Ganache is a mixture of chocolate and cream. It's very easy to make -- just pour heated cream over an equal amount of chopped chocolate and stir till the chocolate melts.
Once you have some ganache prepared, you can do all kinds of things with it:
- Use it for chocolate fondue.
- Pour it over a cake -- it'll make a smooth, firm icing.
- Fill cakes and cookies with it.
- Pipe it into tart shells.
- Whip it to make a decorating icing.
- Add butter for a richer taste.
- Add flavorings (liquers, for example, or peppermint extract) to vary the taste.
- Chill it as a base for truffles.
