A ganache is a simple
mixture of
chocolate,
heavy cream, and sometimes
butter. It can be used as a
glaze for a cake, a filling for
cupcakes or
truffles, a coating to dip fruit in, and just about anything else that you would want a semi-solid
rich chocolate filling for.
To make a ganache in its most basic form, heat 1 cup of heavy cream in a saucepan over medium heat until it is hot (not boiling). Remove from heat and add 8 oz roughly chopped bittersweet or semisweet chocolate. Whisk for several minutes until it all comes together. You can then allow it to cool until it reaches the desired consistency. This can also be refridgerated or frozen for quite some time, and remelted in a microwave.
Want to make a light frosting? Use 2 cups of cream instead and add about a half stick of unsalted sweet butter to the cream when heating. After mixing in the chocolate, refridgerate until cool. Beat with a hand mixer until light and fluffy.
On a final note, the cream and chocolate compliment each other very well giving a rich flavor and a smooth texture. The quality of the chocolate you use here is very imporant, so do yourself a favor and go get some decent chocolate please.