Ganache

Simply chocolate and cream, ganache makes a quick, rich frosting. Use the best chocolate you can find.

Makes 1 cup, enough to frost the top and sides of an 8- or 9-inch cake

INGREDIENTS

8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, best quality

1 cup heavy cream

Flavorings - optional: 1 T liquor (Kahula, rum, Grand Marnier)

METHOD

Finely chop the chocolate and transfer it to a glass or stainless steel bowl.

Heat the cream, watching it carefully as it makes a colossal mess if it boils over. Oh, you can add flavorings to the cream - vanilla extract (a teaspoon), liquors (about a tablespoon), orange peel...

Once the cream comes to a boil, pour it over the chocolate and stir gently until smooth. Cool for about 15-20 minutes.