Chocolate Ganache for Truffles and Cake Icing

Ingredients

• 1 lb semisweet chocolate or bittersweet chocolate, chopped fine
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, cut in small pieces
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon salt (preferably gray salt)
• 2 tablespoons brewed coffee
• 1 cinnamon stick

Directions

1. 1

   Place the chocolate in a large bowl.

2. 2

   Put cream and cinnamon stick (if using) in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring just to the boiling point. Add the butter and stir. Pour the cream mixture through a fine mesh sieve over the chocolate. Rotate the bowl a bit so all the chocolate is covered in cream. Let stand for two minutes. With a rubber or silicone spatula gently stir the mixture working all the cream into the chocolate until all the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth and creamy. If using chocolate chips break up any little lumps with the back of the spatula. Add vanilla, coffee and grey salt if using and stir.

3. 3

   If using as cake filling and icing: Cool the ganache to room temperature. If desired, you can take out about one cup of ganache and refrigerate it to decorate the cake with a pastry bag after it’s been filled and frosted. Use about half the mixture to fill your cake. To frost the cake use a lazy susan if you have one. Put four strips of parchment or wax paper under the cake all around. This is so that any extra ganache will fall on the paper and you can gently pull them out. Use the rest of the ganache to frost the cake. Use a flat metal spatula to smooth the ganache around the top and sides of the cake.

4. 4

   If using for truffles: Chill ganache for at least two hours. To make this as mess free as possible use food grade vinyl or silicone gloves and a cookie scoop. Scoop out the ganache, roll in your choice of toppings to coat evenly and set aside. Truffles can be stored in the refrigerator but should be served at room temperature.

5. 5

   Suggested toppings for truffles: Cocoa powder (preferably Dutch process), finely chopped nuts, finely crushed toffee bits, finely crushed peppermint candy, cookie crumbs.

6. 6

   Truffles can also be coated in dark, milk or white chocolate but that’s another recipe.