Ganache Ratio Calculator

Ratios are read as chocolate to cream by weight. Glaze/pouring = 1 part chocolate to 2 parts cream (thin, pourable for drips and sauces). Filling/frosting = 1 part chocolate to 1 part cream (spreadable when set). Piping = 2 parts chocolate to 1 part cream (firm enough to hold its shape). Truffles = 2 parts chocolate to 1 part cream (very firm, sets hard enough to roll). These are the dark-chocolate figures; all are by weight using double cream and good-quality chocolate.

Yes. Milk and white chocolate contain more cocoa butter and milk solids and fewer cocoa solids, so they set firmer and need less cream. As a guide, a 1:1 dark filling ganache becomes roughly 1.5:1 chocolate to cream for milk and 2.5:1 for white to reach the same consistency. This calculator reduces the cream by about a third for milk and roughly 60% for white automatically based on your chocolate type selection.

Ganache splits when the emulsion breaks, usually because the cream was too hot or the chocolate was not mixed gradually enough. To fix it, add a tablespoon of warm milk and whisk vigorously, or blend with a stick blender. To prevent splitting: heat cream to just below boiling, pour over chopped chocolate, let it sit for 2 minutes, then stir gently from the centre outwards in small circles.

Use good-quality eating chocolate or couverture with at least 50-70% cocoa solids for dark ganache. Avoid cooking chocolate which has less cocoa butter and will not emulsify as well. The quality of the chocolate determines the flavour, so use the best you can afford. Callebaut, Valrhona, and Green and Blacks all work well.

At room temperature, a thin glaze sets in 1-2 hours. A filling consistency ganache firms up in 2-4 hours. Truffle ganache needs at least 4-6 hours or overnight in the fridge. To speed things up, refrigerate but check regularly — once it reaches the right consistency, remove it. Over-chilled ganache becomes too hard and may crack when cut.