Chocolate Ganache

Directions

• 1)

  Bring the heavy cream and corn syrup to a boil. Corn syrup helps make the mixture shiny and sweetens it a bit. It also helps prevent the sugar from crystallizing out of the chocolate and gives you a smoother glaze.

• 2)

  When the cream is at a rolling boil, take it off the heat and pour it over the finely chopped chocolate in a bowl. Make sure the chocolate pieces are very small; otherwise, you’ll find that the cream cools off before the chocolate is sufficiently melted. When you go to emulsify the mixture, it will be likely to separate and become gritty.

• 3)

  Allow the cream and chocolate to rest for about 30 seconds without stirring the mixture. Once the chocolate has started to melt, whisk it in the center of the bowl, using the whisk, a rubber spatula, or an immersion blender. Note that chocolate ganache is an emulsion, much like mayonnaise is an emulsion. You whisk it starting in the center of the bowl and then slowly whisk in larger circles out toward the edge of the bowl to incorporate the entire mixture.

• 4)

  Look for the mixture to become shiny and thick. When it does, allow it to chill for a little while and then use it as a glaze for filled éclairs. Carefully dip the tops of the éclairs into the ganache.

• 5)

  When it’s used as a glaze for éclairs, chocolate ganache doesn’t really need to be flavored, but if you’re using it for the center of a chocolate candy, you might want to infuse some flavor into the cream or add some liqueur to the finished product.