Chocolate Ganache

Gently heat the cream on the stove in a heavy saucepan. If your recipe calls for any additional ingredients, like sugar, salt or corn syrup, you can whisk them in here, too. In the meantime, place your chocolate chips in a heatproof bowl. Test Kitchen Tip: Avoid over-boiling the cream—liquid that’s too hot can overheat the fat in the chocolate, causing it to separate.

Once the cream reaches a simmer or low boil, remove it from the heat. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate chips. Let it sit for about 10 minutes. Then whisk thoroughly until you have smooth ganache. Test Kitchen Tip: Remember to let the cream and chocolate meld before you begin whisking. If you start mixing immediately, the cream will cool too quickly and the ganache could become grainy.

How you approach this step will vary slightly depending on how you'll use the ganache. For pourable ganache: Cool at room temperature until the mixture thickens slightly. It should be 85° to 90°F. For spreadable ganache: Chill in the refrigerator, stirring occasionally, until the ganache reaches your desired consistency. For whipped ganache: Let it cool, then use a hand mixer or stand mixer to whisk the ganache until it is fluffy and more pale in color. Test Kitchen Tip: If your chilled ganache becomes too stiff to use, pop it in the microwave for 10 seconds at a time until it's the right consistency. Just be mindful not to heat for longer intervals—you never want to overheat chocolate.