Easy Homemade Chocolate Ganache

I put chocolate ganache on pretty much every dessert I made. Do you know what it is? It’s a rich, creamy chocolate layer that I use to top cheesecake (hides the cracks), cakes (it’s tastier than frosting), cookies (because, why not?), and my fingers. Ganache is amazingly easy, too, so I whip it together every time I put baked goods in the oven. In less than the time it takes the thing in the oven to be done, I have made a small batch of ganache that will add some amazing to the deliciousness soon to come.

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Easy Homemade Chocolate Ganache

Servings

Ingredients

• 6-8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup heavy cream Some people like to add flavored liquor. In that case, decrease the amount of cream so that you have 1/2 cup liquid in total.
• 3 tablespoons butter

Servings Ingredients 6-8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips 1/2 cup heavy cream Some people like to add flavored liquor. In that case, decrease the amount of cream so that you have 1/2 cup liquid in total. 3 tablespoons butter

Instructions

1. It is very important that you not overheat the chocolate ganache. It is easy to ruin.
2. In a small, microwave-safe bowl, heat all the ingredients (except the liquor, if you're using any) in the microwave in 20-30 second increments. Heat it for 20-30 seconds, then stir it very well well with a fork. Heat it for another 20-30 seconds and stir well. It will get soft at first, but the chocolate chips will remain firm. Heat it for another 20-30 seconds and stir well. It will eventually become smooth and almost creamy - perhaps a little lumpy. You may need to heat it one more time, but error on the side of less time in the microwave. As soon as it becomes smooth and creamy, stop heating it!
3. If the chocolate gets grainy, softens and then hardens again, or smells burnt, dump it and start over. There's no saving it once you've burned your ganache.
4. Stir in the liquor. The chocolate will be a little too runny to spread at this point, so let it sit on the counter (or in the fridge if you're in a hurry) until it has cooled and thickened enough to spread without flowing away like a river.

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