Kitchen rescueChocolate and sugarUsually saveable

How to fix split ganache

Add a splash of warm milk or cream and whisk it in from the centre outwards until the ganache turns smooth and glossy again. A stick blender works even better.

How you can tell

  • The ganache looks oily, with fat pooling on the surface
  • It's grainy or curdled instead of smooth
  • It looks dull and thick rather than glossy

Why it happens

Ganache is an emulsion of chocolate and cream, with the fat from the cocoa butter and cream held in tiny droplets through the liquid. It splits when that balance is upset. Common causes are too little liquid for the amount of chocolate, cream that was too hot, overheating while melting, or over-mixing as it cools and sets. When it splits, the fat separates out and the mixture looks greasy and grainy.

How to fix it

Option 1Whisk in warm liquid

  1. Warm a splash of milk or cream until hot but not boiling
  2. Add it to the centre of the ganache
  3. Whisk in small circles in the middle, then gradually work outwards until it all comes together
  4. Add a little more liquid only if it's still split

Option 2Blend it

  1. Use a stick blender, keeping the head under the surface to avoid adding air
  2. Blend until smooth and glossy

Next time

  • Chop the chocolate finely so it melts evenly
  • Heat the cream until steaming rather than boiling hard
  • Pour the cream over the chocolate, leave it for a few minutes, then stir gently from the centre
  • Follow the recipe's balance of cream and chocolate
General kitchen guidance, not food-safety advice. If food may be unsafe, for example undercooked meat or anything left out too long, follow the Food Standards Agency and throw it away if in doubt.