White chocolate ganache is tricky but my tips and tricks will give you a perfect ganache every time. I’m sharing all the variables you need to know to make a perfect white chocolate ganache.
White chocolate is a delicate thing! Therefore, white chocolate ganache is trickier than a regular dark chocolate ganache.
Unfortunately, there’s no perfect, foolproof recipe, when it comes to white chocolate ganache.
Depending on what consistency you need, what brand of chocolate you’re using, etc, you may need to tweak it a little to perfect it to your particular situation.
But don’t you worry, I’m about to teach you everything you need to watch out for.
What is White Ganache?
White ganache is an emulsification of melted white chocolate and cream
White Ganache Recipe Ingredients
- White chocolate – Choosing the right white chocolate is important. Read the labels carefully. If it says white chocolate confectionary or white coating wafer, it’s not real chocolate. The real white chocolate contains cocoa butter.
- Cream – Choose heavy whipping cream for the best result.
How to choose white chocolate:
In a nutshell, white chocolate is made with cocoa butter, sugar, milk solids, lecithin and sometimes vanilla. (Lecithin is an emulsifier.)
Now, cocoa butter is an expensive ingredient! And cheaper white chocolates have less cocoa butter and use other types of fats as fillers, which creates that awful waxy mouthfeel. According to FDA, white chocolate should contain at least 20% cocoa butter to be labeled as white chocolate.
Tip
Be sure to read the labels carefully! If you see “White Chocolate Confectionary” or “White Coating Wafers“, it means it’s not white chocolate, because it doesn’t contain cocoa butter (or if it does, it’s probably less than 20%!)
High end white chocolate are luxuriously smooth and delicate. It melts nicely on the tongue without leaving greasy feeling.
Every brand of white chocolate is different. Each brand has different amounts of cocoa butter!!
Why is it important to know this?
Because the amount of cocoa butter in white chocolate plays a huge role in the consistency of white chocolate.
You don’t have to go for the most expensive white chocolate to make a perfect ganache. But it’s important to know the cocoa butter content of your chosen brand and adjust the ratio accordingly. (More on this below…)
My favorite white chocolate brands:
- Cacao Barry Blanc Satin 29% White Chocolate Discs – These are one of my favorite white chocolates for making ganache! My recipe is based on this brand of white chocolate.
- Valrhona Ivoire 35% White Couverture Chocolate Feves – This another brand that I absolutely love! You can’t go wrong with this one, especially if you want nice and thick ganache for frosting cakes, cupcakes and filling macarons.
NOTE: I’m sharing the above links for you to see the packaging, but I personally don’t buy my chocolate from Amazon. You can get smaller re-packaged versions from World Wide Chocolate, my go-to place for all things chocolate.
How to Make White Chocolate Ganache:
So, there’re 2 methods to make a chocolate ganache.
- Method #1 is the most common where you use hot heavy cream to melt the chocolate. It’s the same method I had shared in my “How to Make Chocolate Ganache” tutorial.
- Method #2 is less popular, but ideal for making a white chocolate ganache. Because we use less heavy cream vs white chocolate, it’s not enough to cover all of the white chocolate.
The BEST method for making white chocolate ganache:
- In a microwave-safe bowl, melt white chocolate a microwave. Or you can use a double boiler. For the microwave, set it for 1 minute at 50% power (for 1000watt microwave!), stir well and put it back for 15-30 seconds at 50% power, depending on the consistency. (If it looks pretty solid, put it for 30 sec, and if it started melting – for 15 sec.) Then stir well and put it back for another 15 seconds at 50% power, if needed, or until the chocolate is completely melted, stirring well every 15 seconds.
- Warm up heavy cream to room temperature, or slightly above. No need to scald/boil it. Just tepid is perfect!
- Now, add 1/3 of cream into melted chocolate and stir gently with a spatula, or a whisk. It’ll look grainy and seized, but don’t worry. Stir in another 1/3 of cream and mix until almost smooth. Then add the last of cream and it should turn silky smooth.
- Transfer the ganache into a flat container, or a baking pan (it helps to set the ganache quickly!). Cover with plastic wrap, touching the entire surface of the ganache to prevent any skin forming. Let it set at room temperature for an hour or two to thicken up. To expedite, you can put it in the fridge, but check often so it doesn’t harden too much.
Tip
2 benefits of transferring ganache into a flat container:
- ganache sets faster;
- and it sets evenly!
White Chocolate Ganache Ratio
So, now let’s talk about how much chocolate and how much heavy cream to use for a perfect ganache.
Unlike dark chocolate, white chocolate doesn’t contain any cocoa solids, which makes it act completely different from dark chocolate. More specifically, white chocolate ganache doesn’t get as thick as dark chocolate ganache with the same ratio.
For example, if dark chocolate ganache with 1:1 ratio (equal parts chocolate and heavy cream) produces fairly thick ganache after setting, white chocolate ganache with 1:1 ratio will produce much softer, runnier ganache.
2:1 ratio (chocolate to heavy cream)
I find 2:1 ratio of chocolate to heavy cream works perfectly for Cacao Barry Blanc Satin 29% White Chocolate Discs.
For example, 4oz 29% white chocolate + 2oz heavy cream = a perfect ganache for filling macarons.
1:1 Ratio
1:1 ratio of white chocolate to heavy cream produces thinner ganache, but it’s perfect for making a whipped white chocolate ganache.
To make whipped white chocolate ganache, cool the ganache completely, then whip it with a mixer until fluffy. It’s perfect for frosting cupcakes!
3:1 or 4:1 Ratios
Now, it’s very common to see higher white chocolate ratios when it comes to white chocolate ganache. That’s because white chocolate with lower cocoa butter content tend to produce softer/runnier ganache. And to combat that, you need to use more chocolate vs heavy cream.
For example, when I need to use Gherardelli white chocolate, I have to use 3:1 ratio, or 4:1 if I need firmer ganache. Gherardelli doesn’t disclose the cocoa butter % for their white chocolate, so I assume it’s low, but above 20%.
Conclusion on ratios: less cocoa butter your white chocolate has, less heavy cream you’ll need to use to achieve a nice, peanut butter-like consistency.
How to color White Chocolate Ganache
Yes, absolutely!! Since chocolate is emulsified with liquid (cream), it won’t seize up if you add food coloring. I recommend using a gel food coloring.
Add food coloring, after the ganache is nice and smooth.
How To Use White Ganache
Use white ganache for frosting cupcakes, or filling macarons.
Storing White Ganache
White chocolate ganache is pretty shelf stable due to its high sugar and fat content. You can keep it at room temperature for up to 2 days.
Refrigerate it in airtight container for up to a week.
Ganache also freezes well. To thaw, transfer it into the fridge for overnight. Then bring it to room temperature. If needed, microwave it in 15-second increments at 50% power, stirring after every 15 seconds. Be careful not to overheat the ganache, or it’ll separate.
Does ganache need to be refrigerated?
Yes, since ganache contains dairy (heavy cream), ganache should be refrigerated.
White Chocolate Ganache Recipe FAQ
You don’t need any thickening agent to thicken ganache. It’s all about using the proper rations of chocolate to liquid.
Depending on your chocolate to cream ratio, ganache can harden. For example, the less liquid (ie. cream) is used, the harder the ganache will be.
There are 2 reasons: 1. White chocolate isn’t high quality, meaning it doesn’t contain high enough cocoa butter. 2. Too much cream/liquid can prevent the ganache from hardening.
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White Chocolate Ganache Recipe
Ingredients
- 8 oz 29% white chocolate Note 1
- 4 oz heavy whipping cream
Instructions
- In a microwave-safe bowl, melt white chocolate in a microwave. (Or you can use a double boiler.) For the microwave, set it for 1 minute at 50% power (for 1000watt microwave!), stir well and put it back for 15-30 seconds at 50% power, depending on the consistency. (If it looks pretty solid, put it for 30 sec, and if it started melting – for 15 sec.) Then stir well and put it back for another 15 seconds at 50% power, if needed, or until the chocolate is completely melted, stirring well every 15 seconds.
- Warm up heavy cream to room temperature, or slightly above. No need to scald/boil it. Just tepid is perfect!
- Now, add 1/3 of cream into melted chocolate and stir gently with a spatula, or a whisk. It’ll look grainy and seized, but don’t worry. Stir in another 1/3 of cream and mix until almost smooth. Then add the last of cream and it should turn silky smooth.
- Transfer the ganache into a flat container, or a baking pan (it helps to set the ganache quickly!). Cover with plastic wrap, touching the entire surface of the ganache to prevent any skin forming. Let it set at room temperature for 30 minutes or up to 2 hours to thicken up. (The exact time depends on how much ganache you have, how cool/hot your kitchen is, etc.) To expedite, you can put it in the fridge, but check often so it doesn't harden too much.
Tips & Notes:
Nutrition Facts:
Zory says
I use the callebeut brand white chocolate. What can I do to make this a little thicker?
Shinee says
Hi, Zory! Thanks for reaching out. So the brand of chocolate doesn’t provide enough information about the chocolate you have on hand. Callebaut is a great chocolate brand and they carry different types of white chocolate. Please read the packaging of your chocolate to find out the cocoa butter percentage. If it’s less than 29%, then you want to increase chocolate amount to make it thicker. Hope this helps.
F Tavarez says
Hi!!
How many cupcakes can I cover with this recipe??
Thanks
FT
Ellen says
So will Ghirardelli used in 3:1 ratio produce a ganache that will firm up when at room temp? I want to use it to fill a cookie, so it needs to be firm, but still tender when bitten into.
Shinee says
Hi, Ellen. To fill cookies, I’d go with 4:1 ratio chocolate to cream.
Ellen says
thanks so much! I’ll post a photo on IG @tortamore