ganache

noun

ga·​nache (ˌ)gä-ˈnäsh 

gə-

: a sweet creamy chocolate mixture used especially as a filling or frosting

Examples of ganache in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The filling is a ganache—a dense but silky combination of butter, chocolate, and cream. —Alana Al-Hatlani, Southern Living, 29 May 2025

This truffle pairs his favorite 18-year Macallan single-malt scotch and blends it with dark chocolate ganache for the ultimate luxury experience! —Sarah Boyd, Forbes.com, 11 June 2025

The smooth dark chocolate ganache (laced with just a hint of rum) creation is hand-rolled into the shape of a faux cigar, dipped in milk chocolate, and then packaged up like a real one. —Gretta Monahan, Boston Herald, 8 June 2025

This elegant dessert has a layer of cake, mousse, and ganache which is sure to delight the most serious chocolate lovers. —Lisa Cericola, Southern Living, 2 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from French, originally a kind of bonbon manufactured by the Parisian confectioner Siraudin (probably after Les Ganaches, a play by Victorien sardou first performed in October, 1862), literally, "lower jaw of a horse, jowl, imbecile," borrowed from Italian (Tuscan) ganascia "jaw, jowl," central Italian ganassa, going back to Vulgar Latin (northern and central Italy) *ganassa, re-formation (with gender conformed to the source noun) of Greek gnȧthos "jaw" (attested in Medieval Latin of Italy as ganathos) — more at -gnathous

Note: The French word occurs in a list of bonbon varieties produced by "la maison Siraudin" ("Courrier de la mode," LʼIllustration, journal universel, vol. 44, no. 1139, 24 décembre 1864, p. 415): "Les bonbons preférés sont: le Maltais, la Praline du club, la Praline Livry, au sucre de violette, lʼÉmélie, lʼOrangine, puis les Ganaches, qui eurent presque le succès de la pièce de Victorien Sardou, etc., etc." ("The preferred bonbons are: the Maltese, the Club Praline, the Praline Livry, with violet sugar, the Émélie, the Orangine, then the Ganaches, which had nearly the success of Victorien Sardouʼs play, etc., etc."). The Ganache bonbon is cited in English in a list of popular French bonbons, others of which are named after successful operas and plays of the period ("Bonbons," Every Saturday: A Journal of Choice Reading, vol. 7, nol. 163, February 13, 1869, pp. 220-21).

First Known Use

1977, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for ganache

• attach
• bycatch
• despatch
• detach
• dispatch
• mismatch
• nuthatch
• potlatch
• toothache
• bache
• batch
• brach