Introduction
Chocolate hazelnut ganache is what happens when rich chocolate meets a generous spoonful of hazelnut spread. Use it warm for a glossy drizzle, or let it cool into a thick, velvety filling for cakes. Either way, it’s the sort of addition that makes a simple bake feel rather special.
Our dairy-free version brings dark chocolate together with LoveRaw® Hazelnut Cacao Spread "Choco Love" and a plant-based double cream alternative. The result is a chocolate-forward ganache with a nutty edge and plenty of uses, from sandwiching sponge layers to finishing a hazelnut meringue cake. The trick is letting it reach the right consistency for the job. Too warm for a layer cake? Give it a little longer to cool.
What Is Chocolate Hazelnut Ganache?
Ganache is a mixture of chocolate and cream, often used as a filling, frosting or glaze. This version adds chocolate hazelnut spread for a smooth, nutty flavour. We’re using a plant-based cream alternative, so the recipe can be made without dairy.
Temperature makes a big difference. Freshly mixed ganache is soft and pourable. As it cools, it thickens into something you can spread between cake layers or spoon onto a tart.
The proportion of chocolate to liquid matters too. As In Good Taste’s ganache guide explains, a thinner glaze calls for more liquid than a firm filling. Hazelnut spread adds its own sweetness and fat, so treat a plain chocolate ganache ratio as a starting point rather than a rule for every jar.
Chocolate Hazelnut Ganache Recipe
This makes approximately 450 g of ganache, enough for a generous topping on a 20 cm cake or a filling between two cake layers. How far it goes depends on how thickly you spread it. We won’t judge.
Serves: 10, as a cake topping or filling
Prep time: 15 minutes, plus cooling
Difficulty: Easy
Ingredients
- 200 g dairy-free dark chocolate, finely chopped
- 150 g plant-based double cream alternative, suitable for cooking
- 100 g Hazelnut Cacao Spread "Choco Love"
- A small pinch of salt, optional
- Chopped toasted hazelnuts, to finish, optional
Method
- Put the chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Have the hazelnut spread ready to add.
- Pour the plant-based double cream alternative into a small saucepan. Warm over a medium-low heat until steaming and just beginning to bubble around the edges. Don’t let it boil.
- Pour the warm cream alternative over the chocolate. Leave it for 2 to 3 minutes so the chocolate has time to soften.
- Stir gently from the centre outwards until the mixture looks smooth. If a few pieces of chocolate remain, place the bowl over a pan of barely simmering water and stir gently until melted. Keep the base of the bowl above the water.
- Stir in the hazelnut spread and the salt, if using, until combined.
- Leave to cool to the consistency you need. Use it while still fluid for a drizzle, or let it thicken until spreadable for a cake filling.
- Add chopped toasted hazelnuts just before serving if you want a little crunch.
Tip: Chop the chocolate finely and fairly evenly. Smaller pieces soften more readily in the warm cream alternative, making the ganache easier to stir smooth.
A Note On Ingredients
Choose a dark chocolate you enjoy eating on its own. It supplies much of the ganache’s flavour, so a deeply cocoa-forward bar will give a more intense result than a sweeter one.
Plant-based cream alternatives vary in thickness and fat content. Use one labelled for cooking rather than a thin plant drink, and expect the setting time and final texture to vary between brands. Check the chocolate and cream alternative labels if you’re making the recipe for someone who avoids dairy or follows a vegan diet.
Getting The Texture Right
A good ganache isn’t one fixed thing. For a cake filling, you want it thick enough to stay put. For a drizzle, you want it loose enough to fall from a spoon without needing a wrestling match.
| Use | Look for | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Drizzle or glaze | Smooth and fluid, but no longer piping hot | Spoon over the bake whilst the ganache is still warm |
| Cake filling | Thick enough to hold a soft trail when stirred | Let it cool further, stirring occasionally |
| Topping | Soft and spreadable, like a thick spread | Spoon onto a cooled cake and smooth gently |
| Piping | Firm enough to hold its shape without squeezing hard | Cool until thickened, then test a little first |
These are visual cues rather than exact timings. The temperature of your kitchen, your chocolate and the plant-based cream alternative all affect how quickly the mixture firms up.
For a drizzle, try a spoonful on a plate before decorating your cake. If it runs straight off, let it cool a little longer. If it sits in a stiff blob, warm the ganache gently and try again.
For a filling, don’t rush it onto the sponge while it’s runny. A cool, thickened ganache is much easier to spread neatly and is less likely to squeeze out when you add the next layer.
How To Make A Chocolate Hazelnut Filling
The recipe above makes a chocolate hazelnut filling with a smooth finish. For a little more texture, sprinkle chopped toasted hazelnuts over the ganache after spreading it. You’ll get crunch in the middle without making the filling difficult to pipe or spread.
If you prefer an entirely smooth filling, leave the nuts out. The spread already brings the hazelnut flavour, whilst the chocolate keeps the taste rich and properly chocolatey.
Other hazelnut ingredients will give a different result:
- Chocolate hazelnut spread adds sweetness as well as hazelnut flavour. It’s the choice used in the recipe above.
- Hazelnut butter has a more direct nut flavour. Depending on the product, it may be less sweet and have a different consistency.
- Hazelnut praline paste brings a caramelised flavour. Its sweetness and texture can vary.
- Chopped hazelnuts add crunch rather than a smooth, even hazelnut flavour throughout.
If you swap the spread for another paste or butter, add it gradually and judge the texture as you go. The ingredients aren’t guaranteed to behave identically, so you may need to adjust the ganache for your particular filling.
Chocolate Hazelnut Ganache Cake
A chocolate or vanilla sponge makes an excellent home for this ganache. The contrast is lovely: soft cake, a thick layer of chocolate hazelnut filling and, if you fancy it, a crisp topping.
For a simple two-layer cake, start with two fully cooled 20 cm sponge layers. Choose a plant-based sponge if you want the finished cake to be vegan.
- Let the ganache cool until it’s thick and spreadable.
- Put one sponge layer on a serving plate. Spread ganache over it, leaving a little space around the edge.
- Add the second sponge layer and press down gently. If the filling begins to squeeze out, stop pressing.
- Spread the remaining ganache over the top, or leave the top plain and use the ganache just for the middle.
- Finish with chopped hazelnuts, if you like. Chill the cake if the filling needs to firm up before slicing.
For a cake with more crunch, chop a M:lk® Choc Cre&m® Wafer Bar and scatter the pieces over the top shortly before serving. Wafer layers contain wheat, so check the packaging if you’re serving guests with allergies.
Filling Or Frosting?
A filling goes between the layers. A frosting covers the outside, or sits in a generous swirl on top.
This ganache can do either, but the texture needs watching. For filling, wait until it holds a soft trail and won’t run off the sponge. For a smooth topping, it can be a touch softer, so it spreads without pulling crumbs from the cake.
If you want to cover the sides as well as the top, make extra ganache. A thin layer is easier to manage than trying to stretch one batch over an entire tall cake.
Adding A Drip
For a chocolate hazelnut drip, use a cooled, filled cake and ganache that’s still fluid but not hot. Test one drip near the back of the cake first. If it races to the plate, wait for the ganache to cool a little; if it barely moves, warm it gently.
Add small spoonfuls around the edge rather than pouring the whole bowl over at once. You can always add more. Fishing an overenthusiastic drip off the cake is less fun.
Hazelnut Meringue Cake With Chocolate Ganache
A hazelnut meringue cake gives you a different kind of bite: crisp meringue, toasted nuts and a soft chocolate hazelnut layer. It’s a particularly good choice when you want the ganache to stand out rather than disappear into a thick frosting.
To keep the dessert vegan, choose prepared plant-based meringue layers. Conventional meringue is usually made with egg, so check the ingredients rather than assuming any meringue will do.
For an easy assembly:
- Put one cooled meringue layer on a serving plate.
- Spread it carefully with thickened, cooled ganache. Meringue can crack, so use a light touch.
- Scatter over a few chopped toasted hazelnuts.
- Add a second meringue layer. Spoon more ganache over the top and finish with hazelnuts.
- Serve shortly after assembly for the crispest texture. Refrigerate leftovers promptly.
You can add a layer of whipped plant-based cream if you like a softer contrast. Make sure both the ganache and meringue are cool before assembling, and follow the cream alternative’s storage instructions.
Moist fillings will gradually soften the meringue. If you’re preparing ahead, make the ganache separately, keep it covered in the fridge and assemble the cake closer to serving. Let the ganache soften enough to spread without breaking the meringue.
More Ways To Use Hazelnut Ganache
Fill Cupcakes
Cut a small piece from the centre of each cooled chocolate cupcake and spoon in thickened ganache. Replace a little of the cake on top, or leave the filling visible. A chocolate sponge makes the result extra rich; vanilla gives the hazelnut flavour more room to come through.
Finish Brownies
Spread soft ganache over completely cooled brownies, then sprinkle with chopped hazelnuts. Let the topping firm up before slicing if you want neater edges. For a softer, spoonable finish, add it just before serving instead.
Spoon Over A Tart
Pour slightly warm ganache into a baked, cooled tart shell and leave it to thicken. Add a scattering of nuts on top. For the smoothest finish, keep the chopped hazelnuts out of the ganache itself and use them as decoration.
Make A Dessert Drizzle
A warm spoonful is lovely over dairy-free ice cream or a slice of plain cake. If the ganache has been chilled, warm a small portion gently until it loosens. There’s no need to heat the whole batch when you only want a drizzle.
Choosing Chocolate And Hazelnut Flavours
Dark Chocolate
Dark chocolate gives the recipe its cocoa-rich base. A sweeter dark chocolate will produce a softer chocolate flavour, while a more intense bar can stand up to a generous layer of hazelnut spread.
If your chocolate is very bitter for your taste, serve the ganache with a sweeter sponge or add a little extra spread. Add it gradually: more spread will also change the texture.
White Chocolate
A white chocolate and hazelnut ganache will taste sweeter and look much paler. If you want to make one without dairy, choose a suitable plant-based white chocolate and check the other ingredients too.
Don’t assume a white chocolate version will set like the dark chocolate recipe above. For example, this white chocolate hazelnut ganache recipe uses a different proportion of chocolate to cream. Use a recipe developed for your chosen ingredients rather than swapping the chocolate and expecting the same finish.
Toasted Hazelnuts
Chopped toasted hazelnuts make a simple topping for cakes, brownies and meringue. Finely chop them for a more even crunch, or leave the pieces a little larger for contrast.
You can stir nuts into ganache, as in How To Cake It’s hazelnut ganache method, but keep them separate if you want a smooth glaze. They’ll also make piping through a small nozzle trickier.
Troubleshooting Ganache
It’s Too Runny
First, give it more time to cool. Ganache can look far too loose when it’s freshly mixed, then thicken considerably as it rests.
If it’s still too soft for a cake filling, chill it briefly and stir before checking again. Different plant-based cream alternatives and chocolates can set differently, so work by texture rather than the clock.
If you need a firmer result after chilling, gently melt a little more chocolate, let it cool slightly, then stir it into the ganache. Allow the mixture to cool again before using it.
It’s Too Thick
Warm it gently, stirring until it loosens. A heatproof bowl over barely simmering water gives you more control than a blast of direct heat.
If it’s still stiffer than you want, stir in a small spoonful of warmed plant-based cream alternative. Add a little at a time so you don’t turn a spreadable filling into a sauce.
It Looks Grainy Or Oily
Stop stirring vigorously and check the temperature. Chocolate can become awkward if it gets too hot, so use gentle heat and avoid boiling the cream alternative.
Try warming the mixture gently and stirring slowly until it comes back together. If it looks oily, a small spoonful of warm plant-based cream alternative may help it combine. Add it gradually, as too much will make the ganache softer.
There Are Pieces Of Unmelted Chocolate
Put the bowl over barely simmering water and stir gently until the pieces melt. Next time, chop the chocolate more finely and make sure the cream alternative is steaming before pouring it over.
Storage And Making Ahead
Transfer leftover ganache to a covered container and refrigerate it. Keep it within the use-by dates and storage guidance of the ingredients you’ve used, and follow any storage instructions for the finished cake or dessert.
Chilled ganache will usually be firmer. Let it soften enough to spread, or warm it gently for a drizzle. If you’re decorating with wafer pieces or chopped hazelnuts and want them crisp, add them close to serving.
For a meringue cake, store the components separately until you’re ready to assemble where practical. The ganache can be prepared ahead, but the meringue’s crisp texture is best enjoyed soon after it meets the filling.
Conclusion
A good chocolate hazelnut ganache earns its place on a cake: it’s rich, nutty and adaptable enough to drizzle or spread. Give it the time it needs to cool, and let the texture tell you when it’s ready.
- Use it warm and fluid for a drizzle.
- Let it thicken for a cake filling or topping.
- Add wafer pieces or toasted hazelnuts when you want crunch.
Tip: For your next batch, try our LoveRaw Hazelnut Cacao Spread "Choco Love".
FAQ
Can I make chocolate hazelnut ganache without dairy?
Yes. Use dairy-free dark chocolate, a plant-based double cream alternative suitable for cooking, and a chocolate hazelnut spread made without dairy. Check the labels of each ingredient to make sure they suit the people you’re serving.
Can I use chocolate hazelnut spread as a cake filling on its own?
Yes, you can spread it directly between cooled cake layers. Ganache gives you a more chocolate-forward filling with a texture you can use soft, spreadable or pourable, depending on how long it cools.
Why won’t my ganache set?
It may still be too warm, so give it more time to cool before deciding it needs fixing. If it remains soft after chilling, your chocolate, spread or cream alternative may produce a looser mixture. You can stir in a little gently melted chocolate and let it cool again.
Are LoveRaw products in this recipe suitable for people with nut or wheat allergies?
Choco Love contains hazelnuts, and the M:lk Choc Cre&m Wafer Bar contains wheat. Please check the packaging for full allergy information, as cross-contamination is possible.
