Ganache looks like a simple two-ingredient mixture, but the ratio of chocolate to cream is what decides whether it pours like syrup, spreads like frosting, or holds its shape like a truffle. This calculator applies the standard baking ratios for each use case and adjusts automatically for the chocolate type you're using.
How the Chocolate Ganache Ratio Calculator works
The calculator starts from the standard dark-chocolate ratios used across professional and home baking: 1:1 chocolate to cream for a pourable glaze, 2:1 for a spreadable filling or frosting, and 2.75:1 for a firm truffle base. Because milk and white chocolate contain progressively less cocoa solids than dark chocolate — the ingredient that gives ganache its structure — they need relatively less cream to reach the same firmness. The calculator adds 0.25 to the ratio for milk chocolate and 0.5 for white chocolate at every use level, then divides your chocolate amount by that ratio to get the cream amount.
Inputs and what they mean
Enter the weight of chocolate you're starting with in grams, then choose the chocolate type (dark, milk, or white) and your intended use (pourable glaze, filling/frosting, or truffles). The By Use tab shows how the cream amount would change if you picked a different use case with the same chocolate, and the By Chocolate Type tab shows how it would change with a different chocolate at the same use.
Limits and edge cases
These ratios assume standard heavy cream (36%+ fat) and real chocolate with cocoa butter — chocolate-flavored candy coating or compound chocolate behaves differently and may need adjusting to taste. Humidity, cream temperature, and how finely the chocolate is chopped can all shift the exact set time, so treat the set-time notes as a starting point and check the ganache's texture before using it. For very small or very large batches, keep the ratio the same and scale both numbers together.