Little Vintage Baking

  • About
  • Recipes
  • Subscribe
  • Modern Twists on Classic Baking
menu icon
go to homepage
  • About
  • Recipes
  • Contact
  • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • TikTok
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • About
    • Recipes
    • Contact
    • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • TikTok
  • ×
    Home » Frostings and Fillings

    The Ultimate Guide to White Chocolate Ganache

    Published: Apr 16, 2021 by Ashley This post may contain affiliate links. 26 Comments

    Welcome to the last installment of my ultimate guide to ganache series - all about white chocolate ganache. I looooove using white chocolate ganache. It is my favorite alternative for those who don't like fondant. It's creamy, delicious and serves as the perfect, smooth, blank canvas on a cake.

    White Chocolate Ganache

    White chocolate is getting its own separate post because it can behave a bit differently from semi/dark chocolate ganache. It can seize or split easier, and melting white chocolate can sometimes be a challenge. Timing and ratio are key to white chocolate ganache. Gone are the days of troublesome ganache. With these tips and tricks, making a smooth and creamy white chocolate ganache will be a breeze.

    How is white chocolate different from other chocolate?

    White chocolate, compared to dark and milk chocolates, do not have any cocoa solids. It also has more sugar, more milk solids, less cocoa butter and can burn or seize easier than dark chocolate. But don't let that dissuade you from making it. Choosing the right chocolate, heating it slowly and mixing it properly are key to a smooth and creamy ganache.

    Really, the most important factor of determining the right white chocolate for ganache is the quality of the chocolate. As with dark chocolate, the quality of white chocolate makes a huge difference in the final ganache. Quality determines the taste and texture, especially in white chocolate which can range from chalky and cloyingly sweet to smooth and milky, which is why chips or coating chocolate can be a bit of a gamble. But, you can make ganache with them.

    White Chocolate Ganache

    How to make white chocolate ganache

    White chocolate ganache ratio: 3:1 or 12oz white chocolate to 4oz cream

    Weigh or measure the chocolate and place in a bowl. Chop the pieces finely if you are using chocolate bars. Microwave for 45-60 seconds to soften the chocolate.

    Place the cream in a saucepan and place on the stove over medium low heat.

    Heat the cream until it starts to steam along the top. Keep a close eye on the cream making sure the cream doesn’t scald or curdle.

    Once heated, pour the cream over the warmed chocolate. Let the mixture sit for 5 minutes.

    With a spatula or a whisk, begin gently stirring the mixture starting in the center to blend, and working outward. This creates a smooth emulsion and prevents air from being incorporated. Too much air can cause the mixture to split.

    You can use the ganache immediately or set it aside to cool to the desired consistency. Be sure not to agitate the chocolate while it is setting, which can cause it to split.

    Let it set at room temperature. Place plastic wrap onto the surface of the ganache so that it doesn't form a film.

    The ganache is ready for drips at 85-90F and ready for filling or icing a cake when the texture is thickened and smooth, resembling peanut butter or canned frosting.

    White Chocolate Ganache
    Top: ganache without white color
    Bottom: Whitened ganache

    Whitening Ganache

    Surprise! White chocolate ganache is often enough not white. Color does depend on the brand and varies, but with real white chocolate, to get a true white, you will have to color it. Candy melts and almond bark tend to be more white and less translucent.

    You can whiten your ganache by adding white gel color in the cream before mixing it into the chocolate or mixing in the color after incorporating the cream. Alternatively, you can color it once it is ready to use.

    Whipped ganache is a fantastic cupcake frosting. Beating the cooled ganache in a stand mixer until fluffy and thickened is also a way to whitening ganache and making a lighter frosting.

    White Chocolate Ganache

    How to color white chocolate ganache

    Traditionally, adding water based anything to chocolate spells disaster. Since ganache is an emulsion, you can add a concentrated gel color to the ganache. I like to whiten the ganache first. This is to make sure the color I am adding to the ganache isn't altered by the ganache's yellowish/translucent hue.

    Even though you can totally use gel color in ganache, if I'm making red, navy, or even black (when possible use dark chocolate ganache for black - MUCH easier), I like to use oil/chocolate colors because these colors require a lot more color added to the ganache. The oil/chocolate colors can darken the ganache faster with less color.

    White Chocolate Ganache

    Uses for white chocolate ganache

    • Drip cakes
    • Glazes for donuts, eclairs, cupcakes and more
    • Ice cream topping
    • Cake or cupcake filling
    • Topping brownies
    • Dipping cookies
    • Macaron filling
    • Whipped chocolate ganache frosting
    • Truffles
    • Frosting cakes
    • Dipping fruit
    Ganache

    White Chocolate Ganache and Cake Decorating

    Ganache is ideal for frosting cakes. It’s airless and super smooth, creating an smooth and flawless cake covering. It’s also one of the best cake frostings to use if you’re making a fondant cake. Ganache holds its shape better, and sets up more quickly than buttercream, allowing you to keep smooth and crisp ganache edges when covering with fondant.

    Ganache also has a higher melting point than buttercream, which means that on warmer days, buttercream would melt faster than ganache. For those people who don't like fondant, white chocolate ganache can give you that same white, flawless finish that fondant does.

    Another perk of using ganache on layer cakes, is that you typically don’t get any bulging or blowouts as long as you’re allowing your cake to settle after filling and layering it and you’re not trapping any air under your fondant. You also want the ganache to be fully set before covering fondant.

    Ganache

    Flavor variations

    I love infusing flavors into white chocolate ganache, especially fruit reductions. But here are some ideas on what you can infuse or add to your ganache.

    Jams and fruit reductions

    Teas

    Zests

    Mint/Herbs

    Extracts

    Salted Caramel/Nut Butters

    Alcohol

    Coffee

    Sprinkles

    White Chocolate Ganache

    For more information on ganache and troubleshooting, check out my Ultimate Guide to Ganache posts listed below. If you make white chocolate ganache, let me know! Drop a comment or tag me on Instagram. I love seeing your creations.

    Enjoy!

    Ash xx

    For more on ganache, check out these posts:

    The Ultimate Guide to Chocolate Ganache Part 1

    The Ultimate Guide to Chocolate Ganache Part 2

    Chocolate Stout Layer Cake with Coffee Irish Cream Buttercream

    Under the Sea Cake Tutorial

    « The Ultimate Guide to Chocolate Ganache: Part 2
    Mimosa Madeleines »

    Comments

    1. CaShe says

      March 05, 2025 at 10:34 am

      Hi Ashley!

      I am new to baking and am looking to make the white chocolate ganache for cupcake frosting. As a beginner do you recommend cooling then whipping best for frosting?From the recipe, I’m getting that its best to let cool with plastic wrap over not in the fridge? Also, I am looking to add a strawberry emulsion to it for flavor, would that be ok?

      Reply
    2. VP NYC says

      March 03, 2025 at 5:34 pm

      hi, I would like to add a layer of white chocolate ganache between a layer of vanilla cake and raspberry mousse. I will be using a Springform cake pan lined with acetate paper so I can see the layers. I will not whip the ganache and need it to be pourable/spreadable but hold together when I pour the mousse layer and when bitten into. Are there any ratios I should adjust or other tips to keep in mind? thanks!

      Reply
      • Ashley says

        April 22, 2025 at 2:57 pm

        The ratios listed will work just fine. I would wait for the ganache is peanut butter consistency before using.

        Reply
    3. Alison Gardner says

      February 26, 2025 at 11:02 pm

      Hi
      Could you please advise on storage. Is it different if you whip the white chocolate ganache?
      I've made mine & let it set overnight in room temperature. But it's not achieved white even after adding white colouring. If I whip it does it then need refrigeration? Thanks

      Reply
      • Ashley says

        March 02, 2025 at 2:14 pm

        Ganache does require refrigeration. I would whip it right before using it.

        Reply
    4. Michelle says

      January 08, 2025 at 6:04 pm

      Hi Ashley,

      I am so happy I found you! What is the ratio of white chocolate MELTS to cream when using it to fill chocolate candies? I used a 1:1 ratio for my bonbons and the inside is way too soft and spills out as soon as you take a bite.

      Thank you!
      Michelle.

      Reply
      • Ashley says

        January 13, 2025 at 3:20 pm

        Hi Michelle! I would do a 3:1 ratio for white chocolate filling.

        Reply
        • Michelle says

          January 13, 2025 at 8:28 pm

          Thank you so much! Just tried it and it worked beautifully!!!

          Reply
    5. Tracy Gibbons says

      December 14, 2024 at 10:39 am

      Hi there

      I am Hoping to infuse my white chocolate ganache with bourbon, then whip, to frost a red velvet cake. How would you recommend incorporating the bourbon ( at what stage) and how much bourbon to get the flavor thru?

      Reply
      • Ashley says

        December 17, 2024 at 2:10 pm

        Add the bourbon after heating the cream and before the cream is added to the chocolate. I think 2-3 tbsps should do the trick.

        Reply
    6. Jackie says

      June 23, 2024 at 6:03 am

      I want to fill and cover a 4 layer chocolate cake with white chocolate ganache, however how hard will the ganache set in the layers? Dont want it to be like a hard bar of chocolate?

      Reply
      • Ashley says

        September 06, 2024 at 7:18 pm

        Because of the cream it will remain fairly soft and won't get too firm.

        Reply
    7. Shari Volimas says

      May 19, 2024 at 1:19 pm

      You wrote you can add extracts but won’t that seize the chocolate? I want to add peppermint extract but have been warned against it. Would prefer not having to purchase peppermint oil if I can avoid it. Is the key adding the extract to the cream beforehand? Thanks.

      Reply
      • Ashley says

        May 23, 2024 at 11:02 am

        Hi Shari. Yes, add the extracts to the cream, after it has been heated and before it goes into the chocolate.

        Reply
        • Sue Purdy says

          March 04, 2025 at 2:03 pm

          Hi,
          I would like to add strawberry puree and make a whipped white chocolate/strawberry ganache. I feel like I should add the puree not until the whipping stage of the ganache. However, I think you mention adding fruit purees to the cream while heating? Have you found this to work well? I was thinking it might not whip up the same? Also How much puree would you add to a 12 oz white choc/4 oz cream ratio? Thanks in advance for your help.

          Reply
          • Ashley says

            April 22, 2025 at 3:04 pm

            I would recommend using freeze dried strawberries over puree. The flavor would be more concentrated with the freeze dried. You can use strawberry puree, but I would cook it to remove a lot of the water content to the consistency of a thick jam. Then add it to the 4oz cream.

            Reply
    8. Beth says

      April 19, 2024 at 1:56 pm

      You mentioned infusing flavor through jams; at what point would you do this? Can you add jam during the whipping process?

      Reply
      • Ashley says

        April 28, 2024 at 7:50 pm

        Hi Beth! Add flavorings into the cream before you heat it.

        Reply
    9. Priya says

      December 16, 2023 at 8:13 am

      Hi,

      My white ganache is hard but still not able to make peaks to decorate cake. What should I do ?

      Reply
      • Ashley says

        December 18, 2023 at 7:45 pm

        Hi Priya! Are you trying to whip the ganache?

        Reply
    10. Rachel says

      October 28, 2023 at 4:35 am

      For decorating cupcakes should I whip the ganache or leave it in the fridge to chill and thicken.

      Reply
      • Ashley says

        October 28, 2023 at 12:01 pm

        Hi Rachel! It all depends on the texture you want to achieve. Whipped is more light and fluffy, while the peanut butter/frosting texture is more dense and smooth. Both are great with cupcakes.

        Reply
    11. LC Wood says

      May 24, 2023 at 7:37 am

      The instructions are a bit confusing. How can you make whipped ganache for frosting if the whipping process causes the ganache to split?

      Reply
      • Ashley says

        May 24, 2023 at 9:38 am

        Hi! It's really all about temperature. For freshly made ganache, if the cream is too hot, it can split while whisking the cream into the chocolate. If the ganache is stirred too often while it cools to room temperature, it can split. When it comes to whipping the ganache, the ganache needs to be cold. Don't whip above medium speed and not any longer than just stiff peaks. Essentially, the mixture has to be the same temperature throughout the varying steps in order to not split. I hope this helps!

        Reply
        • Linda says

          January 03, 2024 at 11:08 pm

          Does the whipped ganache hold its shape as well as the unwhipped ganache? Can it be used similarly under fondant to minimize risk of bulging?

          Reply
          • Ashley says

            January 11, 2024 at 11:57 am

            Yes, it does hold it's shape. You could use it under fondant, but beware that since whipped ganache is essentially just beating air into the chocolate, there is a risk for air bubbles/bulges/blow outs. For the smoothest base under fondant, I'd use regular, peanut butter consistency ganache.

            Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Ashley Little Vintage Baking

    Hi, I'm Ashley! Welcome to the Little Vintage Baking blog. I am food photographer and recipe developer of mostly sweet, sometimes savory recipes that are always delicious, and elevated, but always approachable. I hope to inspire you with beautiful, tried and true recipes for all skill levels.

    More about me →

    Ashley's Current Favorites

    • square of vanilla cake with chocolate buttercream
      Vanilla Cake with Chocolate Buttercream
    • Strawberry Rose Buttermilk Cake
      Strawberry Rose Buttermilk Cake
    • Earl Grey Cake
      Earl Grey Cake with Honey Buttercream and Blackberry Caramel
    • raspberry cheesecake brownies
      Raspberry Cheesecake Brownies

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    Portfolio

    Privacy Policy

    Accessibility

    Contact

    Instagram

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2023 Little Vintage Baking, LLC | All Rights Reserved

    140 shares