Place the chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Gently heat the cream in a small saucepan until it just begins to boil. Immediately pour over the chocolate, let it sit for a minute and then stir with a silicone spatula or whisk until glossy and smooth.

If your ganache looks a little lumpy, your cream probably wasn’t hot enough to completely melt the chocolate. Simply pop the bowl over a bain marie or in the microwave for short 10-second bursts to encourage the chocolate to melt down. Be careful not to overheat your ganache as this may cause it to split, in which case an extra splash of cream should bring it back to home ground.

Serve warm with desserts, or pour over cakes as a glaze or drip. Chill in the fridge to a firmer, spreadable consistency to make sandwich cookies, or frost/pipe onto cupcakes. You can even use this base recipe to make chocolate truffles – leave in the fridge until firm, then scoop and roll the mixture into balls and coat in cocoa powder.

Tips:
The ganache can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for several days. The microwave (and freezer) are your friends to help reach the consistency you’re after.

Variations:

• For a boozy kick, add 1 tbsp of your favourite liqueur to the ganache, like orange, coffee or hazelnut. This is particularly delicious for truffles!
• Infuse your cream with orange zest, a pinch of chilli flakes, fresh mint or ground coffee. Strain before pouring over your chocolate to ensure a smooth consistency.
• Sprinkle a little flakey salt into the ganache for a salty-sweet experience.