With only two or three ingredients, ganache is one of the simplest—and tastiest—ways to fill a layer cake. It’s an obvious fit for chocolate cake, but also works beautifully with yellow cake or any kind of nut torte.
| 8 | ounces | semi or bittersweet chocolate* |
| 1 | cup | heavy cream |
| 1–2 | tablespoons | liqueur or other flavoring, optional |
1. Chop the chocolate into small (1/4”) pieces using a sturdy knife or food processor.
2. Place the chocolate in a medium, heat-proof bowl.
3. In a small saucepan, bring the cream to a full boil. Watch the cream closely, as it will boil over in an instant if left unsupervised.
4. Remove cream from heat and pour it over the chocolate.
5. Let sit for one minute, then whisk until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is uniformly smooth.
NOTE: If the chocolate does not melt completely, microwave for 20 seconds at a time, stirring in between.
6. Refrigerate the ganache until cool and somewhat firm, 35-45 minutes.
7. Using a handheld mixer, beat the ganache filling on high speed until thick and creamy. Do not overbeat.
