Ganache - Chocolate Filling and Frosting

Luscious, rich chocolate ganache is very simple to make...it only tastes complicated.

Recipe Ingredients:

1 (12-ounce) package semisweet chocolate chips
1 1/2 cups heavy cream

Cooking Directions:

1. Place chocolate in a medium sized bowl.
2. Heat cream over medium low heat until it just barely begins to boil. Remove from heat immediately. Do not over-heat!
3. Pour hot cream over chocolate and let it sit for 1 minute. Gently stir mixture until chocolate is melted and blended with the cream. Do not beat the mixture, you want to minimize the introduction of air bubbles.
4. Cool chocolate mixture at room temperature. Then place a piece of plastic wrap over it, covering the surface of the chocolate mixture and refrigerate for 1 hour. If after that time the mixture has reached the desired spreading consistency, frost the cake. If not, keep checking. Store cake in refrigerator.

Makes enough to frost a 13x9x2-inch cake, or fill and frost 2 (8 or 9-inch) cake layers.

Tip: For whipped version use 2 cups heavy cream, chill overnight and whip with electric mixer, as for whipped cream.