I covered making ganache in a chocolate truffle post a while ago. I felt like it was worth writing up a basic, unflavoured ganache recipe as well though. This can be flavoured and used for making truffles. It could be whipped into an almost mousse-like consistency and used as a spreadable icing or filling. Or poured over cakes for a shiny, chocolate-y finish.

Chocolate Ganache

Ingredients

• 1 c. heavy (35%) cream
• 225g semi-sweet chocolate, chopped

Directions

1. Heat the cream until steaming and very hot, but not quite boiling.
2. Pour cream over chocolate, cover, and set aside for 5 minutes.
3. Uncover and stir until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth and homogeneous.

If Using for Truffles:

1. Mix in any desired flavourings.
2. Chill for at least two hours.

If Using as an Icing:

1. Chill until cool and slightly firm (~1 hour).
2. Beat hard for 2 minutes to produce a lighter, more mousse-like texture.