyllo) to make filling for the viral Dubai chocolate bar.
Storage Instructions
Store white chocolate pistachio ganache in an airtight container in the refrigerator or covered with plastic wrap for up to 5 days.
The ganache will firm up in the fridge, so let it sit at room temperature for about an hour to soften before using.
If you don't want to wait for it to thaw, you can microwave it for 15-30 seconds and stir until smooth. Be careful not to overheat it since that make the ganache separate. If that happens, you'll need to let it cool down and re-solidify before using it again.
Frequently Asked Questions
This recipe makes about 2 cups of ganache. This is enough to fill a 2-layer cake, 30 macarons, or 18-24 cupcakes.
Yes, you can make it up to a week ahead of time! Just cover the bowl with cling film and store it in the refrigerator. Let it warm up for about an hour on the counter to reach a spreadable consistency again. You can also microwave it for about 30 seconds and give it a stir.
Ganache can be frozen, but keep in mind that the texture may not stay as silky or shiny after thawing. Store it in an airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months. When you're ready to use it, place it in the fridge to thaw slowly overnight.
More Frosting Recipes to Try
๐ Recipe
Pistachio Ganache with White Chocolate
Equipment
- 2 large mixing bowls
- 1 whisk
- Plastic wrap
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Ingredients
- 300 grams white chocolate chopped or white chocolate chips
- 120 grams heavy cream
- 100 grams pistachio cream or pistachio paste
- ยผ teaspoon almond extract
Instructions
- Add the chopped white chocolate (or chocolate chips) to a large heatproof bowl. Microwave for 30 seconds, stopping halfway through to stir. Do NOT melt the chocolate completely, this step just gives it a head start softening. Be careful not to overheat- white chocolate is sensitive and will seize if it gets too hot.300 grams white chocolate
- Microwave heavy cream in a heatproof bowl for about 1 minute or until the edges begin to simmer. You can alternatively heat it in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the pistachio cream into the hot cream until smooth.120 grams heavy cream, 100 grams pistachio cream
- Pour the hot mixture over white chocolate. Let it sit for 30 seconds, then add the almond extract and gently stir until smooth. If the chocolate doesn't melt all the way, microwave the bowl at 15 second intervals, whisking between each until the chocolate is loose enough to incorporate smoothly. Once again, be careful not to overheat or the chocolate will seize up.ยผ teaspoon almond extract
- Press a piece of plastic wrap against the surface of the ganache to prevent a skin from forming. Let it come to room temperature for 1-2 hours.
- When you're ready to use the ganache, scoop it into a piping bag. Then fill your cupcakes, cakes, and cookies as desired. If you stored it in the microwave, let it soften on the counter for 1 hour before using. For a drizzle heat it in the microwave for about 30 seconds to make it fluid enough to drip.
Amy Champagne
Excited to try this! I have pistachio cream leftover from making a Dubai chocolate bar and I wanted to make some Dubai chocolate macarons. I wanted to do some with chocolate ganache and some with a pistachio ganache. I figured I would be experimenting but since you have this wonderful recipe I don't have to worry about testing/failing! lol.
Laura
fabulous pistachio ganache for my pistachio macarons, about 10 people compared to a pistachio buttercream, and the taste from your panache was spot on for authentic macarons! Just the recipe I was looking for!
wu yi
will this become firm when it cools
Sasha McNeillis
This is truly an awful recipe, it tastes bad, the method is bad and it ruined my macarons...
First of all, microwave? The instructions are not clear as everyone has a different microwave wattage.
The white chocolate did not fully melt with the cream and when I left it to set as i'm piping this horrible ganache it seperated.
I am truly appalled at the flavour - it has no flavour and only tastes like white chocolate - which is not ideal for pistachio macarons.
I will tell you now I will never ever make this ganache again - what a shame.
Megan Weimer
Hey Sasha, I'm sorry this recipe didn't work out for you. I realized I was a bit unclear in the instructions about microwaving the chocolate, so I made some changes so hopefully other people don't have these results!