Fran’s Dark-Chocolate Ganache Glaze

This traditional ganache gives cakes a lovely dark-chocolate velvet finish. The only techniques you need to remember are to start with a well-chilled cake and not to incorporate any air as you gently stir. A resilient ganache such as this one can be gently reheated and used again as a glaze, sauce, or filling. And it does not lose its sheen with refrigeration. You may halve the recipe for a single 9-inch round layer.

Makes enough for 1 double-layer 9-inch round or quarter-sheet-pan layer cake

Ingredients

  • 8 ounces semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
  • 1 cup heavy cream

Directions

  1. Place the chopped chocolate in a stainless-steel mixing bowl.
  2. In a small saucepan heat the cream over medium-high heat until it begins to boil. Remove from the heat and pour over the chocolate. Let sit 1 minute and then start gently stirring with a rubber spatula from the center out, until smooth. Cool at room temperature about 30 minutes, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the ganache thickens enough to ribbon off the end of the spatula when lifted. The ideal pouring temperature is 80-85°F.
  3. If a recipe calls for a thin coating or masking prior to glazing, chill one quarter of the mixture for about 25 minutes. The purpose of masking is to seal in the filling and crumbs and give the glaze a smooth surface to stick to. This step is always optional but will give your cakes a professional high-gloss look. Use an offset spatula and a firm hand with constant pressure to apply a thin layer of ganache on all exposed surfaces before pouring the room-temperature glaze.

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