Ganache Glaze or Frosting 1.5~1.75 CUPS

Pour it warm for a beautiful glaze, or cool it and slather it like a frosting.

8 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped into small pieces
3/4 cup heavy cream, plus 1/4 cup extra (optional)

Make the ganache with the extra cream for frosting rather than glaze, because spreading cool ganche makes it much harder after it sets.

Place the chopped chocolate in a medium bowl. Bring the cream to a simmer and immediately pour it over the chocolate. Stir briskly until the chocolate is melted and smooth. For a pouring glaze, let the ganache cool (between 90* and 100*F). Got frosting, let the ganache cool without stirring, until it looks thick enough to spread.

To reheat, set the bowl in a pan of barely simmering water until the ganache is partly melted, then stir gently to the desired consistency of the glaze or frosting can be adjusted with more hot cream as necessary.

Chocolate notes: You can use standard bittersweet or semisweet chocolate (w/o a percentage on the label), or any marked 50%to 60%. Because it has plenty of cream, you can adjust the sweetness of the ganache after you make and taste it.

To use chocolate marked 61% to 66% instead of standard bittersweet: Increase the cream to 1.25 cups. Pour only half of the cream over the chocolate and stir well before adding the rest.

To use chocolate marked 70% to 72% instead of standard bittersweet: Increase the cream to 1 cup, and reduce the chocolate to 7 ounces. Pour only half of the cream over the chocolate and stir well before adding the rest. Add about 1 tablespoon sugar to the cream before heating it. You can always taste and add more later.

As the chocolate liquor percentage increases, ganache becomes less stable. It may separate or curdle, especially when reheated. If this happens, try whisking in a few drops of cream or water. Or, try the mayonnaise trick as follows: Pour a tablespoon of hot cream into a medium bowl. Dribble a little of the lukewarm curdled ganache intot the cream and whisk it briskly until perfectly smooth. Gradually whisk in the remainder of the curdled ganache.