Chocolate Ganache Ratio Calculator
Choose what the ganache is for and which chocolate you have for the exact quantities.
Answer
220g chocolate to 180ml cream
Weigh out
What to do
- 1Chop 220g of chocolate finely and put it in a bowl.
- 2Heat 180ml of double cream until it just steams. Do not let it boil.
- 3Pour it over the chocolate and leave it alone for two minutes.
- 4Stir from the middle outwards until it is glossy and completely smooth.
Next step
Worth knowing
- Sets firm enough to roll.
- White and milk chocolate contain more sugar and milk solids and set much firmer, so they need less cream than dark chocolate for the same texture.
- Heat the cream until it steams, pour it over the chopped chocolate, wait a minute, then stir from the middle outwards.
- If it splits, whisk in a tablespoon of warm milk and it will come back together.
Source: Standard UK tin sizes and batter/filling quantities used in home baking · Reviewed 2026-09-10 · Guidance version 1.0.0
Reference and detail
The ratio decides the set
Equal chocolate and cream pours and sets soft. Two parts chocolate to one of cream is firm enough to pipe or roll into truffles. One to two, whipped, is a light frosting.
White and milk chocolate need more chocolate
They contain less cocoa solids and more sugar and milk fat, so they set much softer. Using a dark chocolate ratio with white chocolate gives you sauce, not ganache.
Warm cream, not boiling
Boiling cream can split the ganache and dull the chocolate. Heat it until it just steams, pour it over, wait two minutes, then stir from the centre out.
Questions and answers
Questions about chocolate ganache ratios
What ratio of chocolate to cream covers a cake?
It depends on the chocolate you're using and what the ganache is for, dark, milk and white chocolate all need different amounts of cream to set to the same texture. Choose your chocolate and use above and the calculator gives you the ratio and quantities.
Why does white chocolate ganache need less cream than dark?
White and milk chocolate already contain more sugar and milk solids than dark chocolate, so they set much firmer for the same amount of cream. Using a dark-chocolate ratio with white chocolate makes a ganache that never firms up.
How much ganache do I need to cover a cake versus fill one?
A drip or glaze needs far less than a full coating, and a filling needs a firmer set than either. Choose your use above, or enter your tin size if you want the calculator to work out the covering amount from the cake's area.
How do I fix ganache that has split?
Whisk in a tablespoon of warm milk and it will usually come back together. Splitting normally means the cream or chocolate was too hot or too cold when they were combined.